Preservation posts: the online journal of the Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Aug. 2015

Preservation Posts - August 2015

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In this issue:
- UGA Students Dig on Ossabaw - Ga. Preservation Tax Incentives Program update - Staff Profile: Jeff Harrison - News and Announcements - Upcoming Events
On Ossabaw, UGA Students Dig In
Achaeological Field School 2015
By Leslie Johansen GDOT Compliance Archaeologist
As autumn approaches, we would like to take the opportunity to share some of the exciting events that occurred on Ossabaw Island this summer.
From late-June to mid-July, Professor Victor Thompson and students in an archaeological field school joined the Georgia Department of Natural Resources on Ossabaw Island. The field school is part of University of Georgia's (UGA) longterm research on the island to understand how Native American populations adapted to the coastal environment, as well as how they dealt with large-scale environmental changes during the past four millennia.
UGA's field school focused on the Buckhead site, which was occupied by Native American groups off-and-on for more than 4,000 years. The site was also the former location of Buckhead Plantation, a property owned by the Morel family for 153 years, from 1763-1916. Students spent five weeks living on the island and learned remote sensing techniques, such as ground penetrating radar, as well as more traditional archaeological excavation skills.
Staff from HPD's Archaeology Section joined the UGA Field School to assist with the excavation. In addition, HPD Archaeologists carried out various reconnaissance visits to other sites across the island, including a visit to South End with Amanda Thompson, Laboratory Manager with UGA, to discuss her ongoing research on the historic landscape of South End Plantation.
The HPD Archaeologists were joined by colleagues from HPD's Environmental Review program and the National Register and Survey program to assist with an archaeological public day hosted June 20th by the Ossabaw Island Foundation. Paul M Pressley, Director of the Ossabaw Island Education Alliance, also hosted a group that enjoyed a personalized tour of the TorreyWest house the tour was led by Elizabeth DuBose, Executive Director of the Ossabaw Foundation. The Spanish Colonial house was built in 1926 by Nell and Henry Torrey as a winter retreat for the family. The residence has remained in a mostly untouched condition since it was built and furnished nearly 90 years ago. The tour provided the group with a unique opportunity to learn more about the history of the house and family, view furnishings and interiors of the early 20th century and enjoy some of Mrs. Torrey-West's Ossabaw Art collection.
During the afternoon, everyone gathered under oak trees at the Field Lab to assist in artifact cleaning and identification. HPD and UGA also hosted members of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Preservation Staff, Robin Soweka and Charley Hicks, who visited Ossabaw from Oklahoma to assist with the UGA excavation, learn more about Ossabaw Island and visit some of the Native American sites around the island.
Over the next several years, Professor Thompson, joined by a new group of students and armed with new questions, will conduct summer field schools to help, bit by bit, uncover the lost history of Ossabaw.
According to Amanda Thompson, "this year, UGA's field school had a productive summer, uncovering a large roasting pit dating between 4200-3100 years ago, as well as the remnants of a possible large structure, dating to A.D. 1350 to 1580. To learn more about the features uncovered, stay tuned to September's Preservation Post for an article by Jenn Bedell.
To see video from the field school, watch this report by WSAV-TV in Savannah.
Georgia's Preservation Tax Incentives Program Going Strong
By Carole Moore HPD Tax Incentives & Grants Coordinator
Hotel Daniel Ashley, in Valdosta. A 2015 Tax Project
Georgia's economic upturn for fiscal year 2015 in terms of new job hires, a lower unemployment rate, and increased construction activity is reflected in the amount of dollars invested in the rehabilitation of historic buildings through the federal and state tax incentives programs.
The programs, administered by HPD and utilized by property owners and developers, play a significant role in the economic development of communities throughout the state by creating jobs, spurring neighborhood/downtown development, promoting sustainability, increasing and supporting cultural and heritage tourism, encouraging local investment, and generating increased tax revenues.
It is not surprising that the passage of Georgia House Bill 308 which raises the current credit cap of $300,000 to a possible $10 million, and goes into effect in January 2016 has already begun to generate increased interest among developers to do rehabilitation projects in Georgia (see georgiashpo.org/incentives/tax for details, and look for more information in an upcoming edition of Preservation Posts).
Statistics gathered for the state fiscal year (SFY) 2015 indicate that although the number of rehabilitation projects this year was very close to the number of projects last year, there was a dramatic increase in the amount of rehabilitation dollars invested.
82 projects received preliminary certification in SFY 2015, representing almost $288 million in investment, while in SFY 2014 there were 80 projects that represented approximately $85 million investment. However, for the third consecutive year, final certifications have maintained little variation in both the numbers of projects and the rehabilitation dollars invested. There were 47 final projects in SFY 2015 representing, for the most part, projects begun two years earlier compared to 42 projects in SFY 2014; the dollars invested were $42 million in SFY 2015 and $43 million in SFY 2014. Also for the third consecutive year, the city of Macon led in the number of projects, accounting for 43 proposed and completed rehabilitations. Savannah and Atlanta were nearly tied, with 21 and 20 projects respectively. Other cities and towns with rehabilitation activity in SFY 2015 include Americus, Athens, Augusta, Bainbridge, Carrollton, Cedartown, College Park, Columbus, Covington, Decatur, Gainesville, Greensboro, Hapeville, Marshallville, Rome, Thomasville, Toccoa, Tybee Island, Valdosta, and West Point. (For more information about the state tax incentives statistics, look here)
Historic Macon Foundation (HMF) continues to play a major role in the high number of successful tax projects in Macon, through its promotion of the tax incentives programs to owners of historic properties. In addition, HMF has established revolving loan funds for the residential Beall's Hill neighborhood and the downtown area, through which it purchases vacant historic homes and downtown lofts, and sells them to new homeowners before or during rehabilitation. HMF estimates that it recovers approximately 95 percent of its costs, sometimes even making a profit. The preservation tax credits are essential to the program's success, while the state property tax assessment freeze is used as a marketing incentive to draw potential buyers.
Macon's Cherry Street, located within the Macon National Register Historic District, has become the hub of commercial revitalization downtown, according to Kim Campbell, Preservation and Education coordinator for HMF.
"We have several historic rehabilitation projects recently completed or in progress, a newly constructed Harriet Tubman museum, and a new addition to the historic Terminal Station, housing the Macon Urban Development Authority Office and the Georgia Department of Motor Vehicles," Campbell said.
Examples of Cherry Street revitalization include the Bernd-Sterchi Building and the Kessler Building, adjacent Cherry Street mixed-use rehabilitation projects completed by one developer during SFY 2015. Both projects feature residential apartments in the buildings' upper stories and commercial/retail space at the street level.
The stately brick five-story Bernd-Sterchi Building was built circa 1891 and continues to be a downtown Macon anchor. The property owner spent $2 million on the rehabilitation project, generating credits of approximately $400,000 (federal) and $300,000 (state).
Located next door to the Bernd-Sterchi Building is the smaller, four-story brick Kessler Building, built in the Neoclassical style in 1919 by Isaac Kessler, a Polish immigrant, for his expanding dry goods business. The property owner spent $1.2 million on the rehabilitation project, generating credits of approximately $240,000 (federal) and $300,000 (state).
Savannah, Georgia's oldest city, with its many historic resources still standing and available for rehabilitation, ranked second in the number of state tax projects for SFY 2015. One such project is a row of three unusual wooden Second Empire townhouses located on West Waldburg Street in the city's Victorian National Register Historic District, which includes almost 900 significant buildings. The three single-family townhouses were constructed in 1899-1904 by Savannah resident Eva Cooper and feature a fenestration pattern of horizontal wood clapboard siding and single 2/2 double-hung wood windows.
After 1910, the neighborhood slowly began an economic decline culminating in the 1970s, with many vacant lots and deteriorated, condemned buildings. By 1980, the West Waldburg townhouses were completely vacant, but neighborhood revitalization had slowly begun, and in 1985 the townhouses were rehabilitated into triplex apartments for students. Today, the revitalization efforts have escalated, and the Victorian District is experiencing a boom in economic development through the rehabilitation of its historic buildings.
In the 2014-2015 rehabilitation, the current property owner spent almost $487,000 to retain the 1985 triplex floorplan and repair and replace in-kind the roof, siding, trim, foundation, drywall, fireplaces, floors, stairs and windows. Kitchens, baths and systems were updated. The project should be eligible for a federal credit of approximately $97,400 and a state credit of approximately $11,750.
Smaller cities and towns throughout Georgia also are increasingly participating in the tax incentives programs, such as the city of Valdosta. One significant Valdosta project completed in SFY 2015 is the Hotel Daniel Ashley, located in the Valdosta Commercial Historic District. The hotel was built in 1925 to accommodate the many travelling salesmen in South Georgia at that time. The early skyscraper building was designed by Doughtery & Gardiner and reflects both the Beaux Arts and Chicago School influences. The property owner spent $6.3 million rehabilitating the building into low-income senior housing. The project should be eligible for an approximate $1.2 million federal tax credit, a $300,000 state tax credit, and a federal low-income tax credit of almost $509,000. --------------------------
These four projects are just a small sampling of the total 47 projects which received final certification from HPD for the state tax incentives during SFY 2015. Each of these projects contributed to the economic revitalization and vitality of their respective neighborhoods and downtowns by creating jobs both during the rehabilitation and after (for commercial properties); increasing property values and thereby increasing tax revenues for their respective communities; promoting sustainability; and supporting heritage tourism by providing new venues, services, and amenities which, in turn, attract both locals and out-of-towners to the area.
Staff Profile: Jeff Harrison
Public Affairs Coordinator
Jeff tailgating at alma mater Georgia Southern, left, and canoeing the Okefenokee Swamp, right.
Jeff Harrison began work as the Division's Public Affairs Coordinator in July 2015. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism from Georgia Southern University and, prior to joining the Division, has held various roles within the media including work as a reporter with newspapers in Southeast and Northwest Georgia.
Jeff is responsible for serving as a spokesperson for the Division, planning and carrying out outreach efforts, managing social media accounts and distributing press releases. Prior to joining HPD, he lived in Jesup, Ga. (hometown), Statesboro, Ga. and Chattanooga, Tenn.
----------------------- How did you become involved in historic preservation?
A successful job interview! Prior to joining HPD, I had no experience in the area of historic preservation, though I did have a great interest. Stories of historic locations have always interested me, and visiting historic properties, especially along the Georgia coast, has long been a favorite pastime. It is exciting, and rewarding, to have a career that allows me to, in some way, help preserve these sites, so future generations may enjoy and understand them.
- What do you do on a typical day?
Like most people in the office, my days can vary. But generally speaking, I spend time on the computer managing HPD's social media accounts, preparing and distributing information to the press, coordinating with the media, and keeping everyone up-to-date on what is happening in the world of historic preservation. Every so often, I may get the opportunity to visit one of our Division's Centennial Farms, or tag along on a field visit with HPD archaeologists.
- What do you like to do outside of the office?
I love to just get outside! I enjoy visiting Georgia's State Parks and Historic Sites, local downtowns and back roads. I enjoy travelling, if the opportunity presents itself, participating in outdoor recreation biking, hiking, kayaking and playing various sports. I'm a bit of a movie fan, and will also partake in a video game or two.
Division Director Dr. David Crass will resume his regular column next month.
Recent News & Announcements
Input Still Needed For 5-Year Statewide Preservation Plan We've started work on Georgia's next 5-year State Historic Preservation Plan. One of the most important aspects of developing a preservation plan is to gather public feedback. We value your input - please take a moment to fill out our short survey.
Hampton becomes Georgia's 91st Certified Local Government (Press Release - August 24)
Ansley Park Historic District Listed in the National Register of Historic Places - (Press Release - August 28)
Upcoming Events
Sept. 18, 2015 - Rosenwald Film Screening - Atlanta Aviva Kempner's "Rosenwald", a film chronicling the story of philanthropist Julius Rosenwald, who helped build more than 5,300 schools for African American children all across the segregated South, will open at Atlanta's Midtown Art Cinema. See Details
Nov. 5, 2015 - Historic Preservation Commission Training - Thomasville Registration is now open! A registration form is available here.
www.georgiashpo.org
Title image: Zoomed shot of the historic train depot in Hampton. Hampton recently became a Georgia Certified Local Government. Read More Copyright 2015 DNR Historic Preservation Division, All rights reserved.
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