Preservation and Renovation of Providence Academy In Vancouver WA

Preservation & Renovation

THE HISTORIC TRUST IS DEDICATED TO ENSURING PROVIDENCE ACADEMY STANDS – AND THRIVES – FOR ANOTHER 150 YEARS

Providence Academy, 2017 – Porch Rebuild

Southeast front porch of Providence Academy under construction — Front porch during restoration; Photo by Historic Trust staff

Providence Academy, 2025 – Landscaping Complete

Sacred Heart Garden aerial view — Aerial photo by Vancouver's Downtown Association (VDA USA), taken December 5, 2025.

Stewardship

After the school closed in 1966, the Hidden family bought the building in 1969 and prevented demolition. In 2015, nearly 1,000 donors empowered The Historic Trust to continue that stewardship by purchasing the landmark building for the community. When The Historic Trust acquired Providence Academy, the attic held 50 five-gallon buckets catching rainwater. Gallery porches were rotting. The parking lot was unpaved gravel.

Now, thanks to community investment of nearly $22 million, Providence Academy has been stabilized, restored, and reactivated. Today, with occupancy exceeding 90% and events held more than 40 weekends each year, the Academy is a dynamic hub of community activity.

Stewardship of the building is carried out in keeping with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and with the oversight of the Washington Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation and advice from the Clark County Historic Preservation Commission. Though much remains to be done, significant progress has been accomplished with the help of donors and historic building experts such as SERA Architects, Meritus (formerly Venerable Properties), Wilson Architects, Schommer and Sons Construction, and Erickson Engineering.

RENOVATION PROJECTS COMPLETED AND IN PROGRESS

Roof (2017-2018)

A combination of age and years of patchwork repairs had left the Academy’s roof leaking badly. When the Trust purchased the property in 2015, approximately 50 five-gallon buckets occupied the attic to catch water penetration in order to lessen the damage to the building.

Thanks to a grant from the Washington State Department of Economic Development and generous donors, the renovation included an entire roof replacement with red standing-seam metal roofing that replicated the original historic material. Elective and logical seismic improvements were incorporated by adding plywood sheathing to the building diaphragm and structural reinforcement to improve the stability and longevity of the Academy.

Gallery Porches (2017-2022)

The gallery porches, a signature architectural feature of the building which recall Mother Joseph’s French Colonial upbringing in Montreal, were rotting in place due to time and exposure. Decking, supports, railings, and other components were failing and did not meet current code. The same grant referenced above, as well as other funding from generous donors and private grantors, provided funding for the removal and replacement in kind starting from the footings, all the way up to the porch roofs. Unobtrusive wire handrails were added to provide the increased height required by current code. Over multiple phases, nearly all of the porches have been returned to usability by tenants and visitors while the historic appearance has been retained.

Interior Work (2019)

In 2019, The Historic Trust rehabilitated the Chapel and Providence Hall (formerly known as the Ballroom) and related spaces and features to return them to a more historic appearance and address wear and tear and water damage. Heating and cooling, electrical, and AV systems were improved for those spaces.

Front Entry Doors (2019)

A rehabilitation of the Academy’s front doors completed in October 2019 has left that entry ready for another century, courtesy of a generous grant from the Kinsman Foundation. The Douglas Fir front doors with White Oak veneer date to 1911, when the entry was redesigned by architect Robert Tegen. When the work began, problems included significant cracking and some separation between door rails and stiles due to age and wear, and moisture had been entering from the base. These issues were solved by removing the doors, injecting the voids with glue, and applying clamps until the glue had dried. The tops and bottoms of the doors were further reinforced by the unobtrusive addition of metal straps, and were sealed with paint and shellac. The original hardware still in place was kept, and non-original interior push bar and exterior closer replaced with ones more appropriate for the era.

Southeast Parking Lot (2023)

After decades as an uneven gravel surface, the Academy’s tenant and visitor parking lot finally received a much-needed upgrade in 2023 to meet current code requirements and be more functional. New paving, along with the installation of lighting, stormwater drainage, utilities, and landscape plantings, greatly improved appearance, accessibility, and performance.

Aerial view of completed plaza and garden, taken early December 2025.

Sacred Heart Plaza at Ed Lynch Square (2024-2025)

The south side of Providence Academy has been an evolving landscape since the building’s construction in 1873. Today’s plaza is a welcoming cultural landscape which respects past uses and blends in complementary garden spaces, walkways, gathering spots, benches, art, and historic interpretation. Designed to be universally accessible, the space includes the preserved and refreshed Sacred Heart Garden created by Mother Joseph of the Sacred Heart in 1875, and helps connect Vancouver’s traditional downtown core with the Historic Reserve. Funding for the project was generously provided by the Ed and Dollie Lynch Fund of the Community Foundation for SW Washington, George and Diana Bryant, Paul Christiansen, Evergreen Memorial Gardens, Steve and Jo Marie Hansen, Michael Lynch, the Honorable Frank L. and Arlene G. Price Foundation, and community supporters.

Providence Academy restored portico and front steps.

Portico (2025)

The stone and masonry portico, designed by architect Robert Tegen, was added in 1911. Restoration efforts included brick re-pointing and cleaning, patching of sandstone elements, roof cresting cleaning, replacement in kind of the concrete steps, and roof leak repair. The project was generously supported by the Ed and Dollie Lynch Fund of the Community Foundation for SW Washington, and the Honorable Frank L. and Arlene G. Price Foundation.

Providence Academy front entry and cupola at night with exterior illumination

Artistic Exterior Lighting (2026)

The artistic lighting heightens overall visibility of the building and landscape, radiates a feeling of welcome and safety, and increases community engagement with the spaces. Significant architectural features are subtly highlighted. The design was created by lighting consultant Paul Luntsford, ASTC, of PLA Designs Inc. The project was generously supported by the Ed and Dollie Lynch Fund of the Community Foundation for SW Washington.