CITYWATCH Art In Ruins keeps an eye on urban planning BY BEN YASTER

In the wake of the controversy several years back involving Feldco Development’s initial plan to raze the historic mills of Eagle Square, Jason Hogue, 28, a graphic designer, and Sarah Clover, 29, a retail worker, teamed up to create an organizing tool for artists to oppose other wrecking-ball redevelopment efforts.

Providence’s problem, as the duo saw it, was twofold: a lack of affordable housing for artists stifles Providence’s growth as a vibrant creative economy, and the spaces that could be used for such housing — namely, old mills and warehouses — are either ignored, torn down, or parceled off to developers interested in building commercial centers and condominiums beyond the reach of artists. While the typical grassroots community organizer might wear out the soles of his or her shoes canvassing neighborhoods, Hogue and Clover chose a more technologically savvy, if more sedentary, approach: they started a Web site, Art In Ruins (www.artinruins.com/).

Hogue and Clover launched Art In Ruins in the winter of 2002 with the intention of creating an online message board where local artists could discuss arts and housing issues. In the time since, however, the site has changed direction, focusing on documenting historic mills that could be used for studio and living spaces, and linking to news coverage about local development projects. Says Hogue, "[Art In Ruins] has become a repository of information for homeowners, developers, and others in addition to artists." Besides archiving information, Hogue and Clover offer their opinions. "I make it clear that we have a certain stance," Hogue says. "I love the city, and I love new architecture, but I want to see it done right."

Because of the Web site’s more documentary and news-oriented approach, Hogue believes it has become something of a mainstream watchdog site advocating for the preservation and creative reuse of Providence’s historic industrial structures. Although somewhat disappointed that AIR is not a hotbed for his original target audience of underground artists, "It’s probably more successful for the kind of people who use it as a resource," he says. "A lot of people are really happy that it’s there."

Ari Heckman, a 21-year-old student at Cornell University and a summer employee with Providence developer Cornish Associates, is one non-artist impressed with the site. "[Art In Ruins] is totally unique in what it does," Heckman says. "Even if it is critical, it does a great job describing what’s going on." Heckman contacted Hogue and set him up on a hardhat tour through Westminster Street’s Peerless Building, which Cornish is currently converting into lofts. Hogue, who took photos of the construction site and posted them on Art In Ruins, cites the visit as just one benefit of AIR’s broader appeal.

As the quest for affordable housing in Rhode Island remains a continuing struggle, the Art In Ruins duo steadily maintain their advocacy. As Clover says, "You could see why [mills] would appeal to artists. When you walk into a mill, the history is at work. They were factories that were loud and messy," she says, noting how the spaces provide ample room for a printmaker’s studio or a drummer’s practice space. "It makes sense for artists to be in there working."