PROVIDENCE – The Providence Preservation Society has announced its 2007 Most Endangered Properties List. Among the 11 properties named are five past and present public schools, “historic neighborhood landmarks … threatened by the recommendations of the DeJong Facilities Master Plan,” the society said.
The properties, in order, are:
No. 1, Nathan Bishop Middle School, 101 Sessions St., listed by the Providence School Department as temporarily closed.
No. 2, Cathedral of St. John, 271 North Main St., one of four founding churches of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island.
No. 3, the former Grove Street Elementary School, 95 Grove St.
No. 4, the Louttit Laundry/What Cheer Laundry, now a brownfields site at 93 Cranston St. in the West End.
No. 5, Earl P. Mason Carriage House, 296 Benefit St.
No. 6, Asa Messer Elementary School, 158 Messer St.
No. 7, Mount Pleasant High School, 434 Mount Pleasant Ave.
No. 8, the former Providence police and fire headquarters at 197 Fountain St.
No. 9, Providence Produce Warehouse, 2 Harris Ave.
No. 10, Teste Block, 84-88 Dorrance St.
No. 11, George J. West Elementary School, 145 Beaufort St.
The Preservation Society this year resumed the list after a hiatus that began three years ago, with its Most Endangered Properties Retrospective.
The list, compiled by the society based on nominations submitted by the public, is supported in part by a grant from the R.I. General Assembly.
Its successes include the site of yesterday’s announcement: The old Masonic Temple, a long-derelict building that had been on the list for 10 years before it was transformed into the Rennaissance Providence Hotel. The Preservation Society recently was honored for its role in that project with an Advocacy Award from the R.I. Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission.
The Providence Preservation Society is sponsoring an October exhibit at Gallery Z that will feature professional photographers’ depictions of Most Endangered buildings. Additional information about the Providence Preservation Society and its programs is available at www.ppsri.org.
