A very late example of a Second Empire style commercial block, the Earle Building on Washington Street in Downtown Providence stands as a handsome addition to the urban environment with its human scale and high-quality design. The building is said to have been built by William H. Earle with retail storefronts at the street with offices above. William Earle was a partner in the company, Earle & Prew, an express mailing company (similar to Fedex today). The relatively simple massing is broken up by two-story projecting oriel bays.
