Become a PPS Member!
Not all recipients of the PPS E-news are current members; call us at
(401) 831-7440 or e-mail today to check your membership status.
|
Upcoming
PPS Events
December 4
Holiday Festival
January 20, 2011
Annual Meeting
February 5, 2011
Winter Bash | 
| Support our work!
|
| Support PPS by mailing us your Eastside Marketplace receipts! A percentage of each dollar goes to support PPS programs. To learn more, e-mail PPS.
| | | 2010 Ten Most Endangered Properties Updates
Providence National Bank Façade Makes National News
 | | The Providence National Bank façade, facing Weybosset St. |
In the September 11 edition of the New York Times, the Providence National Bank façade was cited as an example of stalled development that has had a major, negative impact on the neighborhood around it. Read the complete article here. PPS is working with interested parties from different arenas to come up with a workable plan for the façade and the long-vacant lot next to it. Stay tuned for updates on this process.
Brownell & Field Company Building to be Demolished
 | | Brownwell & Field Comapny building, slated for demolition. |
On September 20, the Providence Historic District Commission (HDC) voted to approve the demolition of the Brownwell & Field Company building (1907), as the current owner, the Providence Journal Company, had requested. Members of the HDC observed that the compromised condition of the building is clearly evidence of demolition by neglect, but Commission guidelines do not cite owner neglect as reason enough to deny an application for demolition. This matter spotlights a glaring flaw in the HDC guidelines and standards, which members of the Commission have vowed to bring up with the new mayoral administration. PPS will join these HDC members in advocating for new guidelines that hold owners responsible for the upkeep of their buildings rather than rewarding their negligence. For more information on the building, click here.
Rally Brings Out Supporters of Grove Street School
 | | Supporters of Grove Street School. |
Nearly 100 people showed their support for the preservation of Grove Street School (1901) at a Saturday rally held in mid-September in front of the neglected West End building and sponsored by the West Broadway Neighborhood Association (WBNA) and PPS. Rally attendees took photos in front of the historic school while holding signs that read "This Place Matters," part of a National Trust for Historic Preservation campaign to raise interest in treasured local landmarks. Read the Providence Journal article on the rally here.
Providence Arcade Featured on GoLocalProv.com
 | | The Arcade, now vacant and neglected. |
Executive Director James Hall was recently interviewed by a reporter from the local news website GoLocalProv on the subject of the neglected and diminished Arcade (1828) in downtown Providence. Hall was asked about the architecture and history of the building, as well as its importance as a shopping hub and its meaning as an icon. You can watch videos of selections from the interview here and here.
2010 Ten Most Endangered Properties Photography Exhibit
Through Saturday, October 16
Chabot Fine Art Gallery
379 Atwells Avenue
Providence, RI  | | Opening night of the Most Endangered Properties photography exhibit. |
On September 16, the 2010 Ten Most Endangered Properties photography exhibit opened at Chabot Fine Art Gallery, attracting about 200 patrons. The photographs on display, taken by some of the area's best photographers, not only act as testament to these threatened properties, but also showcase each artist's distinctive aesthetic. The works are not merely reportage: they are also strikingly orginal, personal, and moving artistic statements. Read the Providence Journal article about the exhibit here.
This year's show features the work of Jan Armor, Michael Cevoli, Ryan Conaty, Andrew Dernavich, Stephanie Ewens, Adam Hall, Deborah Hickey, Brian McDonald, Frank Mullin, and Traer Scott. |
Save Clarke Flower Shop, Preserve Mount Hope
 | | Clarke Flower Shop, on Hope Street. |
In August, the owner of Clarke Flower Shop (394-398 Hope Street) applied to the Providence Zoning Board for permission to demolish the store building and construct a "drive-thru" coffee shop in its place. After a public outcry over the effect that a busy drive-thru would have on this pedestrian-friendly neighborhood, the owners withdrew their application. PPS joins with community members in objecting to the proposed plan, which is insensitive to the character, history, and density of the neighborhood. For a compelling appraisal of the proposed building, read David Brussat's opinion piece from the September 30 Providence Journal here. And learn more about neighborhood resistance to the proposed building at www.preservehopestreet.org, the website founded by community members to further their effots.
|
Upcoming and Notable
SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, December 4
2010 Holiday Festival  | | 2007 Holiday Festival, on Benefit Street. |
The PPS Holiday Festival returns to Benefit Street on December 4! The day will feature historic house tours, seasonal festivities, educational programs, and a parade from Benefit Street to the Mayor's annual tree lighting on the steps of City Hall. Brochures will be mailed soon. For information, please e-mail Lauren Goldenberg at lgoldenberg@ppsri.org. |
Events
The Benefit on Benefit a Glamorous Success  | | Executive Director James Hall; hosts Barbara and Brian Goldner; and Mayor David Cicilline. |
Our fall fundraiser, The Benefit on Benefit, was a tremendous success. Many thanks to the hosts, Barbara and Brian Goldner, the patrons, and the sponsor. For more information and photos of this "Mad Men"-themed event, check our website soon. |
Note from the Executive Director
 Dear Friends of Preservation,
The PPS Marker Program - the expert evaluation of historic properties and the awarding of custom markers to the most meritorious - is one of the most visible things that we as an organization do. These "plaques," as they are sometimes called, with the Society's seal prominently displayed, along with information about the date and history of the house, educate and inform the public, as well as "brand" PPS as arbiter and protector of historic architecture. However, the process by which a house or building comes to earn this distinction involves more than a consideration of its architectural integrity; the committee also spends a great deal of time evaluating the condition of the house - not only whether it is architecturally intact, but also whether it has been properly maintained. PPS markers reward accuracy, yes, but just as much, they reward custody. One of the things that make cities cities, is our close proximity to one another. It's a special contract that we engage in tacitly with our neighbors. Ordinary activities, like cutting the lawn, saying "hello," and shoveling the walk in front of our houses, are what we do to keep our city alive and to be good neighbors. Owners of historic properties in our city have a similar responsibility. PPS acknowledges and rewards good maintenance whenever we award a marker to a house in the city. We must expect and enforce the same level of commitment and neighborliness from institutions, businesses, and the owners of commercial properties.
That the Providence Journal Company should have owned a distinguished commercial structure, the Brownwell & Field Company building, for twenty years and allowed its deterioration before applying for its demolition, is an act of great cynicism. So is the request by O'Connor Properties to remove the Providence Bank façade. This is the very definition of "demolition by neglect." The owners of these properties protest that their buildings are beyond repair and re-use. If this were true, which it may not be, the owners have only themselves to blame. They have not honored the tacit urban contract: to maintain property in order to keep the city, our shared legacy, alive. This is behavior that is not acceptable in this historic city, where we expect more from our neighbors.
James Hall
|
Volunteer Opportunities
Join the PPS team as a volunteer this autumn! PPS is looking for volunteers to assist with general office/clerical tasks, including but not limited to answering a multi-line phone, greeting visitors, working on special projects, assisting with mailings. Experience with Microsoft Office programs a plus. Help needed Tuesday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Volunteers must be pleasant on the phone and able to handle multiple tasks at once. Please email your interest and availability to info@ppsri.org.
|
Community Notes
2010 Rhody Awards for Historic Preservation
Thursday October 21
Casino Theatre at the International
Tennis Hall of Fame
Newport, RI
The Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission (RIHPHC) and Preserve Rhode Island (PRI) present the Rhody Awards for Historic Preservation (formerly the State Historic Preservation Awards) on Thursday, October 21. Click here for information about the 2009 Rhody Awards and award-winners.
 Beneficent's Big Bicentennial Bash
Saturday, October 16, 7:00 p.m. Sunday, October 17, 10:00 a.m.
Beneficent Congregational Church 300 Weybosset St. Providence, RI 02903
Join Beneficent Congregational Church in celebrating its 200th birthday with two days of festivities. On Saturday night, Beneficent will be acknowledging community partners that embody the spirit of Beneficent (including PPS). On Sunday morning, a service will emphasize the unique history of the Beneficent Meeting House. Click here for more details.
Rediscovered: Glass Negatives from the Providence Public Library Special  Collections Printed at the AS220 Darkroom
Providence City Hall
25 Dorrance Street
Providence, RI 02903
This collection of wet-print collodion negatives from 1890 - 1920 now digitally rendered as positives shows us a Rhode Island of long ago. The exhibit is a collaboration between AS220's Paul Krott Community Darkroom and the Special Collections at the Providence Public Library.
West Broadway Neighborhood Assocation Seeks Organic Grocer for West Side Location  | | 1577 Westminster Street rendering, Kite Architects. |
The West Broadway Neighborhood Association (WBNA) is looking for proposals for a healthy, affordable, natural grocery store or food cooperative that will serve the neighborhood of the West Side. The space, at 1577 Westminster Street, will be avilable for occupancy in February, 2011. For further information or to make a proposal, contact the WBNA at wbna@wbna.org or (401) 831-9344.
|
| | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment