It’s summer in Rhode Island! That means it’s time for frozen lemonade, lobster rolls, and trips to the beach. It’s also time to nominate buildings and places in Providence for our annual Most Endangered Properties List.
Providence has 25 neighborhoods, and PPS strives to serve them all. One way we do this is by using the annual MEP List to identify buildings in every corner of the city that are endangered. We are asking YOU to nominate properties that you are concerned about. Maybe they’ve seen better days. Maybe they are connected to lost or under-told history and vulnerable. Maybe they are threatened by demolition — through acts of God or the wrecking ball. Maybe you’ve discovered a hidden gem in your neighborhood during the pandemic that’s in rough shape. What would it mean if we lost these buildings? Could inclusion in the 2022 MEP List and a focus on historic preservation issues help to save a beloved neighborhood landmark?
Unfortunately we lose buildings across the Providence landscape each year, like the Commercial Building at 1107 Westminster Street (c. 1890s, at left) which didn’t even make it a year on the MEP list before it collapsed. But there are success (or almost success) stories like the Crook Point Bascule Bridge (see top image) which has received attention from the City of Providence through a design competition. The winner was just announced, and we’re hopeful the vision and adaptive reuse will be realized!
It’s your turn to let us know! Submit a nomination today.
The nomination form is easy. Just fill out what you know — but be sure to include a street address. You can visit the 2020 and 2021 MEP Lists here. If you have any questions about the MEP nomination process, email advocacy@ppsri.org.