King Block, 204-214 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, Newport County, RI

Significance: While interesting as a very dignified and restrained solution to commercial building problems in the late 19th century, the King Block is particularly significant as one of four buildings that comprise a distinguished commercial street, the east side of Bellevue Avenue beginning at Memorial Boulevard and running south. The first building, the Travers Block, was also the first built, in 1870-1871, designed by the architect Richard Morris Hunt. The second building, physically the largest and historically the best known, is the Newport Casino, built 1880-1881, McKim, Mead, and White, architects. The King Block is the third building of the group, and the final one is the Audrain Building, built 1902.1903, Bruce Price, architect. The four buildings maintain a long street line, and are basically related in scale and massing, in their broken silhouettes and richly textured surfaces which provide, at the same time, a great variety and liveliness. Without matching, the building complement each other in a particularly urbane way, forming an ensemble which should be preserved.
Survey number: HABS RI-332
Building/structure dates: 1894 Initial Construction