The asymmetrical palace/villa amalgam seen here, so common in Providence’s mid-nineteenth-century Italianate houses, is now only the frontispiece for a large addition design by Lerner/Ladds + Bartels. The attempt at contextualism by both client and architect is commendable and, to a degree, successful; indeed, little could be improved on in the design. The complex emphasizes, however, the difficulty of shoehorning ambitious institutional programs into historic residential neighborhood. And there’s more across the street.
– 2003 Guide to Providence Architecture
Share your Story
Something to add? An edit or correction to suggest? Community input about the history of these important places is welcome. All submissions are reviewed before posting.