Now Abandoned, It Was Once Home to the Biggest Rock Stars, Buddy, and Arlene

Now Abandoned, It Was Once Home to the Biggest Rock Stars, Buddy, and Arlene

For decades, the broadcast center for WHJJ and WHJY in East Providence was one of the hubs of Rhode Island media.

It was where DJs Carolyn Fox and Rudy Cheeks shocked. Candidates for governor debated there. It hosted visits from some of the biggest names in rock and roll coming to hype their latest album. 

Today, the building is abandoned. Garbage is spewed across the parking lot. Signs on the building warn of asbestos.

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“I did talk shows on WHJJ-AM and worked with Carolyn [Fox] on WHJY-FM on Eastern Avenue in East Providence. I worked on HJJ there with the great Sherm Strickhouser. He was my radio mentor,” said Bruce McCrae — aka, Rudy Cheeks -- a member of the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame. 

PHOTOS: See What the Building Looks Like Now -- BELOW

The building was home to Buddy Cianci’s first radio show after he was forced from office — the first time.

He joined WHJJ in 1985 and Cianci's new career made national news. "Mr. Cianci has dominated the afternoon airwaves as host of a radio talk show on WHJJ-AM in East Providence, giving him a chance to express his views on issues like taxes and crime," wrote the New York Times.

WHJJ was home to Arliene Violet’s afternoon radio show. “Nobody's more Rhode Island than Arlene. For more than a decade, when Rhode Islanders have seen RED, they've turned to Violet!  ARLENE Violet, that is.  Her story is well-known: First woman in America to be elected a State Attorney General; education as a Sister of Mercy; success as a trial attorney; afternoon entertainer,” was the promo about the former nun's show by the station.

The broadcast center on Eastern Avenue in East Providence was closed in 2002 and the radio stations — owned by Clear Channel — move to Oxford Street in South Providence. Clear Channel is now rebranded iHeart and the company recently recovered from bankruptcy.

“One morning Carolyn (Fox) & I had coffee with Ozzie Osbourne. That was funny. I always liked when John Hiatt would drop by. When Dee Snider from Twisted Sister came in, he told me my uncle Allister was his high school gym teacher in Long Island,” said McCrae

Who Owns the Building Now

According to East Providence tax records, the dilapidated building is owned by Vertical Bridge Landco, LLC. State records link the corporation to Vertical Bridge in Boca Raton, Florida.

The company touts, "With more than 268,000 owned and managed sites across the country, Vertical Bridge offers wireless and broadcast carriers and other telecom companies the locations needed to reach their customers. We own more than 4,000 macro towers, making us the largest private owner of towers in the country. Our broadcast tower portfolio is also both the largest and, on average, the tallest, in the U.S."

GoLocal reached out to Marc Ganzi, Executive Chairman of Vertical Bridge, but he refused to respond to questions about the property.

“I haven’t been by that area in at least 25 or 30 years. Sounds like nobody took responsibility for cleaning it up,” said McCrae.

 

SEE PHOTOS OF THE BUILDING BELOW

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story identified Sanzi as CEO, he is Executive Chairman.