RI Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RISPCA)

About this Property

#Redevelopment

The Providence Revolving Fund purchased this building in June of 2006 to use as their new headquarters. Executive Director Clark Schoettle and the Revolving Fund team used their expertise in helping homeowners renovate their homes with historic accuracy to save much of the original character of the offices upstairs. Original woodwork, doors with bubble glass, and large transoms were retained.

The lovely exterior was cleaned and mortar was repointed. The mid-century garage door was replaced with a more historically accurate french door with arched top. A mid-century one-story annex seen in our 2006 photos was demolished as it was not a contributing historic structure.

The Providence Revolving Fund provides low cost loans to homeowners and small businesses, provides consulting and project management for renovation work, and manages an architectural salvage collection. Locally, some of their high profile projects include loans and consulting for AS220’s Dreyfus, the Wedding Cake House, the Poirier Diner, Monohasset Mill, and most of the renovations downtown such as the Peerless and the Burgess O’Gorman buildings.

#Current Events

This building has been home to the Providence Revolving Fund since their renovation of it in 2007–2008. A business occupies the ground floor space along Fountain Street with another, West Side Wellness, in the rear.

#History

The location and flat site plan can be found on a 1920–1951 Sanborn Map as “The R.I. Society Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.” The map was first drawn in 1920 and only changed parcels were redrawn in 1951. On the original 1920 map, this location was occupied by buildings owned by the “Rhode Island Coupling & Combination Ladder Co.”

The RISPCA built this structure in 1925 and occupied it until 1982 when they moved into a new shelter built in Riverside (and designed by William Kite).

From the “Industrial Sites and Commercial Buildings Survey (ICBS)” by PPS and the AIA, 2001-2002

It is a two-story, five-bay-wide, flat-roof, brick building set on the south side of West Fountain Street. The building is embellished with an arched-parapet, decorative brick work, a heavy cornice with Spanish tile roof and large, decorative brackets. A concrete panel bearing the date 1925 is centrally located along the roof line. Pedestrian entrances are located on the two end bays of the façade and feature replacement doors set below transoms. A vehicular entrance is centrally located on the façade, within a segmental-arch opening with keystone. Fenestration is comprised of rectangular, multi-light/1 sash windows set below 4-light transoms. A small, one-story, flat-roof ell (late 20th century) projects from the west side of the building. A concrete block ell projects from the southwest comer.

The Rhode Island Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals moved to 372 West Fountain Street in 1925. According to city directories, the RISPCA was previously housed in buildings on Westminster Street and Market Square. In 1981 The Rhode Island Society for Prevention of Cruelty left this location to move to East Providence. The building was left vacant afterward and is currently for lease.