RIP Read-Ott House. Enough blame to go around – David Brussat

Demolition crew tearing down a building.

by David Brussat, Architecture Here and There, contributing writer on architecture Photo: Quality Hill Historic District Association, Facebook After years of effort by those who wished to save it, the Read-Ott House succumbed to demolition on Monday by its owner, the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church next door to it on Walcott…

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Losing Providence, bit by bit – David Brussat

An architecturally-designed parking lot with cars parked in it.

by David Brussat, Architecture Here and There, contributing writer Photo, top: 151 Chestnut Street, site of a proposed multi-story apartment tower The Downtown Design Review Committee met a couple of days ago to consider applications to demolish a couple of buildings on Chestnut Street and Richmond Street in the Jewelry District. I looked them up…

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Farewell to McCoy Stadium? – David Brussat

An artist's rendering of a new school building adjacent to McCoy Stadium.

by David Brussat, Architecture Here and There, contributing writer, commentary We attended the farewell fireworks for McCoy Stadium last night, dubbed “The Final Inning.” Did not get there in time to secure the wrist bands that would have assured us a seat on the playing field to watch the fireworks. But we got a nice…

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Classic movies to the rescue! – David Brussat

Cartoon of obama smoking a cigarette.

Photo: “John Waters puffs out a mixed message.” Wrong decade, but no matter. (Joaquín Aldeguer) by David Brussat, Architecture Here and There – a repose on Turner Classic Movies It seems that Turner Classic Movies is at risk of being canceled. A trio of superheroes (mega movie stars and producers) has ridden to the rescue,…

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Lessons from the Fane ouster – David Brussat

hope fane tower

by David Brussat, Architecture Here and There, contributing writer Lower portions of Hope Point Tower, which would have risen 600 feet in a 100-foot zone. The so-called Hope Point Tower threat is gone, done in by inflationary costs and a dodgy market. Lessons from this interlude abound, chiefly that neighborhood opposition to poorly conceived proposals…

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Britain embraces tradition. Will King Charles keep mum? – David Brussat

Buckingham palace in london, england.

by David Brussat, Architecture Here and There, contributing writer on architecture Dezeen reports that, in Britain, the Tory government’s minister for housing, Michael Gove, has thrown his support behind the idea of a university-level school for classical and traditional architecture and urbanism. He even wrote the foreward to a private think-tank paper backing the proposed…

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Providence’s Capital Center build-out, cont. – David Brussat

The sky is blue.

by David Brussat, Architecture Here and There, contributing writer Photo: shot from balcony of governor’s office in State House. Providence Place at center and right, with Westin towers in rear. GTECH butts in from left center. (Photo by author) To go through my photo library in search of color versions of the pictures that adorn…

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The Capital Center Plan, part 1 – David Brussat

A black and white drawing of a city park.

by David Brussat, Architecture Here and There, contributing writer Photo: Artist rendering of Capital Center initial conceptual design, circa 1980, by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill Here this series of chapters from Lost Providence skips back to Chapter 18, “Capital Center Plan” to describe the origins of the plan, announced in 1978, to revitalize downtown by…

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