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PROPOSED: OneEleven Fountain (Fogarty Bldg.)


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I saw the Unbuilt Providence exhibit at Brown last year and it appears that downtown Providence would have had a many skybridges under that plan, plus downtown would have been so awful too had the proposal gone thru. Kennedy Plaza, Burnside Park & Union Station would have been leveled and replaced with a large plaza surrounded by crappy bland 60s modern towers.

Interesting that in New England, anything mid-century is absolutely depressing, yet in the west, mid-century modern architecture is marvellously decadent, and interesting, and beautiful.

And speaking of the Palmer Block, what's the deal with it? They've been working on it for at least the last 6 years, when are they finishing it? Or is it finished already, and just appears unfinished because there's nothing on street level? What are the plans for that?

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And speaking of the Palmer Block, what's the deal with it? They've been working on it for at least the last 6 years, when are they finishing it? Or is it finished already, and just appears unfinished because there's nothing on street level? What are the plans for that?

It's finished, one half of the retail is filled with a furniture store, Lily Pad. There's rumors and signs that the other half may have a tenant soon.

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It's finished, one half of the retail is filled with a furniture store, Lily Pad. There's rumors and signs that the other half may have a tenant soon.

My your up early for a Sunday morning. Much earlier than usual. Going to church to ask forgiveness for not telling us all about the rumor???? :lol:

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Interesting that in New England, anything mid-century is absolutely depressing, yet in the west, mid-century modern architecture is marvellously decadent, and interesting, and beautiful.

While I've read some theories for why modern architecture seemed to work better in the West Coast than in the East Coast (more genuine unbound post WWII optimism in the West, more sparse and spread-out landscape was more aesthetically friendly to modern architecture than the dense East, since most development out West was "new" modern architecture was actually more "contextual" there, etc), I'm curious exactly which structures you hold up there as highlights of the movement in the mid-century. Most of the ones I can think of are somewhat earlier.

Certainly you're right that many of the few examples here in New England tend to be more of the dystopic, Blade-Runner mentality...

- Garris

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  • 1 month later...

While I am inclined to fully agree with Mike, part of me wonders if this is one of those buildings that in 40 years people will be thrilled to have preserved. Then again, perhaps not.

If I'm still around in 40 years, I might be thrilled. I like it in a way. I also like City Hall in Boston. I think there's value in the stark utilitarian nature of many mid-century buildings. Keep them clean and integrate them better into their surroundings and they are perfectly fine buildings. I wouldn't want a whole city of them, but I wouldn't want a whole city of Victorians either.

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I have always liked the building and hope it can be restored to the original look. One of the things I alwsys found stupid about this was how there are some regular windows forced into it, making it look really weird.

Perhaps becasue it is so unpopular, is the reason I like it I do wish it was higher though.

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While I am inclined to fully agree with Mike, part of me wonders if this is one of those buildings that in 40 years people will be thrilled to have preserved. Then again, perhaps not.

How many non-brick buildings get preserved in this area? I'm having trouble thinking of any.

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While I am inclined to fully agree with Mike, part of me wonders if this is one of those buildings that in 40 years people will be thrilled to have preserved. Then again, perhaps not.

Preservationists did go to bat for the Marcel Breuer-designed Pirelli Tire Building in West Haven, CT when IKEA wanted to tear it down. I'm not so sure the Fogarty building holds the same value as the Breuer design, but they are similar structures.

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How many non-brick buildings get preserved in this area? I'm having trouble thinking of any.

Besides all the wood buildings and stone buildings? :-)

Perhaps we should assume you mean concrete, curtain wall, and other modernist structures and you're right, not many. Like Buck-a-book, they're disposable (and some would argue were intended to be disposable all along).

I think we're just starting to see the good ones preserved or refurbished. Brown is starting to beautifully renovate some of its otherwise forgettable mid-century buildings, and I'll bet that the Philip Johnson art building for Brown will be preserved because it really is quite exceptional for better or worse and really makes a mark on the College Hill skyline, love it or hate it.

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I think we're just starting to see the good ones preserved or refurbished.

Agreed. This is happening around the world. The NYTimes has had articles about how activists in NYC are starting to rally around some modernist structures there and how in Israel the many Brauhaus structures are being preserved and saved.

Here in Providence, I bet the Fogarty building, correctly renovated and updated, could actually be very interesting. Especially if cleaned up, made more pedestrian friendly, and given some interesting retail, it could be an interesting period piece. The Brown science library tower is another obvious product of its time, and likely worthy of eventual preservation. Protection of the controversial and similar (both in ideal and year built) Yale Klein Biology Tower has already been discussed in New Haven.

- Garris

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Agreed. This is happening around the world. The NYTimes has had articles about how activists in NYC are starting to rally around some modernist structures there and how in Israel the many Brauhaus structures are being preserved and saved.

Remember that when these buildings were being put up, there was already a strong movement to preserve 18th and early 19th century buildngs, but the later Victorian styles were considered tacky and (cringe) not worth saving. Only as their numbers began to dwindle through demolition or radical alteration did preservationists take a serious look at these buildings. I believe that we are seeing the early stages of the same trend regarding the early modern styles.

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I dont know--

Sounds to me like we are trying to justify a building that none of us like and know is not going anywhere. Do not forget that its two floors in a prime spot---across from the convention center...etc etc. I mean no matter how much you can accept it-- all you need to do is think about what else could stand in its spot. Hotel, condos, office tower all connected to the convention center, dunk center, mall and the new powerblock hotels.

Or

Two floors office, some parking-- If you feel the city will or is missing non-brick buildings, go hang out at brown's science library.

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Sounds to me like we are trying to justify a building that none of us like and know is not going anywhere.

Well, I said I actually do like it, and am intrigued to see how it will be fixed up. Its by far not my favorite building in the city, but I don't hate it.

Do not forget that its two floors

Its actually 3 floors, ground retail/restaurant and two floors for offices, but I see you point, in a perfect world, something taller would be nice there.

I mean no matter how much you can accept it-- all you need to do is think about what else could stand in its spot. Hotel, condos, office tower all connected to the convention center, dunk center, mall and the new powerblock hotels.

The environmentalist in me is slightly against tearing down a building that can be put to good use just because some think its ugly. What a waste of materials. Also, it's not like we're hurting for vacant land in this city. The ProJo parking lot across Fountain Street and the parking lot at the corner of Emmet Square leap to mind as prime spots with wonderful mall, convention center, and Dunk access. And don't forget the circle gas station site. I'd rather see TPG focus its energies on building E@B and getting something going at 55 Broadway than tear down the Fogarty Building right away.

I imagine they will take a second look at this property in 5-10 years. By then it will either be a preservationists jewel as Ari suggested could happen, or Providence will be a crazy boom town and it will be knocked down for a 800 foot tower (yes, those are *the* two options for the future here. :lol: )

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I dont know--

Sounds to me like we are trying to justify a building that none of us like

I actually do like that building. I would miss it, especially if it were torn down and replaced by another non-descript brick-clad building for the sake of preserving the "history" downtown.

I also think that Armory Revival was too hasty in demolishing the modern building at the corner of Steeple and North Main. It was actually kind of interesting really only needed some care.

There's some irony in all of this, in that preserving history is what made Providence into the interesting city that it is.

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  • 1 month later...

what WAS the original plan (that will now be changed) - a hotel, right???

Original plan was to tear it down and build a midrise hotel, possibly with a skybridge to the auditorium. Most recent was to glass in the 1st floor and put a restaurant there, and rehab the upper floors for offices and then wait to see what the market does and maybe down the road demolish and rebuild or add floors to the existing structure.

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I dont know when it will be made public but expect to hear changes on this project.

"Good" changes or "bad" changes??

Original plan was to tear it down and build a midrise hotel, possibly with a skybridge to the auditorium. Most recent was to glass in the 1st floor and put a restaurant there, and rehab the upper floors for offices and then wait to see what the market does and maybe down the road demolish and rebuild or add floors to the existing structure.

I knew you would know - thanks!

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As of right now - good - Its also a major change.

I really think we can be sucessful with large scale mixed use developments. They dont have to be a big condo or office tower but really make it a little of everything. Like with 110.

They had hotel and or office planned at one point, and some condo's from 110 just came off the market to make room for the W.

Ill take a nice 36 story building

Floors 1-12 Hotel

Floors 13-24 Office

Floors 25-36 Condos

and how bout this...Floor 37.. a restaraunt with the best views in Providence!

Then add a cool roof feature/spire to get it over 500'

It spreads risk over several sectors without flooding the market in any one area

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I'd prefer that OneEleven not change from the most recent proposal and see something actually built at 55 Broadway instead. That's not totally Sim City since TPG has some interest in that space, though I believe Pavalino still owns it.

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