PREPARE FOR THE PRIMARY!

LOCAL CITY & STATE CANDIDATES NIGHT at the WBNA

When:  Tuesday, September 7, 2010 from 5:30pm-8:30pm

Meet & mingle with candidates from 5:30pm-6:00pm. City Council Forum begins promptly at 6:00pm; House and Senate Forum begins at 7:15pm. 

Where:  WBNA, 1560 Westminster Street

WBNA invites you to meet local city and state candidates and ask questions about neighborhood issues.

City council candidates from Wards 13 & 15 and Democratic Primary Candidates from House from Districts 8 & 9 and Senate Districts 2 & 6 have been invited. The evening will be moderated by Mike Ritz, Executive Director, Leadership Rhode Island and John Taraborelli, Assistant Editor of Providence Media, will keep time.

Invited:

Ward 13 Candidates                                                      Steven Meresi, Bryan Principe

Ward 15 Candidates                                                      Josephine DiRuzzo, Sabina Matos

Democratic Primary House District 8 Candidates                        Nathan Barchus, Anthony Scarcella, Michael Tarro

Democratic Primary House District 9 Candidates                        Anastasia Williams, Wynnel Wilson

Democratic Primary Senate District 2 Candidates           Juan Pichardo, Luis Pimentel

Democratic Primary Senate District 6 Candidates           Mario Mancero, Harold Metts

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Mayoral Candidates Forum:  Preservation Matters

When: Thursday, September 9, 2010 from 5:30pm-7:30pm

Where: Providence Public Library Auditorium

150 Empire Street (enter on Washington St)

The Providence Preservation Society and the Providence Revolving Fund invite you to join them for a conversation with the mayoral candidates on preservation issues critical to Providence’s economic vitality and sense of place. The discussion will be moderated by Mark S. Murphy, Editor, Providence Business News.

Send your questions in advance to kphilp@ppsri.org. Get to know the candidates’ position on issues that impact the quality of life in

This will be a great opportunity to see where the candidates for Mayor stand on Historic Preservation issues in the city.  We hope you can come to show the future Mayor that preservation matters!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
West Broadway Neighborhood Association, 1560 Westminster Street, Providence, RI 02909
Contact: Kari Lang at 401-301-3821, 401-831-9344 or kari@wbna.org.

Historic building still threatened in spite of legal wins
Significant school building wins all legal battles yet languishes from owner neglect
Providence, Rhode Island – August 22, 2010 – In yet another legal win for the historic Grove Street School, the State Building Code Standards Committee Board of Appeal recently voted 13 to 3 to uphold a Providence Building Official’s decision requiring owners Michael Tarro and other members of the Tarro family to immediately stabilize and secure the building.

On a cold Saturday morning in February of 2007, Mayor David N. Cicilline and Federal Hill residents acted to stop the wrecking ball hired by the Tarro family that was to illegally demolish the historic property. Since that time the City of Providence has remained committed to preserving the school throughout a lengthy legal process, and hired independent attorney Deming Sherman to pursue a case against the owners, due to the fact that partial owner Michael Tarro is employed by the City of Providence as an assistant solicitor.

In the three and a half years since the building was partially demolished, the owners have appealed each court battle the city has won. These appeals include a Superior Court trial, an appeal to the Supreme Court, and two administrative appeals, with resulting decisions that legally prevent further demolition of the school.

As this historically significant building wins in court, however, it remains vulnerable to damage from weather and vandals due to owner neglect. Broken windows, holes in the roof, and an immense opening where the partial demolition occurred before residents and the City intervened have community members concerned and disheartened. The site is also now trash-strewn, overgrown with weeds, and covered in graffiti.

“This situation is ridiculous. If you or I were to keep our homes this way, the City would heavily fine us and move to take our property, yet this intentional blight is allowed to continue,” said Kathy Pearce, a resident who lives near the school. “Neighbors want to see the historic Grove Street School preserved and reused. From a neighborhood safety perspective, it is dangerous that the building has not yet been secured.”

Relief may soon come to the former school, as the City has indicated that it will board the building and secure it from intrusion and the weather, and will put a lien on the property to cover the cost of the stabilization work. The City also pledged to cite all violations that exist on the property.

As for securing the Grove Street School’s future, several studies conducted over the past two years determine that the school is structurally sound and salvageable for re-use. In addition, an interested buyer has been identified who is willing to purchase the school with the intent for neighborhood-sensitive use.

Engineer and architect Wil Yoder of Providence conducted a structural review and concluded that the school building is in sound condition except for its southeast corner, where the previous demolition attempt compromised the exterior wall of the structure. A re-use study by Charles Hagenah Architects, Inc., of Waltham, MA, includes a detailed plan and feasibility review for renovation of the Grove Street School as condominiums with green, energy efficient features.

“In a city where preservation is highly valued, the historic Grove Street School is the unfortunate poster child for demolition-by-neglect. This situation highlights a blatant disregard for the laws that we all live by in the City of Providence and the State of Rhode Island,” said Kari Lang, Executive Director of the West Broadway Neighborhood Association. “As Mayor Cicilline said when he came to the scene of the demolition back in 2007 ‘This isn’t the Wild, Wild West.’ I hope during this election season, the City of Providence, our elected officials and the candidates will work to save this building in the name of legality as well as neighborhood preservation.”

To preservationists and community members, the Grove Street Elementary School symbolizes a defining era of immigration in Providence’s Federal Hill. It is the last remaining of five grammar schools built to serve the rapidly increasing immigrant population of Federal Hill in 1900. Advocates argue that the property embodies a critical piece of the neighborhood’s heritage, and should be saved to benefit the community through its re-use as a cultural center such as a museum, or for social services or housing.

The building was decommissioned by the Providence Public School Department in 1980. While the site was left unused for over 30 years, its recognition as an important historic property increased. It is included as a contributing historic property in the Broadway-Armory National Register Historic District, the Industrial and Commercial Buildings District, and the Providence Preservation Society’s Endangered Properties list.

Established in 1983, the West Broadway Neighborhood Association organizes neighbors and businesses on the West Side of Providence to preserve and promote their diverse, historic, urban community as a safe, vibrant and sustainable place to live, work, and play. For more information about the WBNA, please visit www.wbna.org or call 401.831.9344.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

West Broadway Neighborhood Association (WBNA)

Kari Lang (WBNA), 401-301-3821, 401-831-9344 or kari@wbna.org

Yet Another Legal Win for the Historic Grove Street School

Significant school building wins in court every time, yet languishes from owner neglect

Providence, Rhode Island – August 21, 2010

On Thursday, August 12, the State Building Code Standards Committee Board of Appeal upheld a City of Providence Building Board of Review decision that sustained the City of Providence Building Official’s order that the owners of the Grove Street School must immediately stabilize and secure the historic school building.  By a vote of 13 to 3, the board deemed the July 20, 2009 order by Providence Building Official Kerry Anderson necessary for public safety.

In the more than three years since the historic building—owned by members of the Tarro family—was illegally partially demolished on the morning of Saturday, February 3, 2007, there have been a Superior Court trial, an appeal to the Supreme Court, and two administrative appeals, with the decisions rendered in that successfully prevented further demolition of the School.  After the partial demolition occurred in February 2007, the City hired attorney Deming Sherman to pursue a case against the owners, due to the fact that partial owner Michael Tarro is employed by the City of Providence as an assistant solicitor.  Michael Tarro is also running for the State Representative seat vacated by House Finance Commitee Chairman Steven M. Costantino.

Unfortunately, as the School wins in court, it remains open to the weather and vandals with broken windows, holes in the roof, and an immense opening where the demolition occurred.  It also is covered in graffiti, and the site itself is trash-strewn, and overgrown with weeds.  Neighbor Kathy Pearce said, “This situation is ridiculous, if you or I were to keep our homes this way, the City would heavily fine us and move to take our property, yet this situation is allowed to continue.”  She continued, “Neighbors want to see the historic Grove Street School preserved and reused.  From a neighborhood safety perspective, it is dangerous that the building is allowed to be kept open.”

Relief may soon come to the School, as the City has indicated that it will board the building and secure it from intrusion and the weather, and will put a lien on the property to cover the cost of the stabilization work.  The City also pledged to write up all the violations that exist on the property.

As for the long-term solution for the School, a reuse study has been completed, and there is an interested buyer who is willing to purchase the School, and put it to good, neighborhood-sensitive use.

The Grove Street Elementary School is the last remaining grammar school which symbolizes a defining era of immigration in Providence’s Federal Hill.  It was one of five grammar schools built to serve the rapidly increasing immigrant population of Federal Hill in 1900. Residents and preservation advocates argue that the Grove Street School embodies a critical piece of the neighborhood’s heritage, and should be saved to benefit the community through its re-use as a cultural center such as a museum, or for social services or housing.

Executive Director of the WBNA, Kari Lang exclaimed, “In a city where preservation is claimed to be highly valued, the historic Grove Street School is the poster child for demolition by neglect and for following the law.  This situation highlights a blatant disregard for the laws that we all live by in the City of Providence and the State of Rhode Island. As Mayor Cicilline said when he came to the scene of the demolition back in 2007 ‘This isn’t the Wild, Wild West.’  I hope during this election season, the City of Providence, our elected officials, and even the candidates, will take on this case and save our school in the name of legality, as well as neighborhood preservation.”

Anne Tait, one of the neighborhood leaders of the effort to preserve the historic site said, “The Federal Hill neighborhood has seen many waves of immigration; the school should be used to celebrate our past, and our cultural heritage. We applaud the efforts of Mayor Cicilline, and are hopeful that this important building will have a second chance to serve the community.”

Several studies conducted over the past two years determined that the school is structurally sound and salvageable for re-use. One study by Charles Hagenah Architects, Inc., of Waltham, MA, includes a detailed plan and feasibility review for renovation of the Grove Street School as condominiums with green, energy efficient features such as solar panels.  Engineer and architect Wil Yoder of Providence conducted a structural review and concluded that the school building is in good and sound condition except for its southeast corner, where the previous demolition attempt compromised the exterior wall of the structure.

The building was decommissioned by the Providence Public School Department in 1980. While the site was left unused for over 30 years, its recognition as an important historic property increased. It is included as a contributing historic property in the Broadway-Armory National Register Historic District, the Industrial and Commercial Buildings District, and the Providence Preservation Society’s Endangered Properties list.

Established in 1983, the West Broadway Neighborhood Association organizes neighbors and businesses on the West Side of Providence to preserve and promote their diverse, historic, urban community as a safe, vibrant and sustainable place to live, work, and play.  For more information about the WBNA, please visit www.wbna.org or call 401.831.9344.

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