If you love historic buildings, then you should be upset.  In many ways, it seems that Providence is a city under siege.  In recent years, the former public safety complex was demolished, the Grove St. school was partially demolished, and other buildings on the East Side are in danger due to Brown University's expansion.  These developments are troubling, but what seems worse is some of the modernist structures that have started to dot the city.

     The two residential towers in Waterplace Park, Rhode Island School of Design's new building, and king of all architectural mistakes, the G-Tech building.  Together, they help take a beautiful city with character and a sense of place and manage to make it a little colder, and a little more sterile.  If you don't think this is a problem, then think of some of the places you might like best downtown: Waterplace Park, the State House, Biltmore, Benefit St, Providence Perofrming Arts Center, etc.  What do they have in common?  They are all traditional in nature.  Whether they are new or old, they fit into their surroundings.  They don't jar the senses.

     Now, we see that Brown University is making an attempt to relocate 3 historic buildings in order to make way for a new Mind, Brain, and Behavior laboratory on the East Side.  If the buildings can't be relocated, they will be demolished, which will diminish the neighborhood.  Whether the buildings are saved or not, the neighborhood will most likely be diminished by what ever structure Brown decides to erect.  Since Brown, like RISD, tends to favor garish modernist buildings that get attention, the East Side will be worse off.

     Here's an interesting idea: Since Brown University owns property near Rhode Island Hospital, why not put the new laboratory there?  There's a huge medical complex which includes Rhode Island Hospital, Hasbro Children's Hospital, Women and Infants, and Various Brown properties.  If Brown increased their investment in this part of the city, it would have a tremendous impact on that part of the city, and would encourage further synergies between its programs and the hospitals.  Best of all, it wouldn't threaten Providence's historic character.




http://www.pbn.com/stories/35365.htm