Cathedral of St. John

• Constructed: 1810
• PPS Most Endangered: 2007, 2008, 2009
• Building Type: Ecclesiastical
• Threat: Deterioration

	The Cathedral of St. John is the successor to King’s Church, organized in the same location in 1722. The building, as it exists today, was designed by Providence’s Federal-era architect John Holden Greene and built in 1810. In 1929, the building was designated as the official Episcopal seat for the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island and has been known as “the Cathedral” ever since. The church is constructed in Smithfield stone with brownstone trim and combines Federal forms with Gothic detailing: the end-gable-roof Federal mass is articulated with lancet-arch windows with tracery. A clustered-colonnette porch introduces the projecting gabled vestibule, which supports a square clock tower and belfry with spiky pinnacles above it. Inside is a low-saucer-dome ceiling nave supported by clustered colonnettes. The church is also home to an 1851 Hook organ. The building has been enlarged and somewhat remodeled, notably in 1855, 1866, 1906, and 1967, yet still retains its architectural integrity.
The deteriorated church tower is causing the rotting of wood structural elements as well as cracking and crumbling of the interior plaster walls and the sanctuary ceiling. Despite the creation of a preservation plan for the building by the Diocese several years ago, little progress has been made toward correcting the serious problems occasioned by deferred maintenance and hitherto unrecognized design flaws created in earlier remodeling and expansions. “the Cathedral” received a new roof after being included on the 2007 Most Endangered Properties List, but many windows remain broken or boarded and the building is still in an overall deteriorated state. While the church’s community is supportive of making repairs and maintenance, funds have not been made available for the substantial work that is necessary.
In addition to “the Cathedral”, the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island owns a number of other adjacent buildings, included several historic houses on Benefit Street. Like “the Cathedral”, many of these properties suffer from deferred maintenance and neglect.
At the 218th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island, held on October 25, 2008, Bishop Geralyn Wolf noted: "The Cathedral, Diocesan House, Hallworth House, and the Edwards Houses sit on a beautiful square just beyond the heart of the city, and down the street from the State House. I believe that this block is an extraordinary resource, and have met with leaders from the resident institutions to brainstorm regarding the present and future use of the property. We have many ideas to explore in the coming months". A committee, chaired by the Cathedral Dean, the Very Reverend Harry Krauss, was formed of the Cathedral Chapter and representatives of the other constituents of the square to explore these ideas. In addition, the committee was authorized to consult with PPS, government and neighborhood agencies, planners, architects, and developers as their work unfolds. While the formation of this committee is positive, action has not been yet taken and the entire campus of buildings, most importantly “the Cathedral”, remains at risk.
Update: In partnership with John Grosvenor of Newport Collaborative Architects, a committee of representatives from the Episcopal Diocese have developed a concept plan for the restoration of the Cathedral and redevelopment of the entire Cathedral Close. The plan entails the integration of all Cathedral Close properties to facilitate mixed-use development, which will include commercial rental space and residential units. Accessibility and green building features will be taken into consideration, and parking will be increased considerably. Meanwhile, garden areas and the Cathedral graveyard will be made more accessible from North Main St. Currently, there are plans to move forward with a feasibility study and a design plan. Efforts are now underway to acquire funding for this second stage of planning.
Photo by Matthew Kierstead

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