Local news

The 57-year-old man, whose identity was not released, is homeless, lives in the restaurant and is undergoing chemotherapy and dialysis treatments, officials said.

The decomposing body of a man was found Tuesday morning at a closed wedding venue in Rhode Island, Providence police said.

Providence police responded to the Skyline at Waterplace, a wedding and event venue currently fighting an eviction order from the city, around 11 a.m. Tuesday. The 57-year-old black man, whose identity was not released by police, was pronounced dead inside the Waterplace restaurant.

According to a police report obtained by Boston.com, the man’s body “appeared to have been dead for several days due to the state of decomposition.” The restaurant has been closed since July 27.

Someone familiar with the man, whose identity was redacted, told police that the man was homeless and had permission to sleep at the restaurant where he worked.

They also told police that the man “was struggling with serious health problems and had been undergoing chemotherapy and dialysis treatments for several months,” the police report said.

A detective wrote that the death did not appear suspicious.

The incident occurred at the controversial venue, which is owned by the state and managed by the Providence Parks Department and has been under threat of eviction from the city since last fall. The Boston Globe reported.

In February, the city refused to transfer the lease, which will lead Skyline to an eviction trial in Supreme Court in October, the globe.

Skyline’s attorney, Michael Lepizzera, did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday evening and calls to the venue went unanswered.