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Historic
Savannah Foundation Recognized for Work in
Historic City
Organization
Receives Statewide Preservation Award for 50
Years of Preservation
ATLANTA,
April
2, 2005—The Historic Savannah
Foundation received an award for Distinguished
Service in the Field of Preservation from The
Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation at its
annual meeting April 2 in Thomasville,
Ga.
Celebrating
50 years in 2005, the Historic Savannah
Foundation has been a key factor in changing
the fabric of the city back to its historical
roots. In reaction to the city of Savannah
demolishing historic buildings for parking
lots, the foundation was chartered in 1955 to
preserve Savannah’s original city plan and
cultural heritage.
Its
main program, the Revolving Fund, is
responsible for saving more than 350 buildings
since its inception. Other programs educate
Savannah’s citizens on the importance of
preserving the city’s architectural
history.
Early
foundation activities included creating an
inventory of historic properties in the city.
In 1973, the Historic Review Board was
established to control historic district
development, and the Chadbourne Guidelines
were established to regulate new building
construction and historic building
alterations.
For
the past 50 years, the foundation has worked
to designate numerous sections of Savannah as
historic districts. Most recently, the
foundation is working to restore Elbert
Square, one of the lost squares paved over
decades ago. In the 21st century,
the foundation is placing its focus on
streetscapes, canopy tree planting and urban
livability issues.
“The
strength, effectiveness and courage of this
organization are evident from the first sight
of the city,” said Greg Paxton, president
and CEO of The Georgia Trust. “Savannah
wouldn’t be the city it is today without the
Historic Savannah Foundation. With their help,
buildings that others have given up on can be
revitalized for the betterment of the whole
community.”
For
more than 25 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 with
the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards
for the Treatment of Historic Properties.
The
Distinguished Service Award is a special
service award presented this year to the
Historic Savannah Foundation for its 50 years
of dedication to preservation and the Savannah
community.
With
more than 8,000 members, The Georgia Trust for
Historic Preservation is the country’s
largest statewide, nonprofit preservation
organization. Founded in 1973, the Trust is
committed to preserving and enhancing
Georgia’s communities and their diverse
historic resources for the education and
enjoyment of all.
The
Trust generates community revitalization by finding buyers for
endangered properties acquired by its
Revolving Fund; provides design assistance to
105 Georgia Main Street cities and encourages
neighborhood revitalization; trains
Georgia’s teachers in 56 Georgia school
systems to engage students in discovering
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.
For
more information on the Historic Savannah
Foundation, contact Mark McDonald at
912-233-7787 or mcmcdonald@savbusiness.net.
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