Providence Preservation Society Announces 2019 Award Winners

The Pavilion at Grace Church

300 Westminster Street

Completed in the fall of 2017, The Pavilion at Grace in downtown Providence, offers a light-filled event space with indoor capacity for 175 seated guests plus a dance floor.

In addition to serving the Grace Church community, The Pavilion at Grace is available for events including catered wedding receptions, non-profit fundraisers, art exhibits, performances, meetings and more.

60 King

60 King Street 

Developed by Trinity Financial, 60 King represents the successful rehabilitation and reuse of a former industrial building into 60 units of much-needed housing across a range of income levels. 

PHOTO: Gretchen Ertl Photography/ RI Housing

The Winslow Building 

225 Weybosset Street

Originally used as a music hall called “The Adelphi Club” and piano shop on the upper levels, the ground floor retail is positioned to take advantage of its location across the street from the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) and the JWU campus.

KITE developed plans of varying sizes that took advantage of historic features and complied with current codes, and helped coordinate review of historic elements with the Providence Revolving Fund and the RI Historic Preservation and Heritage Commission.

PHOTO:  Brigida Capicotto/ Kite Architects 

Bomes Theatre

1017 Broad Street

The Bomes Theatre was acquired by the Providence Redevelopment Agency (PRA) in 2004 as part of the Ward 9 Redevelopment Plan.

The PRA will transfer the property to Tavares, LLC in exchange for his investment of $2.2 million to complete the renovation of the theatre, which will include restoration of the original exterior, rehabilitation of the theatre space into a reception facility and the creation of two new retail units and commercial office space on the second floor.

PHOTO: Steph F/Flickr Commons

A. T. Cross Building

53 Warren Street

In 2018, Transom purchased a historic building in Providence, which was the site of the original A.T. Cross manufacturing plant.

Located at 53 Warren Street on the west side of Providence, the location includes a 3000 square foot timber structure on a 1/4 acre of land.

The renovation of the building began in the spring of 2018, and once completed, will serve as the businesses headquarters, including a woodshop, lumber making facilities, and office/studio space.

PHOTO: Transom Inc. 

Almy Street School

14 Meader Street

The school – historically called Meader Street School – educated 200 children, 50 in each room, and was built in 1892 to accommodate an immigration wave in Providence so great that the City erected 30 new public school buildings in that decade alone to serve its expanded population.

The school at Almy and Meader Streets was decommissioned by the City in the 1970s, but was fortunate to become RI's Head Start Administration Offices soon after. The building's fate changed for the worse, however, when Head Start moved out in 2000 leaving the schoolhouse permanently vacant.

The property progressively deteriorated, and became a growing concern for neighbors, preservationists, and community organizations such as the WBNA.

The Meader Street School was placed on Providence Preservation Society's Most Endangered Properties List in 2016. The turn of events that led to the building being saved in the same year

PHOTO: Providence Revolving Fund

WaterFire Arts Center

475 Valley Street

Initially built in 1929 for the U.S. Rubber Company as a multi-purpose manufacturing facility, WaterFire Providence completed the renovation of the WaterFire Arts Center in May of 2017.

The 37,000 sq. ft. multi-use arts center has become WaterFire’s first permanent home in the community.

PHOTO: Durkee, Brown, Viveiros & Werenfels Architects

Providence River Pedestrian Bridge

The Providence Pedestrian Bridge is a new landmark in the city of Providence.

The bridge connects Providence's East Side, full of shops and dining options, to the Innovation District, with its bustling businesses and facilities like the new Wexford Innovation Center. 

PHOTO: Justin Case 

Point225 - The Wexford Building 

225 Dyer Street

Phase one of Wexford Science & Technology's multi-phase development is a nearly 200,000-SF commercial office building.

Point225 opened in July of 2019 and is anchored by the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC), Brown University's School of Professional Studies, and Johnson & Johnson.

The building also features an 8,000-SF public meeting and gathering space called District Hall.

District Hall will be managed by Venture Cafe, which will also host weekly gatherings to support innovators and entrepreneurs.

PHOTO: Point225 Architecture 

The Living Edge 

S. Water Street

The waterfront of Providence has been reshaped throughout history, from a coastal salt marsh, industrial port, to its current state; neither fully working, civic, or ecological, and ill-equipped to handle climate change effects such as storm surges.

This problem presents an opportunity.

“The Living Edge” is a small landscape installation demonstrative of a strategy to continue this evolution and create a hybrid of both a culturally and ecologically resilient waterfront, with the intent that this strategy, in conjunction with variations, could be implemented at the city scale to build a unified public realm from downcity to the bay.

Its chosen location, adjacent to the kayak ramp and terraced seating on S. Water Street, complements the access to the river this area already affords, and increases its presence as a public space.

PHOTO: Design Under the Sky Landscape Architecture 

10,000 Suns 

Parcel 5 in the I-195 District

10,000 Suns is a cultivated urban landscape and interim park that will transform a vacant parcel of the 195 land into a field of sunflowers. 

The project was created by Adam E. Anderson, Director of the Landscape Architecture Studio Design Under Sky.

PHOTO: Design Under the Sky Landscape Architecture 

Jewelry District Associaton

The Jewelry District Association is a dedicated group of volunteers – residents and business people – working to maintain the historic character of the neighborhood and its unique qualities as a place to live and work in a new era. 

The mission of the Jewelry District Association is to promote the development of the district, increase property values and enhance residential living.

95 Lofts 

95 Chestnut Street

Built in 1904, the six-story Irons & Russell building housed a pin and charm manufacturer in the heydey of Providence’s Jewelry District.

The extensive historical renovation, led by Durkee, Brown, Viveiros & Werenfels Architects, restored period details, including an original ornate birdcage elevator, stairwell subway tiles, and terrazzo tile floors.

Situated near the historic Jewelry District and steps to the newly revitalized Knowledge District, 95 Lofts is in the center of Providence’s new neighborhood.

PHOTO: Durkee, Brown, Viveiros & Werenfels Architects

Case-Mead Lofts

76 Dorrance Street

Constructed in 1859, the Case-Mead Building at 76 Dorrance Street was originally designed as a four-story structure. The fifth story was added on in 1906 during extensive renovations, creating the building’s unique façade which is still visible today.

Prior to 1880, the Case-Mead property housed an infantry hall on its fourth floor, and it became the home of the infamous Turkish Parlor in the late 19th Century.

Paolino Properties housed their offices in the building for many years, relocating to 100 Westminster Street in late 2014.

Paolino Properties renovated the building to create 44 micro loft, studio, and one-bedroom apartments in the heart of the city.

PHOTO: GoLocal