Buildings are more than just design and assembly. They are a snapshot of life. The parts are the technology, skill, and materials of a time, while the style is the culture. As buildings age, some get overlooked, fall apart or…
We live in a culture of impatience and instant gratification. But for the first European American settlers, nothing was instant. When the Pilgrims finally landed in Plymouth of December 1620, they were hungry, weary, and desperate. They arrived without a…
Monuments are left to recognize a person or event. We inscribe epitaphs defining their social relevancy to our cultural heritage, be it artistic, historical, political, technical or architectural importance. We have plaques on old houses identifying historical figures that had…
Every old building has a story. That story is told through what we see now, but sometimes there is a lot more to tell. We can certainly understand a building’s evolution by physical clues, but sometimes the clues are masked…
Once and awhile I get a frustrating call about someone hiring a contractor where the skills did not match the promise. Sometimes the work is poor, isn’t finished, or is in such a state that it needs to be redone. …
More historic buildings are here by chance than you think. Consider this. According to census data, there are over 330,000 Rhode Island buildings over 30 years old, with maybe 250,000 in the 50 years or older category of “historic”. There…
I have been in Rhode Island for almost 30 years. I love our community and the friends that are our family, the beauty and diversity of our landscapes and vistas, and without a doubt, I am crazy about the buildings.…
This 4th of July I am thinking of why we save old buildings. I am fortunate to live in Rhode Island, which is one of the most architecturally diverse states with buildings spanning from 1680 to the modern day. Many…
Rhode Island has some of the oldest, greatest architecture in the country. Our built environment reflects our ability to adapt and create. It’s a response to our environment, politics, culture, and art. It reflects function and our industrial and mechanical…
We are told old windows are drafty, do not function well, and lose energy through the single panes. Window replacements are pitched as giving us better energy efficiency and longevity. But is it true? And with claims replacement windows can…