Five Questions With: Marena Wisniewski

MARENA WISNIEWSKI is the preservation and public engagement officer at Providence Preservation Society. / COURTESY WARREN JAGGER
MARENA WISNIEWSKI is the preservation and public engagement officer at Providence Preservation Society. / COURTESY WARREN JAGGER

Marena Wisniewski is the preservation and public engagement officer at Providence Preservation Society. In addition to advocating for the rehabilitation and reuse of historic properties across the city, she works with the public on matters of historic preservation, planning and community involvement. She responded to questions posed by the Providence Business News on some of the newly named 2017 Preservation Award Winners.
PBN: The Providence Preservation Society recently announced the 2017 Preservation Award Winners. How many different submissions were made this year, and does one category attract more applicants than others?
WISNIEWSKI:
We had over 25 detailed applications this year, and almost all of them deserved an award! The Rehabilitation Award seems to garner the most nominations.
PBN: ASH NYC and HM Ventures Group LLC won the Rehabilitation Award, for their project at 32 Custom House St. What elevated it to the top in its category?
WISNIEWSKI:
With 32 Custom House, it was the details that made it stand out from the crowd. The interior of the building has a lot of bronze ornament (it was a former bank), and all of it had to be polished and the scratches filled. The exterior masonry was cleaned and patched, the floors were restored and windows were rehabilitated. By taking the time to preserve the original materials, the overall result is exceptional.
PBN: The Sharpe Building, part of the Promenade Apartments, won for the category of Strengthening Place. What is the meaning behind this award? Is the idea that the projects can create powerful change in a neighborhood?
WISNIEWSKI:
Exactly. The Promenade Apartments are a Providence success story. As the final building to be rehabilitated, the Sharpe Building is a milestone in the history of the site. It is the first time since the early 1960s that the former Brown & Sharpe Manufacturing complex has been fully occupied. The project reactivated over 1 million square feet of space over 26 acres that was previously vacant, preserving the neighborhood’s history while breathing new life into it.
PBN: The At-Large Project Award winner is Veterans for Tomorrow. Is this category intended to broaden the scope beyond Providence? What made Veterans for Tomorrow’s building special?
WISNIEWSKI:
The At-Large Award is for a project that doesn’t easily fit into a single category. The Veterans for Tomorrow [building], historically known as the Heaton & Cowing Mill, is significant both because of its impeccable exterior restoration and because of its impact on the community. The exterior work was completed according to the U.S. Secretary for the Interior’s Standards, while the interior became the home for 20 formerly homeless veterans. It is the epitome of a successful, adaptive-reuse project.
PBN: Just curious if you had a personal favorite among the winners, and if so, why?
WISNIEWSKI:
I actually don’t. All of the winners are so different. They all deserve to be recognized for their commitment to preserving the character of Providence.

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