With beauty being in the eye of the beholder, we are a little reluctant to weigh in on a proposed development at Vancouver’s historic Providence Academy. We will leave it to readers to behold the plans (tinyurl.com/ycbhzpv5) for themselves.
With a couple of developments announced in recent weeks, it appears that the northeast corner of downtown Vancouver — near Evergreen Boulevard and C Street — is about to undergo quite a transformation. The academy site is expected to add two mixed-use buildings, and a stone’s throw away, Vancouver Public Schools officials are planning to construct an elementary school.
In assessing these plans, stakeholders should work to develop proposals that fit in with the surrounding area while also providing for the needs of the citizenry. As noted architect Frank Gehry is credited with saying, “Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness.”
Providence Academy has been a Vancouver landmark since being constructed by Mother Joseph in the 1870s, and its stately brick fa?ade fits the definition of timelessness. It operated as a school until 1969 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. It is, at least from the perspective of Vancouver, a very big deal.
The Historic Trust is working to renovate the facility and give it new life, maintaining it as an essential piece of the city for decades to come. The nonprofit has spent about $1.8 million renovating Providence Academy, which now has 65 tenants ranging from small technology companies to a Pilates studio.
The work to preserve and modernize an essential part of Vancouver’s past is to be applauded, but additional plans for the site have drawn much criticism. Preliminary designs for two five-story mixed-use buildings on the west edge of the property, along C Street, reveal a modern style that seems to run counter to the zeitgeist reflected by the academy.
The plans, developed by Marathon Acquisition & Development of Wilsonville, Ore., call for about 140 apartment units, street-level commercial space, and 150 parking spaces. Those additions will lend vitality to the area, but decision-makers might want to reconsider how the project will look when sitting next to Providence Academy. Mike True, president and CEO of The Historic Trust, told The Columbian: “Our role is preserving the past and preserving historic properties, restoring the stories and histories that go into them.” Far be it for us to be architecture critics, but True would be wise to pay more attention to preserving the historic nature of the site.
Meanwhile, some details have emerged regarding plans for an elementary school less than a block south of Providence Academy. Records obtained by The Columbian indicate that Killian Pacific, owner of the vacant property, will donate half of the market price for Vancouver Public Schools to purchase the property. The plan is to construct a K-5 grade school at the site.
The school is expected to part of a multifaceted development on the lot directly south of Vancouver Community Library. Plans include a public parking garage, which should be mandatory.
Details for the school have not been finalized, but we hope that designers are able to incorporate themes from the library next door and Providence Academy on the next block. Creating the Vancouver of the future should provide a connection with the Vancouver of the present and the past, both in function and design.
