Providence Preservation Society to announce the 2012 Endangered Property list at the Cathedral of St. John

On Tuesday, May 8 at 11:30 a.m., The Providence Preservation Society (PPS) will hold a press conference to announce its 2012 Ten Most Endangered Properties List. The event will take place inside the 1810 Episcopal Cathedral of St. John at 271 North Main Street in Providence. Built by architect John Holden Greene to replace an earlier wood-frame structure, the building was designated as the episcopal seat in 1929. In late April, the Episcopal diocese suspended services at the Cathedral due, in part, to the high cost of maintaining the building. The Cathedral has been on the Most Endangered Properties List every year since 2007.

Significant historic properties can become endangered for various reasons, including deterioration, neglect, insufficient funds for maintenance, adverse public policy, and inappropriate development, which are just some of the threats to our architectural heritage. Since 1994, PPS has sought to bring attention to threatened structures through its Ten Most Endangered Properties List.  Recent Lists have reflected the additional threats of continuing recession: foreclosure, low occupancy, and a lagging market.

Each year, PPS compiles a list of the Ten Most Endangered Properties in Providence from nominations made by community members. Most buildings on the annual Lists represent notable aspects of local community life and character. The List’s purpose is to generate interest in, and support for, the preservation of these significant structures; to educate the public about the benefits of historic preservation and the unique architectural resources in our city; and to foster creative collaboration among property owners, developers and other interested parties to bring about positive changes in each property.

The Ten Most Endangered Properties is one of the Providence Preservation Society’s best-known programs. This year’s list is varied, including early twentieth-century commercial buildings, neighborhood landmarks, reminders of industrial heritage, and publicly and privately owned buildings. The listings represent diverse architectural typologies, styles, and periods of history. All of the listed properties offer opportunities for rehabilitation to help preserve the historic fabric of the city.

The press conference will be open to the public, and all are welcome. Please respond to Paul Wackrow at (401) 831-7440 or pwackrow@ppsri.org

The mission of the Providence Preservation Society, founded in 1956, is to improve the quality of life in the city of Providence through historic preservation and enhancement of the built environment.