Mayor Elorza & Health Leaders Embrace Bannister Center's New Look

by Jeff Jacomowitz

Over the past six to seven months, renovations were in full force at Centers Health Care's Bannister Center and Centers Health Care's leadership made a promise that residents and their families would love the end result. That promise became official at last night's grand re-opening of the Bannister Center, a facility that has deep historical significance, located on Dodge Street in downtown Providence. What made this grand re-opening even more special was a visit by Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, who toured the facility with Bannister Center and Centers Health Care leadership.

"This place is beautiful," said Mayor Elorza. "From the floors, the renovated rooms, all of it, what a great job and beautiful place."

The Mayor and his staff were taken throughout the facility, given an education and history lesson by Bannister's Administrator Melissa Prevey and Centers Health Care's Director of Sales, Steve Carr. It was Mayor Elorza's first visit to Bannister Center, a facility that had looked vastly different before the renovations began a half a year ago.

"I am so proud to show off today's Bannister Center," said Melissa Prevey, Administrator at Bannister Center. "The past six months may have looked like a construction zone, but it was well worth the wait. These renovations were done with great taste as it was important to honor the history of this building."

The history comes from deep African American roots. Once called, "The Home for Aged Colored Women" located on Transit Street back in 1890, the building was founded by North Kingstown native, hairdresser and abolitionist, Christiana Carteaux Bannister. History of the home had been told when Christiana had learned about the struggles of African American women, who worked as domestics but were too old to work, often became homeless. The home moved from Transit Street to Dodge Street and was renamed Bannister House, Inc. Christiana became the wife of Edward Mitchell Bannister, one of the country’s earliest celebrated black artists.

Why Providence? The story of the strong tie to Providence points out that Mr. Bannister experienced persecution in Philadelphia when he entered a painting in one of the nation’s first exhibitions in 1876. After being denied the winning prize because of his race, members of Rhode Island’s influential Metcalf family intervened and was then given his award. Bannister co-founded the Providence Art Club in 1880. Later a successful businesswoman, Christiana and her husband supported Boston’s Underground Railroad, and she took up the cause of elderly black woman by co-founding the predecessor of today’s Bannister Nursing Care Center in Providence.

Today, photos of the Bannisters are scene downstairs near the lobby. Additionally, a chapel that has been nearly untouched since the 1890's, is part of the lobby, along with glass and the stone path leading up the front doors of the chapel, still being used a place for worship by residents and families.

(Cover Photo, from left to right, Steve Carr, Centers Health Care's Director of Sales, Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, Melissa Prevey, Bannister Center's Administrator)