Properties range from downtown's Superman building to the Broad Street Synagogue in South Providence

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The downtown "Superman Building," the Wedding Cake House and the Southwest Pavilion Building at Rhode Island Hospital were all included on the Providence Preservation Society's 2016 Most Endangered Properties List.

The preservation group, which was founded in 1956, has been releasing the annual list since 1994 to help generate interest and support for the city's important but at-risk buildings.

The PPS noted that many properties featured on the list in the past have been saved, "including the Masonic Temple, the Foundry, the Shepard's Building, and most recently, the Teste Block and Arcade."

The 2016 list has some repeats from 2015: the Cranston Street Armory in the West End, the Atlantic Mills in Olneyville, the Broad Street Synagogue in South Providence, the Sheffield Smith House at 334 Smith St., along with the Wedding Cake House, formally known as the Kendrick-Prentice-Tirocchi House, at 514 Broadway.

This year's list made special mention of several categories of endangered properties, including those in the Jewelry District, the city's historic middle school buildings and historic religious buildings.

Since being targeted for demolition in 2011, the former Ward Baking Company administration building at 145 Globe St., in the Jewelry District, has been sold twice, most recently to Lifespan. PPS said it will continue to advocate for the building to be preserved.

PPS noted that the Nathan Bishop Middle School on the East Side was slated for demolition in 2006, but "opposition by neighborhood residents and PPS led to a reuse study that led to an award-winning restoration that cost less than replacement." The preservation group said the Gilbert Stuart Middle School at 188 Princeton Ave., the Roger Williams Middle School at 278 Thurbers Ave., and the Nathanael Greene Middle School at 721 Chalkstone Ave. also need "that kind of neighborhood advocacy and city leadership to deliver the kind of schools our children deserve."

2016 Most Endangered Properties List

Atlantic Mills, 100 Manton Ave. (1863)

Bomes Theatre, 1017 Broad St. (1921)

Cranston Street Armory, 315 Cranston St. (1907)

Historic Jewelry District Buildings:

— Barstow Stove Company (aka Tops Electric Company), 120 Point St. (c. 1849)

— Ward Baking Company Administration Building, 145 Globe St. (1908-1956)

Historic Middle School Buildings, as exemplified by:

— Gilbert Stuart Middle School, 188 Princeton Ave. (c. 1930)

— Nathanael Greene Middle School, 721 Chalkstone Ave. (1929)

— Roger Williams Middle School, 278 Thurbers Ave. (1932)

Historic Religious Buildings, as exemplified by:

— Broad Street Synagogue, 688 Broad St. (1910)

— Congregation of the Sons of Jacob, 24 Douglas Ave. (1905-1912, 1920)

— United Presbyterian Church, 619 Chalkstone Ave. (1895)

Industrial Trust Building (aka "Superman" building), 111 Westminster St. (1928)

Kendrick-Prentice-Tirocchi House (aka the Wedding Cake House), 514 Broadway (1867)

Meader Street School, 20 Almy St. (1891)

Rhode Island Hospital Southwest Pavilion, 593 Eddy St. (1900)

Sheffield Smith House, 334 Smith St. (1855)

—cdunn@providencejournal.com

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On Twitter: @ProjoChris