Secret Mall Apartment Artists Reunite After Nearly Two Decades

The documentary 'Secret Mall Apartment' follows the eight artists who lived undetected in a Providence mall for four years.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 10:55am

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In 2003, a group of eight artists moved into a secret 750-square-foot apartment they built inside the Providence Place mall in Rhode Island. Led by local tape artist Michael Townsend and his then-partner Adriana Valdez-Young, the group lived in the hidden space for four years until they were discovered by mall security in 2007. The story of the 'Secret Mall Apartment' went untold for years, but the eight artists recently reunited to tell their wild tale in a new Netflix documentary that premiered in January 2026.

Why it matters

The 'Secret Mall Apartment' story highlights the creative lengths artists will go to in order to find affordable living and work spaces, especially as development and rising costs displace many artist communities. The documentary also explores themes of capitalism, consumerism, and the role of public spaces like malls in modern society.

The details

The group of eight artists, which included Colin Bliss, Andrew Oesch, Greta Scheing, James Mercer, Emily Ustach and Jay Zehngebot, built the secret apartment after their previous artist commune, Fort Thunder, was torn down by developers. They constructed a cinderblock wall to hide the apartment from the rest of the mall, snuck in furniture, and tapped into the mall's electricity, although they couldn't connect to the water and had to use the public restrooms. The artists filmed their experience with a small camera they bought from Radio Shack.

  • In 2003, the group of eight artists moved into the secret apartment in the Providence Place mall.
  • They lived in the 750-square-foot space for four years until it was discovered by mall security in 2007.

The players

Michael Townsend

A local tape artist who led the group of eight artists that built the secret apartment in the Providence Place mall.

Adriana Valdez-Young

Townsend's then-partner who was part of the group that lived in the secret mall apartment.

Colin Bliss

One of the eight artists who lived in the secret mall apartment.

Andrew Oesch

One of the eight artists who lived in the secret mall apartment.

Greta Scheing

One of the eight artists who lived in the secret mall apartment.

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What they’re saying

“This is an insane climb up the cultural ladder — from absolute obscurity to something where so many people have at least the option of seeing it.”

— Michael Townsend

“We began sleeping at the mall because we lost our homes in Eagle Square [as Fort Thunder]. There was an oasis of happiness being sold to us by the mall, and we wanted to swim in it.”

— Michael Townsend

What’s next

The documentary 'Secret Mall Apartment' is set to premiere at the Providence Place mall in March 2025, where Michael Townsend's lifetime ban from the mall will be lifted.

The takeaway

The 'Secret Mall Apartment' story highlights the creative spirit and resourcefulness of artists who are often displaced by development and rising costs. It also raises questions about the role of public spaces like malls in modern society and the tensions between consumerism and artistic expression.