| Around The Block | Rhode Island Preservation News
January 18, 2008 | Buyer needed to preserve threatened Ide Homestead  The Ide Homestead, a historic farmhouse in the City of East Providence is for sale. In an attempt to prevent the demolition of this unique historic structure, the City of East Providence is seeking a buyer to purchase the property, which is located at 2585 Pawtucket Avenue.
The property, estimated to be built in the late 18th century, is one of the few remaining structures of the Ide family and was once the center of an extensive farm. The Homestead, which is located on a 21,029 sq. ft. parcel and has 2,100 sq. ft. of living space, possesses unique historic amenities that include:
- a basement summer kitchen
- a beehive oven
- parlor size rooms
- a service staircase
- a foundation that may predate the 18th century residential structure
- a stone-walled side yard that retains evidence of its service as an orchard lot
The property is a part of an eight lot subdivision that recently received approval by the Planning Board. The City has entered an agreement with the owner to grant the City 90 days to search for a buyer to rehabilitate the structure, which will expire the second week of March 2008. The property is serviced by a RIPTA bus line, is in proximity to commercial destinations along Pawtucket and Warren Avenue, and is less than 15 minutes by vehicle from Providence, Pawtucket, and Barrington. According to East Providence's Historic Designation and Properties Commission Chairman Dean Martineau, "This is a great opportunity for an investor to renovate an exceptional historic structure, a profitable investment..." A non-profit organization could also rehabilitate the structure for the purpose of providing community services to residents of East Providence and nearby communities.
If you or your organization is interested in rehabilitating this significant property please review this informational packet that contains images and a detailed description of the Homestead. For additional information or to take a tour of the structure, please contact Patrick Hanner, Senior Planner at (401) 435-7533. | |  Old House Soul documentary focuses on Rhode Island preservation pioneer Steve Tyson
Local artists, Michel Schtakleff and Don Manley, are in the midst of producing a documentary film about Steve Tyson, a Rhode Island native and owner and founder of Architectural Preservation Group in Warwick. With support from the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities, Schtakleff and Manley have launched a website featuring a 7-minute video clip as a work-in-progress to introduce the film. Titled Old House Soul, the film will be an hour and a half long when completed. The 7-minute clip was shown at the RI International Film Festival last August and Schtakleff and Manley have made presentations at the Providence Public Library and a number of preservation societies throughout Rhode Island. The project has also been able to obtain non-profit status through the North Scituate Library. View the 7-minute video clip and details about Steve Tyson and the producers on the Old House Soul website If you or your organization is interested in supporting the production of this project please contact Michael Schtakleff at mschtakleff@iiri.org or 401-453-0567. | | Riverpoint Lace Works, an original Lippitt mill, may be auctioned next week  The historic mill located in West Warwick has been in continuous operation since 1809 when it was built for the Lippitt Manufacturing Company. The business was formed in 1808 by Christopher and Charles Lippitt, Benjamin Acorn, George Jackson, and Amass and William Mason. Charles Lippitt was the grandfather of Governor Henry Lippitt (1818-1891), who later owned the mill and whose home located at 199 Hope Street in Providence is now a museum operated by Preserve Rhode Island.
The mill is a significant piece of Rhode Island's industrial and architectural history and has survived as a textile mill thanks to the Riverpoint Lace Works, who has kept the mill in operation since 1925. The assets of the textile company, located at 825 Main Street, were to have gone on the auction block on the morning of Wednesday, January 16th, but the company's court-appointed receiver postponed the sale for a week to give two prospective buyers time to consider purchasing the business to keep it operating. The auction has been rescheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 23rd. Read the full article in the ProJo Visit the Riverpoint Lace Works website | | National Trust for Historic Preservation February Preservation Fund Grant Round Once again, it is time for the February Preservation Fund grant round. Any preservation nonprofit and/or public agencies in need of financial assistance to advance their preservation project are eligible. The postmark deadline is February 1, 2008. To learn about the grant guidelines and restrictions and to access the Word version of the applications for the Preservation Fund, the Johanna Favrot, and the Cynthia Woods Mitchell for Historic Interiors grants  please visit the NTHP website. In addition, during this grant round, the Hart Family Fund for Small Towns and the Battlefield Preservation grants are available. For more information contact Brent Leggs at the NTHP Northeast Office at 617.523.0885. | | Rhode Island Preservation News Links | |
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