Look! Up in the Sky! It’s the Superman Building

The iconic Industrial Trust Building in Providence got its nickname from its similarity to the Daily Planet structure famously portrayed in the Superman comic strip

Kenneth C. Zirkel/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
1 min read
Share
Kenneth C. Zirkel/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Look! Up in the Sky! It’s the Superman Building
Copy

Did you know that Rhode Island has a building right out of a comic book? Welcome to the Industrial Trust Building in Providence, aka the Superman Building. This 26-story building was completed in 1928 and was inhabited by banks until 2013. This beautiful art deco building got its nickname because it looks identical to the Daily Planet headquarters made famous by the Superman comic strip. But that’s not the only cool thing about this super building.

You may recognize the architectural style as it looks very similar to New York City’s most iconic skyscrapers — the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building, but the Industrial Trust Building predates both of them by two years!

Get the full story in the reel below.

Rob Martin spent decades making the ocean safer for whales and fishermen alike. Now, after losing his NOAA job under Trump’s cuts, he fears the cost of silencing science and sidelining expertise
After a long legal battle, Congregation Jeshuat Israel leaves Touro Synagogue — their spiritual home for over a century — as a new chapter begins under new tenants and old tensions linger
Cost, timeline and potential asks of state and city are still unknown
May 7, 2025