Providence Court facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Providence Court
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Providence Court
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Pittsfield, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1926 |
| Architect | Donohue, J.W. |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Other |
| NRHP reference No. | 87001107 |
| Added to NRHP | November 20, 1987 |
Providence Court, once known as St. Luke's Hospital, is a historic building in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It was built in 1926. This building was the very first Roman Catholic hospital in Berkshire County.
In 1967, St. Luke's Hospital joined with Pittsfield General Hospital. They formed the Berkshire Medical Center. This was one of the first times a religious hospital and a non-religious hospital merged in the United States. Later, from 1978 to 1981, the building was changed into homes for older people. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. This means it is a special place worth protecting because of its history.
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Discovering Providence Court's History
Providence Court is on the north side of East Street in Pittsfield. It is a large building made of brick and stone. It has five floors and looks like the letter "T" from above. The front part is straight, and a long section sticks out from the back.
The Building's Unique Look
The building's style is called Colonial Revival or Georgian Revival. This means it looks like old American colonial homes, but it was built much later. It has special details made of light-colored limestone. These details include stone blocks on the corners and around the windows. The ground floor is made of rough-looking limestone. The upper floors are mostly brick. The main entrance has a grand stone porch with tall, round columns.
From Hospital to Homes
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield decided to open a hospital in Pittsfield in 1916. They first used two houses that were changed into a hospital. But they needed more space. So, they bought the Allen estate on East Street. They turned the old estate house into a maternity ward for new mothers.
The current Providence Court building was built on the estate land between 1923 and 1926. It was designed by an architect named Jonathan William Donohue. He was known for designing church buildings. The building served as St. Luke's Hospital until 1967. That's when it merged with Pittsfield General Hospital to become the Berkshire Medical Center.
The Pittsfield General facility grew bigger in 1976. Because of this, the St. Luke's building was closed. The local housing group bought it in 1978. They then changed it into apartments for elderly residents.
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Providence Court
