Upcoming
PPS Events | | March 30-June 12
Children's Heritage Tours
April 2-5
Annual Meeting of the National Council on Public History
April 25
24th Annual RI Statewide Historic Preservation Conference
May 6
Most Endangered Properties List Press Conference
May 29
Tiffany
Garden Party
June 6
2009 Festival of
Historic Houses Saturday House Tour
| | | Preservation
PPS Advocates for Providence Ordinance on Gas Meters
 At a Public Utilities Commission public hearing on March 11, PPS testified in support of the December 12, 2008 City of Providence ordinance governing gas meter placement practices. The ordinance requires National Grid to secure permission from property owners before installing meters and implements a permitting process. The ordinance demands that National Grid make alterations to Providence's streetscape with the same expectation of accountability and responsibility placed on everyday citizens. It supports the rights of property owners and helps preserve the character of our city. For these reasons, PPS urged the PUC to uphold the ordinance. Also in support of the ordinance were Councilman John Lombardi, numerous homeowners, and representatives from the West Broadway Neighborhood Association, College Hill Neighborhood Association, Fox Point Neighborhood Association, Newport Restoration Foundation, Pawtucket Office of Planning and Redevelopment, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. PPS will continue to update you as this critical issue evolves.
Historic Tax Credit Bill before R.I. Legislature Rep. David Segal, D-Providence, has introduced H-5543; the bill would revive the historic preservation tax credits for some residential developments. As proposed, the 25% credit would apply to projects that were at least 80% residential, with at least 25% of that affordable housing. An alternative bill, sponsored by House Majority Leader Gordon D. Fox, is in the works. Grow Smart Rhode Island Executive Director Scott Wolf is working with Fox and others on this bill. For more information, click here to read an article in The Providence Business News. 2009 Most Endangered Properties List  The 2009 Most Endangered Properties List will be released at a press conference outside the Old Brick Schoolhouse at 24 Meeting Street on Wednesday, May 6 at 4:00 p.m. One of PPS's most popular and critical advocacy programs, the Most Endangered Properties List generates interest in and support for the preservation of significant structures; educates the public about the benefits of historic preservation and the unique architectural resources in our city; and prompts property owners, developers, and other interested parties to bring about positive change in each property, and ultimately, in the historic fabric of our city.
Toward Broader Horizons: Annual Meeting of the National Council on Public History
Toward Broader Horizons is the theme for the 2009 annual conference of the National Council on Public History, April 2-5. The conference will bring over 550 history professionals to Providence's Biltmore Hotel for more than 50 sessions, workshops, and working groups. Sessions and field trips will draw participants into historic sites and museums in the city and beyond. PPS will be an exhibitor in the conference exhibit hall and has contributed to the conference through representation on the local arrangements committee. Click here for more information.
The 24th Annual RI Statewide Historic Preservation Conference
Saturday, April 25 on URI's Kingston Campus
 Where better to explore the preservation of outdoor places than South County? From its sparkling coastline to its rugged forests, its open farmland to its village lanes, South County is one of Rhode Island's most distinctive historic places. Step out to learn about protecting and preserving historic farms, woodlands, riverfronts, and seashores. Consider what design features, what tools, and what intangibles contribute to the individual sense of place in each historic village, each neighborhood, and on each campus. Gather tips from experts, and compare experiences with colleagues from around Rhode Island and throughout New England. As always, PPS staff will be in attendance and we encourage other preservation enthusiasts to join us! Click here for more information. | Education
Children's Heritage Education Tours
 Bookings are now being accepted for our Spring 2009 Children's Heritage Education Tours, which are led Monday through Friday at 10:00 a.m., March 30 through June 12. The tour topics include:
· College Hill Tour, 1636-1775 - Roger Williams and the Settlement of Colonial Providence
· Downtown Tour, c. 1800 - Present - The Rise of the West Side
· "Avi" Tour - Something Upstairs, 1800 - A Literary Journey to the Past
· H.P. Lovecraft as Preservationist, 1920s Benefit Street
· "Avi" Tour - The Man Who Was Poe, Mid-1800s Providence
· The Crest of College Hill: A Late 19th Century Victorian Journey
Please spread the word at your children's and grandchildren's schools. Teachers may contact Education Coordinator Kathleen McAreavey at kmcareavey@ppsri.org or (401)831-7440, ext. 103. To learn more about PPS's educational programing, including ways you can help, click here.
PPS Docents Tour Shakespeare's Head
 March's Docent site visit took place at the home of PPS and the Junior League of RI on the 5th. A handful of docents accompanied Education Coordinator Kathleen McAreavey and Director of Preservation Services Sara Emmenecker from the basement through each of the four floors, and up into the attic for a real insider's view of this iconic colonial building. The John Carter House, built in 1772, is located in what was the colonial center of town. Inside, John Carter published the first newspaper in Providence, the Providence Gazette, operated the first post office in Providence, and managed a stationery store, all "at the sign of the Shakespeare's Head." The Shakespeare signage advertised the house as a place where those who were unable to read or write could, for a fee, have letters and documents read to them and responses written for them. The building was saved from the wrecking ball in the 1930s and has stood in silent witness to over 237 years of Providence history.
Art+History: Place Explorations
At the Nightingale-Brown House through October 2
 Please stop by the Nightingale-Brown House to view the graduate thesis project Art+History. Curated by graduate students Rosie Branson Gill and Meg Rotzel and presenting original works by Carla Hererra Prats and Jill Slosburg-Ackerman, this exhibit of commissioned artworks reflects on the assembled histories of the house.
Nightingale-Brown House - John Nicholas Brown Center for Public Humanities and Cultural Heritage 357 Benefit St. Providence, RI 02906 (401) 863-1177 artplushistory@yahoo.com
For more information, curriculum and public programs visit
http://artplushistory.wordpress.com/ and
http://www.brown.edu/Research/JNBC/. Afternoon tours of the installation are on Mondays and Thursdays, April 6-May 14, at 12 p.m. 70 minutes. Limited to 30 students. To book a free site visit please contact Kathleen McAreavey, PPS Education Coordinator, at kmcareavey@ppsri.org.
| Events
30th Festival of Historic Houses
 PPS will kick off its 30th Festival of Historic Houses with a Tiffany Garden Party sponsored by Tiffany & Co. at the home of Brooke and Eugene Lee on May 29. Tiffany & Co. will be showcasing their "Mystery Blue Box" fundraiser at this event.
On Saturday, June 6, visit some of the most spectacular houses in the Stimson Avenue area of College Hill! This self-guided house tour offers a "behind-closed-doors" look at private properties, most dating from the nineteenth century. If you purchase your house tour ticket by June 4, your name will be entered into a raffle to win one Tiffany & Co. sterling silver key pendant in either the crown, extra large oval, heart or vintage oval design on sterling silver beaded and oval link chains from the Tiffany Keys Collection. Winners will be announced at a coffee and croissant reception held at Tiffany & Co. in the Providence Place Mall on June 6 9:00-10:30 a.m. All FHH ticket holders are invited to attend.
Festival Media Sponsor:
PPS Business Membership Event - April 22 @ ALCO
 Please join PPS business members for a presentation by Thomas Dziki, Vice President of Sustainable Development for United Natural Foods (UNFI),on April 22 at the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (315 Iron Horse Way, in the ALCO Complex). Mr. Dziki will speak on sustainable development. Registration for the event will begin at 7:30 a.m. and the presentation will begin at 8:00 a.m. sharp.
Mr. Dziki is a registered architect and LEED® Accredited Professional. He joined UNFI in 2003. At UNFI, he has installed solar power arrays, opened a Silver LEED® certified Distribution Center and organized LEED® Teams around the country. UNFI was rank by Forbes in 2005 as one of the "Best Managed Companies in America." UNFI plans to locate their 50,000 square foot corporate headquarters at the ALCO Complex and hopes to occupy this summer.
The event is open to business and non-business members. Business members - FREE. Non-business members - $50. Business members should email Lauren Goldenberg at lgoldenberg@ppsri.org if they wish to attend; non-business members may register here. | | Volunteer/Donation Opportunities
30th Festival of Historic Houses
PPS is soliciting volunteers for its Festival of Historic Houses event on June 6. Volunteer shifts are 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. or 2:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Volunteer roles include, but are not limited to: house guides, route guides, and registration greeters. Mandatory volunteer meetings are scheduled for Monday, May 4 at 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, May 16 at 10:00 a.m; all volunteers are required to attend one meeting. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Barbara Zdravesky at barbara.zdravesky@gmail.com.
General Office/Clerical Assistant PPS seeks a volunteer to assist with general office/clerical tasks, including but not limited to answering a multi-line phone, greeting visitors, working on special projects, mailings, and attending and assisting with various major events. Experience with Microsoft Office programs necessary. Help needed Mondays and Thursdays, 12:00-5:00 p.m., and Wednesdays, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Must be pleasant on the phone and able to handle multiple tasks at once. Please email your interest and availability to info@ppsri.org. PPS Seeks Floor LampSpring is unequivocally here, but the PPS office, still short a floor lamp, has a distinctly wintery gloom. If you have an extra floor lamp that you wold like to donate to PPS, please contact John Rogers, Office Administrator, at 401-831-7440 or info@ppsri.org. All styles and colors considered. Thanks in advance! | Community Notes
Available for Rent: Shakespeare's Head, 21 Meeting St.
 Commercial tenant sought for lovely garden-level office space in historic building. Office approximately 400 square feet, it features a row of windows with a view of the tranquil Shakespeare's Head Garden and plenty of natural light. Monthly rent is $650. Terms: Long-term, triple-net lease. Contact Kristi Agniel at (401) 749-5008.
Location: Convenient to Downtown, Courthouse, State House, College Hill and RISD.
Owner: Shakespeare's Head Association.
Availability: Immediate.
Marcel Breuer: Design and Architecture
April 17-July 20, 2009, at the Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art
 Marcel Breuer: Design and Architecture is the first exhibition to treat all facets of Breuer's work with equal weight, from the highly innovative furniture he produced as both a student and teacher at the famed Bauhaus, to the elegant but modestly scaled houses he created after moving to the United States, to the large-scale governmental and institutional buildings he eventually designed for major cities around the world. Developed by the Vitra Design Museum in Germany, the exhibition traces several themes that connect the apparently diverse elements of this prolific and influential designer's portfolio. The RISD Museum is the exhibition's second North American venue and the only northeastern stop. Twelve models - produced exclusively for this exhibition - will highlight Breuer's extensive architectural work from single-family houses to major religious, cultural, and civic institutions. In addition, drawings, floor plans, photographs, video projections, and interactive computer terminals will shed light on Breuer's long and varied architectural career.
Visit the RISD Museum of Art website for a list of related programs.
The Doorbells of Florence: Fictional Stories & Photographs
Central Branch of the Providence Public Library
Barnard Room, third floor
150 Empire Street
The Providence Public Library welcomes author Andrew Losowsky on Thursday, April 23 from 6:00-7:30 p.m. for a digital slideshow and reading from his just-published book The Doorbells of Florence: Fictional Stories & Photographs. Books will be available for purchase and signing at the event, which is free and open to the public.
The book features alluring photographs of doorbell panels in Florence, Italy, alongside stories that imagine the lives of the people who dwell at each address. Charming, whimsical, and elegant, each story is a perfect match for its photo, balancing the antique, old-world appeal of Florence and the contemporary, gritty realities of a modern city.
Andrew Losowsky has written for The Wall Street Journal, The Times of London, The Guardian, The Independent, Wired, and The Believer. He is the editorial director of le cool, a publishing company that produces city guides and an email events magazine for various European cities. Losowsky comes to Providence, RI via London, Barcelona, Madrid, and Hong Kong. Learn more at http://losowsky.com/portfolio/.
Log Gift & Curtain Shoppe - Grand Finale Open House
2737 Hartford Ave.
Johnston, RI
April 25 & 26, 12:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
 After almost thirty-five years, the Log Gift & Curtain Shoppe, in the 250 year-old Shang Bailey Road House, is closing its doors - but not before opening them wider than ever to the public. Visitors on this free, self-guided tour are encouraged to roam the entire building - which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 - and to survey the historic artifacts on display. For more information on the building's colorful history, visit the Log Gift Shoppe website.
Roger Williams National Memorial Celebrates Junior Ranger Day
Saturday, April 25, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
On Saturday, April 25, Roger Williams National Memorial will debut its new Junior Ranger Activity Book in celebration of National Junior Ranger Day. This activity book is a fun way for kids to learn about Roger Williams, the National Park Service, and Rhode Island. Included in the book are trivia questions, mazes, scavenger hunts, and more. Once the activity book is complete, children will receive a certificate of achievement and an official Junior Ranger badge! In addition to earning a junior Ranger badge, kids can also play games and participate in hands-on activities. The event is free and open to the public.
"Old House Soul"
Central Branch of the Providence Public Library
Barnard Room, third floor
150 Empire St.
Thursday, May 7, 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
"Old House Soul" is a documentary by Don Manley and Michel Schtakleff about the late preservationist Steve Tyson, Sr., and the tradition of architectural preservation in Rhode Island. Tyson's company, Architectural Preservation Group, established in 1978, is responsible for preserving hundreds of historic sites, buildings and houses across Rhode Island. The filmmakers will present the first installment of this work-in-progress, which focuses on the preservation of Moffett Mill, and a piece documenting Don Manley's restoration of his house in Foster, Rhode Island.
The event will also feature a musical performance by "Detroit Rebellion," a contributor to the bluesy-folk soundtrack of the documentary.
For more information, visit www.oldhousesoul.com.
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