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First
National Bank and Trust Company of
Sandersville receives
preservation award from The Georgia Trust
Former
post office becomes new community
bank
ATLANTA—The
First National Bank and Trust Company of
Sandersville received an award for
Excellence in Rehabilitation from The
Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation at
its annual meeting April 17 in Savannah.
Built
in 1931, the Sandersville post office was
an elegant example of Colonial Revival
architecture. When the structure was
purchased by the First National Bank and
Trust Company in 2000, residents worried
that many of the historical details of the
building would be lost in the renovation.
But by working with original blueprints
and keeping the history of the building in
mind, architect David O’Neal of Hughes,
Beattie, O’Neal, and Law and contractor
Charlie Garbutt of Garbutt Construction
Co. were able to create a new life for the
building without losing its historic
character.
One
of the main concerns was the restoration
of the building’s elegant pink marble
interior and wainscoting. To preserve this
feature, the renovation team went to the
original quarry to match the existing
marble, and not only restored what was
already in the building, but extended it
into the new public spaces of the bank.
Open iron grillwork was preserved, and any
additions to the building were built in
such a way as to distinguish them from the
historic fabric of the building. The
original exterior façade of the building
was also preserved, needing nothing more
than a good cleaning to restore its
beauty. Today, it is a functioning bank,
incorporating many aspects of the old post
office into this fully restored structure.
The
Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation,
founded in 1973, is the country’s
largest statewide, nonprofit preservation
organization, with more than 8,000
members. For more than 20 years the Trust
has recognized preservation projects and
individuals in the state who have made
significant contributions to the field of
historic preservation. Awards are
presented on the basis of the
contributions of the person or project to
the community and/or state and on
compliance to the Secretary of the
Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.
Excellence
in Rehabilitation awards recognize
projects that make compatible use of a
building through repair, alterations or
additions while preserving features of the
property that convey its historic value.
This year the Trust presented 16
Excellence in Rehabilitation awards.
Committed
to preserving and enhancing Georgia’s
communities and their diverse historic
resources for the education and enjoyment
of all, The Georgia Trust generates
community revitalization by finding buyers
for endangered properties acquired by its
Revolving Fund, provides design assistance
to 46 Georgia Main Street cities and
encourages neighborhood revitalization;
trains Georgia’s teachers to engage
students in 51 Georgia school systems to
discover state and national history
through their local historic resources;
and advocates for funding, tax incentives
and other laws aiding preservation
efforts. The Georgia Trust is a recipient
of the Trustees Award for Organizational
Excellence from the National Trust for
Historic Preservation.
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