Magistrate orders permit or removal for unpermitted wall and door at downtown Providence smoke shop

Special Magistrate Kristen Ike found that a business at 1878 Providence Boulevard had constructed an interior wall and door without an issued building permit and ordered the owner to obtain a valid permit and complete required corrections by Jan. 20, 2026.

Assistant Fire Marshal Samuel Schaller presented the fire-case file (Fire0392025) and said an inspector first documented the unpermitted wall and door during a fire inspection in August 2024. Subsequent permit applications were submitted but rejected as incomplete in April and again on Oct. 8, 2025, because plan review required additional documentation. Schaller said the addition altered an interior suite used as a smoke shop/lounge and that the wall’s construction and doorway could have life-safety implications.

The magistrate admitted the case file and photographs into evidence, ordered the owner to obtain an issued building permit for the construction and complete the work (or remove it) by 4:00 p.m. on Jan. 20, 2026, and warned that a $50-per-day fine will be imposed for each day the violation continues past the enforced date. The owner must contact the inspector to verify compliance.