Providence Preservation Society

Programs: The providence preservation society is the largest citywide advocacy organization in rhode island, with approximately 450 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 2017, our public engagement programs - a spring lecture series, festival of historic houses, and providence symposium - served nearly 3000 people. We engage many more people through print and electronic media, and by participating in other organizations' programs.

in 2017, the providence preservation society advocated for a redesign of cathedral square, one of providence's most underrated modernist landscapes. We also identified major issues with property maintenance on benefit street and alerted the city to these issues. They have begun to address these through stronger inspections and enforcement. We've supported the mile of history association, a new advocacy group focused on restoring benefit street to a place of beauty, including the streets, sidewalks and streetlights. The pps's planning and architectural review committee, which meets monthly to conduct independent project review of major and minor proposed developments, reviewed more than a dozen proposals and recommended substantive design changes. 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. Pps is continuing to advocate for better design on parcel 1-a, for which a hotel has been proposed. We spent a great deal of time advocating for the preservation of buildings in the college hill national landmark district, including 21 planet street and four houses on brown university's campus. 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. A majority 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 180,000.

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 1500 property markers on buildings throughout the city of providence, each mounted on buildings in a way that allows public viewing. In 2017, we undertook a survey of all markers to update our database.