Rhode Island's historic buildings

[Cotuit]

This thread is to discuss the National Register, historic buidlings in general, and issues related to historic preservation.

Here's an article from today's Journal about a mill in Providence being added to the list:

Oriental Mills added to National Register of Historic Places. The North End mill -- parts of which date to 1860 -- produced cotton textiles, silk, rayon and nylon for generations before the complex was converted to office space. [ProJo.com]

[KBagley]

I would love for people to use this thread as an opportunity to post about any threatened historic buildings. We can always use the additional eyes and ears that all of you provide to keep tabs on our historic building stock.

If something does come up, I can start the ball rolling on an intervention by PRI or pass the information along to an appropriate local organization, etc.

For example, a contractor that I know recently emailed me to tell me about a significant house in East Greenwich. It is a 1705 timber-frame with a MASSIVE center chimney with a double pilastered chimney stack, built with stone used as ballast on ships origininating from London. It sits about 3 blocks off of Rt 1 on the edge of a post-WWII development. The family that owns the house is trying to sell the 5 acres of land and house for $2.6 million (I know!) and the realtor is marketing it as a teardown. We've stepped in and discovered the house is listed as an Outlying Property and is covered under the East Greenwich Historc District, so there is some level of protection in place. We met with the realtor last week and informed her of this, as well as touring the house with her to discuss its significance and we are continuing to work on the owners who refuse to separate the house from the land that they think will make them rich.

[Cotuit]

Factories join historic list [ProJo.com]

Two buildings that will be part of the American Locomotive Works project and one other nearby property were added to the National Register last fall.

U.S. Rubber Co., The Nicholson File Co., and Providence Steel and Iron Co. are the properties that were added to the register.

[Frankie811]

I would love for people to use this thread as an opportunity to post about any threatened historic buildings. We can always use the additional eyes and ears that all of you provide to keep tabs on our historic building stock.

Let's not forget our friends over at:

http://www.artinruins.com/

[Cotuit]

Let's not forget our friends over at:

http://www.artinruins.com/

I couldn't quickly locate anything on the buildings involved over at A.I.R., but I asked J. to hook us up with links to whatever photos/information he has on the buildings involved in the ALCO project.

[gregw]

I couldn't quickly locate anything on the buildings involved over at A.I.R., but I asked J. to hook us up with links to whatever photos/information he has on the buildings involved in the ALCO project.

Didn't I provide a link to the buildings on the Providence Plan website?

[Cotuit]

Didn't I provide a link to the buildings on the Providence Plan website?

Yes thank you, but I'd like to see what A.I.R. has if anything, because he usually has the best photos.

[gregw]

Yes thank you, but I'd like to see what A.I.R. has if anything, because he usually has the best photos.

Don't know if he's got that one. Anyway, here's a birdseye of the front of the Nicholson File complex from live local. The mansard roof office is the most distinctive part of it.

http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=...2c%20RI%2002907

[riari]

UP-ers:

If you're looking for more info on a historic resource in RI (building, landscape, bridge, etc), start with the RI Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission survey reports, which are all online here:

http://www.preservation.ri.gov/survey/publications.php

You need a healthy computer to download the big pdfs. The best place to start for Prov sites is the Citywide report inventory; then go to the neighborhood or industrial sites reports for more info.

[KBagley]

Preserve Rhode Island is now accepting nominations from the public for our 2006 Preserve Rhode Island Merit Awards. All Projects that have been recently completed are eligible and there is a category for individuals, municipalities and/or non-profit groups to be nominated for their Preservation Education and Advocacy efforts. There is a $15 processing fee for nominations. A rough version of the guidelines is below and is also available, along with the nomination form, at www.preserveri.org

I would greatly appreciate help from all of you to at least identify eligible projects from around the state, even if you don't plan to nominate it yourself.

***

Preserve Rhode Island Merit Awards

Each year, Preserve Rhode Island honors outstanding historic preservation projects, programs and achievements by individuals and organizations that exemplify sound historic preservation practices and support Preserve Rhode Island’s mission to protect Rhode Island’s historic structures and unique places for present and future generations.

General Requirements for Eligibility

The Preserve Rhode Island Merit Awards are open to any individual or organization that is involved in historic preservation in Rhode Island.

1. The project must be located in Rhode Island.

2. All projects must have been recently completed.

3. Multiple nominations will be accepted from an individual or organization. A $15 non-refundable processing fee is required for each nomination.

4. Self-nominations will be accepted as well as second-party nominations.

5. Preserve Rhode Island employees, trustees and officers are not eligible to receive a Preserve Rhode Island Merit Award during the period of their active service.

Note: Awards will not be made solely to individual businesses for their part in an historic preservation project. Awards will be made to the entire preservation project that is described in the nomination, with all involved parties listed on the award. The organization that is closest to the project will receive the actual award.

Award Categories

1. Preservation Education/Advocacy – Recognizing individuals, municipalities and/or non-profit groups who have fought to save historic treasures, educate citizens about heritage preservation, or otherwise work to further the cause of historic preservation and maintain the beauty and quality of life in Rhode Island.

2. Landscape Preservation – Recognizing projects that restore historic landscapes, create new landscapes in keeping with and accenting the historic character of a place, or efforts to maintain significant historic landscapes.

3. Residential Restoration/Rehabilitation – Recognizing projects by owners of historic homes that make exceptional efforts to restore or preserve the historic appeal and character of the house and contribute to the vitality of the neighborhood.

4. Commercial Restoration/Rehabilitation – Recognizing projects that rehabilitate or otherwise improve commercial or public historic sites and structures and positively impact the surrounding communities.

Nomination Procedures

Each nomination must include the following:

1. A completed nomination form.

2. $15 non-refundable fee for each nomination. Please make checks payable to Preserve Rhode Island.

3. Nomination statement describing the importance of the project or person.

4. At least two digital photographs (color or b&w) of the project or person nominated.

Send all Nominations to:

Merit Awards, Preserve Rhode Island, 957 North Main Street, Providence, RI 02904

Nominations must be postmarked by September 1, 2006