Director of Preservation and Historic Sites

Through a variety of tools (technical assistance, advocacy, outreach) and the direct use of a Revolving Fund, HSF demonstrates that saving and adaptively using historic buildings stems blight, stimulates the economy, improves the local tax-base, and revitalizes neighborhoods.  The HSF Director of Preservation & Historic Properties will lead that effort by working with the City of Savannah, Chatham County, neighborhood and civic associations, property owners, realtors, developers, architects, engineers, and contractors.

The Director, of Preservation & Historic Properties will have direct responsibility for managing HSF’s Revolving Fund and preservation easement program.

HSF’s Revolving Fund rescues endangered historic properties, stabilizes, markets, and sells to preservation-minded buyers.  Smart and aggressive management of the fund requires savvy real estate and business skills to identify key acquisitions and facilitate quick sales of such properties.  Familiarity with construction and rehabilitation, basic real estate law, banking and lending practices, easements and applicable federal, state, and local tax incentives is expected.

Project management experience a plus.

·         Staffs the monthly meeting of the Revolving Fund Committee

·         Liaison to City of Savannah’s Metropolitan Planning Commission

·         Oversee and manage the easement program (baseline documentation, annual inspections, property alterations, etc.)

·         Monitors all HSF RF properties – site visits to all properties occur several times per week; all properties and construction progress are monitored on a regular basis.

·         Good relations with all city agencies – Housing, Planning, MPC to name a few.

This position is also the lead staff for HSF’s Architectural Review Committee.   This committee meets twice a month and evaluates properties that go in front of the Historic District Review Board and the Historic Preservation Commission.   The Director attends all HDBR and HPC meetings.  The ARC is a resource for the preservation community and as such offers to review plans from architects, developers, and builders before they are presented to Savannah’s Metropolitan Planning Commission.

This staff position is the face of HSF in the preservation community.  They consult on all preservation matters.