277 Brook, 281-283 Brook & 75 Charlesfield Streets: Celebration of Life

Walking conversation about the history of three buildings Brown University plans to demolish in 2027. In March, Brown University announced a plan to demolish four historic buildings on Brook Street in College Hill to construct a new 50,000-square-foot economics department. The buildings slated for demolition included two residences built by Frederic Fuller in the 1870s and two residences built by the Black real estate developer and philanthropist Alexander Gorham in the 1880s (all four residences are listed as contributing buildings in the National Register of Historic Places’ College Hill Historic District for their architectural significance). In September, facing strong opposition from neighbors, the City Councilor for Ward 1, and Providence Preservation Society, Brown changed tack, announcing a new plan to preserve the two residences associated with Alexander Gorham, but demolish the Fuller homes and a small modern public safety building to make way for the new department. On Sunday, November 15, join PPS for a walking conversation on Brook Street about the buildings the University intends to demolish and Brown's history of clearance and redevelopment in the Fox Point and College Hill neighborhoods. This program is timely as Brown plans to go before the City Plan Commission to request approval for this project on Tuesday, November 17 at 4:45pm (the public may attend this meeting and can testify in support or in opposition to the plan). The tour shares new research on the people who made lives in these buildings in the 19th and 20th centuries, and provides an opportunity to learn more about Brown's planning history before three more buildings are demolished, bringing the University's demo list to over 170 buildings in these two neighborhoods since 1940. The tour is led by Brown graduate students Isaiah Martin (MA, Integrative Studies '28), Tristan Whalen (PhD, History of Art and Architecture '31) and PPS's Executive Director, Marisa Brown. Martin and Whalen are both 2026-27 research fellows at PPS. Learn more about Brown's proposed plan in PPS's reporting in April (here and here), in September, and in our April 2026 advocacy statement. This is a donation event with a suggested donation of $10 or more per person. All donations support PPS's year-round research, advocacy and education programs. Please note that a minimum of $1 is required to complete registration for this event – this is a $1 fee that goes to Eventbrite, not PPS.