News and Articles

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

John Virgilio is the executive director of Kent County Community Development, a non-profit community development corporation focused on the acquisition and operation of affordable housing in RI. He has extensive experience in the real estate industry, spanning ownership of single and multi-family rentals, extensive renovations and management of rental property for others, and as a licensed realtor. He has worked side by side with his brother Mike on the operation of Virgilio

Title: Development Manager (30 hours/week) Summary: The Development Manager is an experienced and entrepreneurial professional with a passion for Rhode Island’s historic and unique places. They will work with the Executive Director to set development priorities, as well as to lead the execution of those strategies with the goal of substantially increasing the organization’s capacity, sustainability, and impact. This position is responsible for overseeing the organization’

Title: Administrative Assistant (Part-Time, 20-25 hours/week) | 3-Year Position Summary: The Administrative Assistant provides administrative support to Preserve RI’s Executive Director and for the organization’s meetings, preservation programs, events, and initiatives. The ideal candidate is a motivated self-starter who is energized by the opportunity to support a small non-profit organization’s daily and annual activities. The ideal candidate has a BA; strong writing, ver

Arctic Mill, West Warwick For years, Preserve RI has partnered with Grow Smart RI to advocate for the state’s Historic Tax Credit (HTC) program. This program has a proven track record – it has generated over $2.18 billion in total investment into the state and has generated approximately 20% of all new housing from 2013 through 2023. After unsuccessful efforts to include funding for the program in the Governor’s budget, we worked with key allies in both the House and Senate t

From Louisiana, Bailey is joining the Preserve Rhode Island team as the Preservation Programs Manager. She earned a Bachelor's in Cultural Resource Management and Public History from Southeastern Louisiana University in 2018, followed by a Master's degree in History in 2020. For nearly a decade, she has worked alongside preservation professionals in education, advocacy, and historic preservation programs. Most recently, Bailey served as Louisiana's National Register Coordinat

Photo by Jeff Krause In addition to the destruction of the East Wing of the White House to replace it with a ballroom, the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB) is also slated for significant alterations. During an April 16 Commission of Fine Arts review meeting, the Executive Office of the President, Office of Administration, presented a concept plan with two options for painting over the EEOB’s original solid granite façade in bright white. The first would paint the e

The Eisenhower Executive Office Building (Photo: Jeff Krause) May 6, 2026 Mr. William Scharf Chair National Capital Planning Commission 401 Ninth Street NW, Suite 500N Washington, DC 20004 Re: Proposed Eisenhower Executive Office Building Exterior Beautification Project NCPC File Number 8777 Dear Mr. Scharf: Preserve Rhode Island (Preserve RI) serves as the statewide advocate for Rhode Island’s historic places. Our advocacy efforts extend beyond the borders of

Rhode Island’s Historic Tax Credits are a proven tool to create more housing stock— from 2013 to 2024 approximately 20% of all new housing comes through the program, including 20% of all affordable housing. But unlike neighboring states which are expanding their programs to address their housing crises, Rhode Island’s Historic Tax Credit program has been stymied through lack of funding, onerous fees, and a lack of transparency. Just when the program is needed most, and elect

In December of 2025, the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration, alleging that replacing the East Wing of the White House with a massive ballroom violated Federal law. In response, the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) declared an open period for public comment. Preserve RI, along with many other organizations and individuals took advantage of the opportunity to speak up about the scale, design, and appropriateness

The main streets of towns and cities are vital to the economic and cultural health of the United States. They connect us to our vibrant past and have been an important component of preservation work across the country. Main Street America , established by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1980, has been working across the nation to preserve and promote downtowns and other neighborhood commercial districts. Clark Schoettle, a Preserve RI board member and former E

March 2, 2026 Mr. William Scharf Chair National Capital Planning Commission 401 Ninth Street NW, Suite 500N Washington, DC 20004 Re: Proposed Construction of White House Ballroom NCPC File Number 8733 Dear Mr. Scharf: Preserve Rhode Island (Preserve RI) serves as the statewide advocate for Rhode Island’s historic places. Our advocacy efforts extend beyond the borders of our state when the interests of Rhode Islanders are at stake. Significant architectural landmarks,

State Senators Lori Urso and Robert Britto at Lippitt House Museum. As the statewide advocate for Rhode Island’s historic places, Preserve RI works closely with the legislature on various issues. To strengthen our connections with Smith Hill and showcase the power of preservation, we invited legislators to Preserve RI’s Lippitt House Museum on January 27th. For some this was their first time at the Museum. Not only did they learn about the building’s rich history, but we coul

Preserve RI is excited to welcome five new members to our Board of Trustees. We will be profiling our newest Trustees throughout the first few months of 2026. To read about last month’s profiles, click here. Stephen Lane, Wickford Stephen brings both board governance experience and a hands-on preservation perspective to Rhode Island’s nonprofit and cultural community. He is the steward of the former home of noted preservation architect Norman Isham, where he has actively pres

Preserve RI is excited to welcome five new members to our Board of Trustees. We will be profiling our newest Trustees throughout the first few months of 2026. Carly Callahan, Westerly Carly is the Executive Director of the UNITED, a non-profit regional center for arts and arts education (based in Westerly) showcasing world-class performing, visual, and creative work and servicing over 65,000 people each year. Previously, Carly was the Managing Director of Seaview Productions,

The Abraham Brown House/Lafeyette House in Tiverton was suddenly demolished in late December of 2024. With support from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Preserve Rhode Island, in partnership with the RI Historic Preservation and Heritage Commission (RIHPHC), will be hosting a demolition delay webinar with the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions (NAPC) as a part of their Commission Assistance and Mentoring Program (CAMP). The webinar will provide an over

As you drive past the intersection of North Broadway and Massasoit Ave in the Rumford section of East Providence, you may notice a bright, new sign announcing the Philip Walker House. Having recently completed a major restoration of the exterior and interior, it’s one of the new signs of life at the property. Sitting prominently on nearly 2 acres, the current Philip Walker House was constructed in several stages, starting around 1724. The two-story building contains remnant

In partnership with the 1772 Foundation, Preserve RI awarded a total of $125,000 in one-to-one matching grants to 18 nonprofit organizations in 2025. Our grantees were funded for work ranging from window sash restoration and exterior painting to temporarily moving a structure. As our grantees wrap up their work, we are thrilled to share three highlights of what the 1772 grants helped them achieve this year: Conanicut Friends Meeting House, Jamestown. One of the oldest Quaker

New Handbooks Provide Clarity for Homeowners and Contractors on Preserving Wood Windows In 2023, the State of Rhode Island expanded landlord requirements in the General Laws that govern lead-safe conditions for residential properties. This included mandatory registration in an online rental registry and a more stringent lead-safe enforcement and compliance process. With no exceptions or guides for historic buildings, these new requirements created a great deal of concern for

Conference attendees being led on a tour by Museum Director Cathy Saunders The Association for Preservation Technology (APT) held their annual conference in Providence last week, spanning from Monday to Saturday. It was titled “Revolution & Innovation: The Power of Water, Craft, & Architecture” and brought over 400 historic preservation professionals in architecture and engineering to Rhode Island. Programs comprised of field sessions throughout Providence, Wickford, and Newp