Across the street from Brown Stadium stands a lonely school building that once housed the East Side's only middle school. In the Spring of 2006, Nathan Bishop Middle School failed to meet academic goals, saw decreasing enrollment because of its poor reputation and was subsequently closed. "It was a disaster," East Side resident Thomas Schmeling told The Herald in March. "Students were roaming the halls and cursing at teachers."
Since then, however, East Side residents have petitioned for its re-opening. Approval of a plan to renovate the school as opposed to razing it was granted over the summer from key players - such as Mayor David Cicilline '83 - and has brought the school closer to a proposed re-opening in September 2009.
The Providence Public School District's School Board also approved plans for re-opening over the summer. In June, the East Side Public Education Coalition - a group of parents and residents on Providence's East Side -chose a $40 million renovation plan over proposals for partial or complete demolition and reconstruction of the building, said Schmeling, a coalition member. In July, the City Council's Finance Committee agreed to finance the school's renovation.
An architecture firm hired by the city reported to East Side residents that the renovation plan will use the building's space more efficiently than other plans, said Sam Zurier, a member of a steering committee appointed by the superintendent of the school district.
Zurier said the plan also preserves the school's "beautiful" auditorium, which would be difficult to rebuild with limited funds.
Choosing renovation over new construction avoids conflict with historic preservationists - such as the Providence Preservation Society - which could have delayed the school's reopening.
"We want to preserve the building for its architectural integrity, history in the neighborhood," said Sara Emmenecker '04, director of preservation services at the society.
"The building is in pretty good shape considering not much has been invested into it since 1929," she added.
The next step is to submit the funding application and final architectural plan to the Rhode Island Department of Education for approval.
Michael Kenney, an East Side parent who had previously supported new construction, said he is happy with the renovation plan.
"The overall building is well-designed and open," he said, adding that he hopes to send his third- grader to Nathan Bishop when it re-opens.
