This remarkable building can be found at 11 Higgins Avenue in the Elmhurst neighborhood, very near the Oakland Avenue Historic District. The property, owned by the John Hope Settlement House, is on the Providence Preservation Society’s annual list of Most Endangered Places.
According to PPS’s records, this 8-bedroom Queen Anne-style home was built by Tobias Burke in 1893, likely remodeled between 1895 and 1908, and moved to its present site in 1928, a block away from Nathanael Greene Middle School.
For about the last ten years, 11 Higgins has been vacant. The John Hope Settlement House (JHSH) owns the home and operated a group shelter for at-risk young men aged 18-24 there, but closed the shelter and hasn’t established a plan for its future use despite community advocacy.
The PPS write-up covers the history of the JHSH and its promise to restore and renovate the property. Still, the PPS considers the building to be under threat due to “vacancy and neglect.” Unlike other listings, this is not for sale. Although . . . I suppose you could make an offer.
The porch on this beauty wraps around three sides. If you are driving along Pleasant Valley Parkway, it’s between Chalkstone and Smith.
We wrote up the Atlantic Mills entry in January.
11 Higgins Avenue, (directions)
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The woodwork of this pediment is insane.