Providence Preservation Society

SINCE 1956, THE PROVIDENCE PRESERVATION SOCIETY HAS WORKED TO IMPROVE PROVIDENCE BY ADVOCATING FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE CITY'S UNIQUE CHARACTER THROUGH THOUGHTFUL DESIGN AND PLANNING.

THE PROVIDENCE PRESERVATION SOCIETY IS THE LARGEST CITYWIDE ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION IN RHODE ISLAND, WITH APPROXIMATELY 500 MEMBER-HOUSEHOLDS. TO BE EFFECTIVE ADVOCATES, WE ENGAGE THE PUBLIC THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT FORM THE UNDERPINNING FOR THE COMMUNITY'S UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION FOR HISTORIC PLACES AS WELL AS HIGH-QUALITY URBAN ENVIRONMENTS. IN 2021, OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS SERVED MORE THAN 3,500 PEOPLE. WE ENGAGE MANY ADDITIONAL PEOPLE THROUGH PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA, AND BY PARTICIPATING IN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS' PROGRAMS.

THE PPS'S PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETS MONTHLY TO CONDUCT INDEPENDENT PROJECT REVIEW OF MAJOR AND MINOR PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS. IN MOST CASES, THESE ARE DEVELOPMENTS FOR NEW BUILDINGS, ALTHOUGH SOME INCLUDE CHANGES TO HISTORIC BUILDINGS. MAJOR REVIEWS ARE CONTINUING ON PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS IN THE I-195 DESIGN AND INNOVATION DISTRICT. WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN CREATING THE FIRST NEW CONTIGUOUS LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT ON THE EAST SIDE. IT INCLUDES PORTIONS OF THREE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.BEYOND REVIEWING INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS, PPS ADVOCATES FOR GOOD CITYWIDE AND STATEWIDE PUBLIC POLICIES, SUCH AS HISTORIC TAX CREDITS, DEMOLITION, AND ZONING CODES. WE ALSO CONSULT WITH INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNERS ON AN AD HOC BASIS, HELPING SHAPE THE CITY IN WAYS THAT ARE RARELY PUBLICIZED. MOST OF THE EXPENSES RELATED TO ADVOCACY ARE FOR RESEARCH ON POLICY TOPICS, MONITORING ISSUES AND APPEARING AT PUBLIC HEARINGS. ADVOCACY PROGRAM SERVICES IMPACT THE ENTIRE CITY OF PROVIDENCE WHICH HAS A POPULATION OF APPROXIMATELY 190,000.

THROUGH ITS HISTORIC PROPERTY MARKER PROGRAM, PPS RECOGNIZES BUILDINGS IN THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE THAT CONTRIBUTE IN A POSITIVE WAY THE APPRECIATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF PROVIDENCE'S UNIQUE ARCHITECTURAL, HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE. THERE ARE MORE THAN 1,550 PROPERTY MARKERS ON BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE, EACH MOUNTED ON BUILDINGS IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS PUBLIC VIEWING.

PPS IS THE OWNER OF TWO COLONIAL-ERA BUILDINGS AND AN EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY GARDEN. WE UTILIZE BEST PRACTICES IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION STEWARDSHIP. WE ARE WORKING ON A REHABILITATION PROJECT TO MAKE THE OLD BRICK SCHOOL HOUSE FULLY ACCESSIBLE AND CODE COMPLIANT, WHILE ADDRESSING STRUCTURAL, HVAC, AND SYSTEMS ISSUES. IN 2021, WE GRADUATED ANOTHER COHORT OF WINDOW AND WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. THEY PARTICIPATED IN A FIVE-WEEK COMPENSATED TRAINING PROGRAM IN WHICH THEY LEARNED ABOUT HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND HOW TO RESTORE AND PAINT WOOD WINDOWS. WE ALSO CONDUCTED A WEEKEND TRAINING PROGRAM IN WINDOW RESTORATION FOR HOMEOWNERS.