Look! Up in the Sky! It’s the Superman Building

The iconic Industrial Trust Building in Providence got its nickname from its similarity to the Daily Planet structure famously portrayed in the Superman comic strip

Kenneth C. Zirkel/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Share
Kenneth C. Zirkel/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Look! Up in the Sky! It’s the Superman Building
Copy

Did you know that Rhode Island has a building right out of a comic book? Welcome to the Industrial Trust Building in Providence, aka the Superman Building. This 26-story building was completed in 1928 and was inhabited by banks until 2013. This beautiful art deco building got its nickname because it looks identical to the Daily Planet headquarters made famous by the Superman comic strip. But that’s not the only cool thing about this super building.

You may recognize the architectural style as it looks very similar to New York City’s most iconic skyscrapers — the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building, but the Industrial Trust Building predates both of them by two years!

Get the full story in the reel below.

Trinity Repertory Company’s 49th “A Christmas Carol,” directed by Richard and Sharon Jenkins, offers a traditional but delightful take on Charles Dickens’ classic tale
An exhibit explores the stories of the oldest continuously operating jail in the country, two classical concerts to choose from, folk music from the Faux Paws and “A Christmas Carol” is back at Trinity Rep
The state senator shares his takeaways from the Washington Bridge hearing and weighs in on gun policy, health care strains, and the push for a new medical school at URI
A group of nonprofits from Rhode Island found themselves at the heart of a dispute over food aid that reached all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court
New research led by Brown University scientists suggests cannabis may curb short-term alcohol consumption — but raises big questions about swapping one substance for another