Category Archives: Providence Journal

Mayor Elorza’s brave veto

Posted on November 30, 2018 by David Brussat

To the surprise of most observers, Mayor Elorza vetoed the Providence City Council’s approval last week of legislation to raise by a factor of six the 100-foot height limit on Parcel 42 of the Route 195 corridor. That legislation, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Development, Providence Journal | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Chace plans downtown digs

Posted on February 7, 2017 by David Brussat

When it was announced several years ago that Providence developer Buff Chace would purchase the Journal Building and the parking lot across from it on Fountain Street, he expressed the hope of erecting a new building on the latter site. … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Development, Providence, Providence Journal, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Bad trad betters bad mod

Posted on May 23, 2016 by David Brussat

Another modernist building for Providence? Ugh! Here we go again. I could throw up my hands and settle with a sigh. After all, the crossroad that would host more blight, Washington Street and Service Road 7, is already marred by … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History, Art and design, Development, Providence, Providence Journal, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Tilden-Thurber memories

Posted on May 21, 2016 by David Brussat

The Tilden-Thurber Building, erected in 1895, designed by Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge, of Boston, was sold last week but remains, so far as I can tell, as it was built, inside and out. Stanley Weiss, the local developer and fine … Continue reading →

Posted in Architects, Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History, Art and design, Books and Culture, Development, Interior Design, Photography, Preservation, Providence, Providence Journal, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

A job for new bridge group

Posted on May 18, 2016 by David Brussat

The Providence Journal reports that a new organization, Building Bridges Providence, has been formed to push for progress on the long-delayed pedestrian bridge to connect the I-195 development land and its two parks on either side of the Providence River. … Continue reading →

Posted in Architects, Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History, Art and design, I-195 Redevelopment District, Preservation, Providence, Providence Journal, Rhode Island, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Inside ProvModPedBridge

Posted on May 5, 2016 by David Brussat

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation has announced a slight advance in the schedule for getting design, bidding and construction of the modernist pedestrian bridge that will (?) link two parks and the east and west parcels of development land … Continue reading →

Posted in Architects, Architecture, Art and design, Development, Landscape Architecture, Providence, Providence Journal, Rhode Island, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

My Jane Jacobs river tour

Posted on April 30, 2016 by David Brussat

Wednesday would be the 100th birthday of Jane Jacobs if she had not died in 2006. Saturday at 1 p.m. is my third tour of Providence’s new riverfront for Jane’s Walk, the international conspiracy to spread her urbanist wisdom around … Continue reading →

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A modern sculptor’s lament

Posted on April 24, 2016 by David Brussat

The grassy triangular plot of land at the corner of Kennedy Plaza and Burnside Park in downtown Providence – officially Parcel 12 of Capital Center – is unofficially called Bad Sculpture Park. A hotel is going to be built there, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architects, Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History, Art and design, Humor, Providence, Providence Journal, Rhode Island, Urbanism and planning, Video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

How to square the square

Posted on March 7, 2016 by David Brussat

Seventeen years ago, Providence Place mall opened up downtown, in the Capital Center District, where an exit ramp from Route 95 meets Francis Street and continues on as Memorial Boulevard. Ever since then, too many pedestrians have endangered their lives … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art and design, Development, Providence, Providence Journal, Rhode Island, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Froma Harrop: Don’t bury our cities in megatowers

Posted on March 2, 2016 by David Brussat

An excellent rattling of sabres at megatowers was published in Sunday’s Providence Journal by Froma Harrop, my former colleague on the paper’s editorial board. Froma writes a twice-weekly syndicated column for Creators Syndicate on the full panoply of issues in … Continue reading →

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