The former Sealtest Ice Cream Factory will offer new transitional housing to twenty-two individuals re-entering society from incarceration. The renovated three-story brick building will house both males and females in efficiency and one-bedroom apartments. Rhode Island Family Life Center’s offices and support programs will also be located within the premises.

The existing structure has been abandoned for twelve years. Applications have been submitted for historic status on the National Register, and historic tax credits are anticipated to provide a substantial part of the funding for the project.

The Rhode Island Family Life Center expects to renovate this structure using USGBC guidelines for LEED for New Construction. The health of the occupants, durability of materials, and operation costs of the energy systems are all of paramount concern. Operation costs of the new residential facility are projected to be 35% lower than in a similar facility of conventional, code-compliant construction.