News and Articles

This week marks the 60th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act. A bill now moving in the Senate, the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026 (S. 5653), would effectively kill Section 106, the provision that gives communities a voice when governmental decisions threaten the places that matter to them. The bill covers many kinds of permitting, and we’re not weighing in on all of it. But its historic preservation provisions deserve our full attenti

Jillian Finkle is the Deputy Director of Grow Smart RI and the Director of Main Street RI. She previously served as the Principal Planner for the City of Central Falls, RI and before that as the Coordinator of the Broad Street Regeneration Initiative, a joint planning and revitalization effort in the cities of Pawtucket, Central Falls, and Cumberland, RI. Jillian spent many years in the museum field, designing exhibits and programs especially for children’s and history museum

September 28, 2026 Jaime Loichinger Director of the Office of Federal Agency Programs Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Re: Comments on the Triumphal Arch at Memorial Circle Dear Ms. Loichinger, Preserve Rhode Island (Preserve RI) serves as the statewide advocate for historic preservation for the state of Rhode Island. When advocacy is needed beyond the borders of our state that affect Rhode Islanders, we feel that it is our duty to respond. Regarding the prop

Blackstone Valley Community Health Care (BVCHC) is planning to transform the former Pawtucket Boys Club Building, located in downtown Pawtucket, into a community partner hub. Prospective partners include the local YMCA and a soup kitchen to help ensure their patients have access to community support, along with regular access to health care. It’s a great example of Adaptive Reuse in action. Photos comparing the before/after of Pawtucket's historic downtown. Completed in 1902,

Demolition of 108-110 Waterman Street Brook Street: Since August of 2025, the impending demolition of four homes at 277, 281-283, 287 and 291 Brook Street, owned by Brown University, has been in limbo and stands a chance to be added to Brown’s list of demolitions on the East Side. Providence Preservation Society (PPS), the Black Heritage Society of Rhode Island, and concerned neighbors have spearheaded advocacy efforts to work with Brown University and avoid demolition. These

by Estelle Rampelt Editor’s Note: Lippitt House's full exterior masonry facade is being restored for the first time in its history. This undertaking involves repointing the exterior brickwork and repairing or replacing badly deteriorated brownstone trim. This two-part blog series, “Lippitt House and ‘The Brown Decades’: A Brief History of the Rise, Fall, and Endurance of Portland Brownstone” explores brownstone as an important 19th-century building material and illustrates ho

Learn about the 2026 Awardees and their impact on historic preservation.

Editor’s Note: This is the first of a two-part blog series. Lippitt House's full exterior masonry facade is being restored for the first time in its history. This massive undertaking involves repointing the exterior brickwork and repairing or replacing badly deteriorated brownstone trim. “Lippitt House and ‘The Brown Decades’: The Rise, Fall, and Endurance of Brownstone” explores brownstone as an important 19th-century building material and illustrates how the history of brow

Preserve Rhode Island (Preserve RI) is profoundly disappointed by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's (ACHP) July 24 vote to advance sweeping revisions to the regulations implementing Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, 36 CFR Part 800. The tools our nation relies on to protect its irreplaceable historic and cultural resources are under direct threat — and once again, the process by which that threat was advanced should trouble anyone who cares

The co-chairs of the Preserve Rhode Island board today released the following message: