SAH Providence Seminar: Urban Renewal, Highway Repairs, and Preservation

Posted by sah1365

In the 1950s, architectural historian Antoinette Downing responded to threats from urban renewal and highway construction (I-95, I-195, Route 10) by writing the groundbreaking report College Hill: A Demonstration Study of Historic Area Renewal and co-founding the Providence Preservation Society. She helped to save parts of College Hill from demolition and spare Providence's urban core, but vibrant, neighboring areas were greatly affected and partially or completely destroyed by highway construction and urban renewal.

Now, much infrastructure from the 1950s and 1960s has reached the end of its lifespan. In Providence, a 3-mile section of I-195 was not simply repaired, but instead moved, leaving substantial parcels of land in prime location for development (similar to the famous 'Big Dig' in Boston). Route 10 is being repaired and redesigned to attempt to stitch together the neighborhood it separated.

The issues faced by cities from necessary infrastructure upgrades are similar throughout the U.S. They pose questions of preservation, of memory, of new approaches to urban design.

The Jewelry District in Providence provides a fascinating case study for the difficulties and potential of such challenges. Recent years have seen impassioned public discussions in response to proposals for the open land so close to downtown, such as a planned baseball stadium and a skyscraper. The Providence Preservation Society continues to play an important role in shaping the city's future by advocating for the enhancement of the city's unique character.

This public program is part of the 72nd Annual International Conference of the Society of Architectural Historians and is sponsored by The 1772 Foundation.

Event Date
Saturday, April 27, 2019
Event time
8:30 AM - 12:15 PM
Cost / donation
Free
Contact
info@sah.org

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