Historic Savannah Foundation (HSF) – a leading nonprofit cultural institution dedicated to saving the buildings, places and stories that define Savannah’s past, present and future – honored 2024 HSF Preservation Award winners at a special awards ceremony held at the Charles H. Morris Center in Savannah, Ga. on May 2. In honor of Preservation Month, HSF presented awards to individuals and organizations whose projects and contributions demonstrate the highest level of excellence for preservation in Savannah and Chatham County.               

“Preservation truly has the power to uplift and transform communities,” said Historic Savannah Foundation CEO and President Sue Adler. “We’re thrilled to recognize and celebrate these deserving recipients and to highlight the important work they’ve done to help Savannah preserve its past while preparing for the future. Every year, it’s an incredible honor to celebrate excellence in preservation at the HSF Preservation Awards.”

At the 2024 HSF Preservation Awards ceremony, Historic Savannah Foundation recognized the following projects:

31 Bluff Drive: One of four cottages built during the late 19^th century by Isle of Hope resident Alexander Marcus Barbee, this historic home was returned to its original floor plan, with particular attention to historically appropriate details. Austin Hill; Eliseo Martinez; Greenline Architecture; Homeline Architecture 

Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist: While the iconic Cathedral Basilica underwent an extensive interior restoration in 2000, this renovation project focused on Regina Coeli Hall, a new gathering space and chapel on the building’s lower level. Focusing on hand-applied materials and finishes, this project combined classic artisan skills with contemporary restoration technology. Catholic Diocese of Savannah; Sottile & Sottile; West Construction Company; Tharpe Engineering

Taylor and Fletcher Whitfield House, 706 E. Henry Street: An excellent example of side-hall Queen Anne architecture, the c. 1903 Whitfield House was converted to a duplex in the 20^th century before falling into years of neglect. This restoration project used archival evidence to restore the home’s distinctive wraparound porch as well as its original single-family interior floor plan. Jay Shah; Bri Paxton; Ethos Preservation; James Reardon; Fedel Pedraza; Border X Construction 

Arco Lounge and Coastal Eatery, 42 E. Bay Street: Originally constructed in 1859 by local merchant John Stoddard, this building on Factor’s Walk had lost much of its original floorplan during renovations into private residences. For inspiration, this renovation project used other local historic sites to reintroduce this building to public use, adding new vaulted ceilings, a stone bar and restored arched windows. Rhino Hospitality Group; J. Elder Studio; Pantheon ADC; Balfour Beatty 

John Asendorf House, 418 E. Jones Street: Built in 1870, the Asendorf House had lost most of its distinctive Victorian historic detail in a series of previous restorations and through neglect. This project relied on historic documentation to return this Jones Street treasure to its former glory on one of Savannah’s most iconic thoroughfares. Katie and John Fontana; Hallett Construction Company; JAK Homes 

2409 Waters Avenue: Part of the original Chatham Crescent neighborhood, this c. 1930 building has been home to numerous local businesses over the years, including the Black Carousel Lounge. This renovation project involved painstaking restoration and now hosts several local small businesses. Crescent Corner LLC; Ethos Preservation 

Doyle House, 510 E. 32^nd Street: This 1906 structure adjacent to railroad tracks is located in the Thomas Square Streetcar Historic District. The preservation team overcame years of neglect and deferred maintenance, returning this architectural gem to its historic single-family roots. Ken Odermatt, Josh Waters; Waters Building + Design

Scottish Rite Building, 341 Bull Street: This iconic Hyman Witcover-designed building from the early 20^th century served as the original home of the Savannah Masonic Lodge. The current owner, Savannah College of Art and Design, overcome years of neglect and extensive water damage to return this legendary Savannah building to its former glory while enhancing pedestrian safety in an area with high foot traffic. Savannah College of Art and Design; Landmark Preservation LLC; GEL Engineering

In addition, the Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Jeff Walker for his dedication and expertise as the Lead Project Manager at Brooks Construction. Walker managed the restoration of Historic Savannah Foundation’s Historic Kennedy Pharmacy, the construction of HSF’s Murray C. Perlman & Wayne C. Spear Preservation Center, the creation of the Davenport House Museum’s Urban Enslaved Exhibit and the interior restoration of the HSF headquarters in the Sheftall House at the corner of York Street and Habersham Street.

2024 HSF Preservation Award nominations were judged by an independent, all-volunteer panel of judges, including Jonathan Stalcup of Architectural Tours of Savannah, Mariel Hamer of Lynch Associates Architects and Caitlin Chamberlain with the Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission.

The judges used the following general criteria to identify award winners:

• Quality and degree of difficulty of the nominee’s project;

• Degree to which the nominee’s project or effort is unusual or pioneering, or serves as an example that influences good preservation practices; and

• Demonstrable or measurable impact of the nominee’s project on the community.

Lead HSF Preservation Award sponsors include Galvan Foundation, Queensborough National Bank and Trust Company, Landmark Preservation and Felder & Associates Architecture and Design. Additional support is provided by Brad Baugh, Brooks Construction Group LLC, Evans General Contractors, LS3P, Ogeechee Heating and Air, Symphona Technology and United Community Bank.