Gregorian, Cianci will tour historic bath house today to consider its possible use by neighboring elementary school as an arts/science center

Brown University President Vartan Gregorian and Providence Mayor Vincent A. Cianci Jr. will tour the vacant Wickenden Street Bath House, 455 Wickenden St., today (Monday, Aug. 4) at 4 p.m., to consider the possibility of converting the structure into an arts and science center for the adjacent elementary school.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Brown University President Vartan Gregorian and Providence Mayor Vincent A. Cianci Jr. will tour the vacant Wickenden Street Bath House, 455 Wickenden St., today (Monday, Aug. 4) at 4 p.m. to consider and discuss the possibility of converting the structure into an arts and science center for the adjacent elementary school. The media are welcomed to accompany them during the tour.

The school currently lacks facilities for its arts, science and music teachers, a situation brought to Gregorian's attention in late May when he visited the school, recently renamed in his honor. At that time, Gregorian promised to find out who owned the building and offered to help raise funds to convert the site into classrooms. As it now stands, music, arts and science teachers travel from room to room, their gear in tow.

The City of Providence owns the brick 2,500-square-foot building, constructed in 1926 as a bath house for Fox Point residents. In the early 20th century, it was not uncommon for multi-family housing in neighborhoods with a significant immigrant population to lack bathing facilities. The structure served as a bath house until 1953, when city zoning mandated all residential buildings have hot running water. The property was used by the city from 1960 to 1970 as a library, and later as city offices. It has been vacant for a number of years.