Crews began razing the crumbling 1829 Mathewson Street landmark Monday, with the leveled lot set to be transferred to Hotel Providence for parking.

A converted Providence textile mill offers a creative-reuse model as Massachusetts lab and manufacturing space vacancy reaches 31.1 percent.

The former public safety building has sat empty for seven years, and now council members say it's time to start over.

The real estate brokerage's new 1,600-square-foot space on Providence's East Side replaces its old Waterplace Condominiums location.