Rhode Island’s oldest home to be sold and reoccupied this summer – Providence Business News

LINCOLN – Protect Rhode Island, a 65-year-old nonprofit that fights to avoid wasting historic properties, just lately introduced that the state’s oldest residence will turn into occupied as soon as once more following a $600,000 renovation.

Protect Rhode Island stated intensive restore and rehabilitation work on the historic, 2,448-square-foot Valentine Whitman Home in Lincoln is reaching the end line, after the nonprofit acquired the property from the city final 12 months.

The 1147 Nice Street residence, which was constructed in 1696, will probably be put available on the market this month, the nonprofit stated, however a “preservation easement” defending the architectural integrity of the house will probably be made a situation of the sale.

“Promoting this essential home, with an easement connected, will be certain that a household who appreciates the historic worth of this residence will love and shield it for generations to return,” stated Valerie Talmage, government director of Protect Rhode Island. “We’re proud to assist the city of Lincoln discover new function for this property and set the Valentine Whitman Home on a sustainable course for its subsequent 300 years.”

The colonial-style residence is taken into account a “stone-ender,” which means that one facet of the home is made of a big stone chimney, on this case overlaying a lot of the entrance of the constructing, with an entrance constructed into the rear of the house. The property was constructed by Valentine Whitman Jr., in response to the nonprofit, after receiving the land as a present from his father, who was a buddy of famed Rhode Island Colonial chief Roger Williams.

The house was final occupied in 1990 by Helen Whalen, who stayed there till her demise that 12 months, earlier than it was later bought to the city and the property grew to become a home museum with weekend excursions offered by a gaggle known as The Mates of the Valentine Home, the nonprofit stated.

Earlier than deciding to make it right into a single-family residence once more, Protect Rhode Island stated different alternate options have been thought of, together with turning the Valentine Whitman Home right into a trip rental.

Protect Rhode Island acquired funding for the venture from The 1772 Basis, the Nationwide Belief for Historic Preservation, Ocean State Charities and the sponsorship of the Beacon Hill Pole Chapter of the Nationwide Society Daughters of the American Revolution.

The renovations, which have been accomplished by the Windfall-based Heritage Restoration Inc., embrace a brand new wooden shake roof; new cedar shingles on the sidewalls, overlaying roughly 75% of the constructing; restoration of unique wood flooring; restore of plaster partitions; new electrical, plumbing and heating, air flow and air-con techniques; new storm home windows; new paint for the home and storage in a “traditionally acceptable coloration”; a brand new custom-designed kitchen; renovations of loos and the addition of loos; and a brand new, trendy laundry area.

The house and the 1.1-acre property have been final valued by city assessors in 2022 to be value $483,500, in response to public information.

“The Valentine Whitman venture is the end result of a lifetime of labor within the Better Rhode Island historic preservation group,” stated Rob Cagnetta, president of Heritage Restoration. “Stitching the Seventeenth-century and an early 18th-century rework with trendy know-how and facilities requires creativity and adaptability. However with Protect RI’s partnership, we consider we struck the appropriate stability.”

Marc Larocque is a PBN workers author. Contact him at Larocque@PBN.com. You may additionally observe him on Twitter @LaRockPBN.