What If Savannah Had Pioneered Community-Centered Historic Preservation in the 1970s?

The Actual History

Savannah, Georgia—one of America's most architecturally significant cities—has experienced a remarkable transformation from neglected historic gem to premier tourism destination over the past half-century. This evolution, while preserving the city's extraordinary built environment, has created complex challenges related to gentrification, economic inequality, and cultural authenticity.

Savannah's historic preservation journey was shaped by several key phases:

Early Preservation Efforts (1950s-1960s): Savannah's historic district faced significant threats in the mid-20th century as urban renewal programs demolished historic structures in many American cities. The Historic Savannah Foundation, founded in 1955 by seven concerned women, pioneered the use of revolving funds to purchase and resell endangered properties with preservation covenants. This innovative approach saved numerous buildings from demolition but focused primarily on architectural preservation rather than community preservation.
Expansion and Recognition (1970s-1980s): Savannah's preservation movement gained momentum as the historic district received National Historic Landmark status and expanded in size. The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) was founded in 1978 and began acquiring and rehabilitating historic buildings for educational use. Tourism began growing as the city's architectural heritage gained wider recognition.
Tourism Boom and Gentrification (1990s-2000s): The publication of "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" in 1994 and its film adaptation in 1997 dramatically increased Savannah's visibility as a tourism destination. Property values in the historic district rose sharply, accelerating gentrification. Many long-time residents, particularly African Americans who had maintained communities in the Victorian and Streetcar districts, were displaced by rising housing costs and property taxes.
Tourism-Centered Economy (2000s-Present): Tourism became Savannah's dominant economic driver, with over 14 million visitors annually by 2019, generating approximately $3 billion in economic impact. The historic district transformed into a tourism-oriented environment with hotels, vacation rentals, restaurants, and retail catering primarily to visitors rather than residents.

This transformation produced both significant benefits and challenges:

Benefits:

Preservation of one of America's most important urban architectural ensembles
Economic revitalization and job creation in the tourism and hospitality sectors
International recognition and cultural prestige
Improved infrastructure and public spaces in the historic core

Challenges:

Displacement of long-time residents, particularly in historically African American neighborhoods
Conversion of housing to short-term vacation rentals, reducing housing availability for residents
Economic polarization between tourism-related wealth and service worker poverty
Cultural homogenization as authentic local businesses were replaced by tourism-oriented enterprises
Tensions between resident needs and visitor experiences

By 2025, Savannah's historic districts had become among the most expensive real estate markets in Georgia, with median home prices in the historic district exceeding $500,000, far beyond the reach of most local workers. The city's economy had become heavily dependent on tourism, creating vulnerability to external shocks (as demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic). While some community benefit programs had been established, including affordable housing initiatives and local hiring requirements for tourism businesses, these remained relatively small in scale compared to the magnitude of displacement and economic inequality.

The racial and economic geography of the city reflected these changes. The historic district and surrounding neighborhoods had transformed from predominantly Black to predominantly white and affluent, while poverty became increasingly concentrated in peripheral neighborhoods. Cultural heritage sites and narratives important to African American history, while receiving more attention than in earlier decades, remained secondary to the dominant focus on colonial and antebellum architectural heritage in tourism promotion and preservation priorities.

This history raises a compelling counterfactual question: What if Savannah had developed a more inclusive, economically balanced approach to historic preservation from the beginning of its preservation movement? How might the city have developed differently if it had pioneered a model of community-centered preservation that valued residents and diverse cultural heritage alongside architectural treasures?

The Point of Divergence

In this alternate timeline, the divergence occurs in 1972, as Savannah's preservation movement gains momentum following the designation of the historic district as a National Historic Landmark. The catalyst comes when the Historic Savannah Foundation, facing criticism about the displacement effects of its revolving fund program, convenes a community-wide symposium on "The Future of Historic Savannah."

The timing coincides with several factors creating a window of opportunity:

Emerging Preservation Thinking: The historic preservation field nationally was beginning to evolve beyond its initial focus on architectural monuments toward greater consideration of cultural landscapes, vernacular buildings, and living heritage.
Civil Rights Aftermath: In the wake of the civil rights movement, there was growing awareness of racial inequities in urban development and increasing activism around community control of neighborhood change.
Federal Program Availability: New federal programs including Community Development Block Grants (established 1974) and the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Inner-City Ventures Fund were creating potential resources for community-based preservation.
Economic Transition: Savannah's economy was in transition as port automation reduced traditional waterfront employment, creating both challenges and opportunities for new economic development approaches.

The symposium brings together preservation advocates, neighborhood representatives, African American community leaders, economic development officials, and national experts in urban revitalization. After three days of sometimes contentious but productive discussions, participants develop the "Savannah Heritage Compact," a framework with several key components:

Community Heritage Districts: Expansion of preservation focus beyond the Landmark District to include Victorian, Streetcar, and other historically significant neighborhoods, with preservation approaches tailored to each area's specific architectural character and community needs.
Resident Protection Measures: Creation of property tax circuit breakers for long-time residents, housing rehabilitation programs designed to keep existing residents in place, and rent stabilization measures for historic properties.
Economic Inclusion: Development of heritage-based economic opportunities specifically designed to benefit existing residents, including training programs in preservation trades, support for locally-owned businesses, and community ownership of key cultural assets.
Cultural Heritage Expansion: Broadening of preservation focus beyond architectural history to include African American heritage sites, working waterfront preservation, and documentation of intangible cultural heritage including foodways, music, and craft traditions.
Tourism Management: Proactive planning for tourism development that prioritizes resident quality of life, authentic cultural experiences, and broad distribution of economic benefits.

The compact faces significant challenges, particularly regarding implementation authority and funding. Some property owners express concern about potential impacts on property values and development rights. Some preservation purists worry about diluting architectural standards, while some community activists remain skeptical about whether preservation can truly benefit low-income residents.

The breakthrough comes in 1974, when newly-elected Mayor John Rousakis embraces the compact as a centerpiece of his administration's approach to urban revitalization. With strong political leadership and the availability of new federal community development funding, implementation begins with several key initiatives:

Establishment of the Savannah Community Heritage Trust, a community development corporation with a specific focus on preservation-based neighborhood revitalization
Creation of a Preservation Trades Training Program in partnership with Savannah Technical College
Development of the first Community Heritage Plan for the Victorian District, emphasizing both architectural preservation and resident stability
Launch of the Savannah Heritage Business Initiative to support locally-owned businesses in historic buildings

These initial programs demonstrate early success, attracting additional support from national foundations and creating momentum for the broader implementation of the compact's vision. By 1978, when the Savannah College of Art and Design is founded, the community-centered preservation framework is sufficiently established to influence how this new institution approaches its role in the city's development.

Immediate Aftermath

Early Implementation Successes

The first decade of Savannah's community-centered preservation approach produces several significant achievements:

Victorian District Revitalization: The Victorian District, a historically African American neighborhood adjacent to the Landmark District, undergoes gradual rehabilitation without massive displacement. The Community Heritage Trust acquires and rehabilitates approximately 120 properties between 1975 and 1985, maintaining them as affordable housing for existing residents while restoring their architectural features. Private rehabilitation follows, but property tax protections and housing assistance programs help long-time residents remain in place.
Preservation Trades Development: The Preservation Trades Program trains over 300 local residents in specialized skills including woodworking, plasterwork, ironwork, and traditional painting techniques by 1985. These skilled workers form the core of a growing preservation economy, with many starting small contracting businesses that capture a significant portion of rehabilitation work in the expanding historic districts.
Heritage Business Network: The Heritage Business Initiative supports the establishment or expansion of approximately 50 locally-owned businesses in historic buildings by 1985. These include restaurants featuring traditional Lowcountry and Gullah Geechee cuisine, craft galleries, neighborhood-serving retail, and tour companies owned by community residents who present authentic local histories.
Cultural Documentation: The Savannah Cultural Heritage Project, launched in 1976, systematically documents African American history, maritime traditions, and other previously underrepresented aspects of Savannah's heritage. This work leads to the designation of several new landmarks, development of heritage trails beyond the Landmark District, and creation of the Savannah Community History Center in a rehabilitated Victorian-era school building.

Institutional Evolution

The implementation reshapes Savannah's institutional landscape in several important ways:

Historic Savannah Foundation Transformation: The Historic Savannah Foundation evolves from its initial focus on architectural preservation to embrace the broader community heritage approach. Its revolving fund program is modified to include affordability provisions for residential properties and local ownership preferences for commercial buildings.
SCAD Community Integration: When the Savannah College of Art and Design is established in 1978, it enters a community with established expectations about institutional responsibility. The college develops formal community benefit agreements for its building acquisitions, including commitments to local hiring, affordable housing contributions, and public access to facilities. While still expanding significantly, SCAD's growth follows a more collaborative model than might otherwise have occurred.
Tourism Governance: The Savannah Tourism Management Commission is established in 1982, with representation from neighborhood organizations, local businesses, cultural institutions, and the hospitality industry. This body develops policies to balance tourism growth with community needs, including designated resident parking areas, limitations on tour bus routes, and noise ordinances to protect residential quality of life.
Community Development Infrastructure: A network of neighborhood-based community development corporations emerges, each focused on a specific historic area but coordinating through the Savannah Community Heritage Alliance. This infrastructure provides ongoing capacity for implementing the community-centered preservation approach at the neighborhood level.

Economic Impacts

The alternative approach influences Savannah's economic development in several ways:

Tourism Character: Tourism develops more gradually and with a different character than in the actual timeline. Visitors are attracted by authentic community heritage experiences rather than primarily architectural sightseeing or entertainment. Cultural heritage tourism, including African American heritage sites and Gullah Geechee cultural experiences, develops as a significant segment earlier than in the actual timeline.
Preservation Economy: A robust preservation economy emerges, including specialized contractors, materials suppliers, design professionals, and craftspeople. This sector provides quality middle-income jobs accessible to long-time residents through the training programs, creating an economic ladder that doesn't require higher education.
Local Business Vitality: Locally-owned businesses maintain a much stronger presence in the historic districts than in the actual timeline. By 1985, approximately 75% of businesses in the Landmark District are locally owned, compared to about 45% in the actual timeline. These businesses capture a larger share of tourism spending and recirculate more money in the local economy.
Property Value Moderation: While historic district property values increase significantly, the rate of increase is moderated by the focus on resident stability and the early implementation of property tax circuit breakers. Commercial rent stabilization for legacy businesses helps maintain economic diversity rather than allowing only the highest-value uses to survive.

Social and Cultural Dynamics

The implementation reshapes social and cultural patterns in the city:

Neighborhood Stability: Historic neighborhoods maintain greater demographic stability than in the actual timeline. The Victorian District remains approximately 60% African American by 1985, compared to about 30% in the actual timeline. This stability preserves social networks, community institutions, and cultural continuity.
Preservation Constituencies: The preservation movement develops a broader and more diverse constituency than in the actual timeline. Neighborhood associations in working-class and middle-class areas become advocates for appropriate preservation approaches tailored to their communities' needs and resources.
Cultural Expression: Traditional cultural practices including music, foodways, and crafts receive support and recognition as integral elements of Savannah's heritage. The Savannah Folk Festival, established in 1979, showcases these living traditions alongside the city's architectural heritage.
Narrative Expansion: The dominant narrative about Savannah's history and significance expands beyond the colonial and antebellum periods to include African American history, labor history, maritime heritage, and 20th century developments. This more inclusive understanding of the city's heritage is reflected in tours, museums, markers, and educational programs.

Long-term Impact

Urban Development Patterns

By 2025, Savannah's physical development reflects the long-term influence of the community-centered preservation approach:

Preserved Neighborhoods: Historic preservation has extended well beyond the original Landmark District to include the Victorian District, Thomas Square/Streetcar Historic District, Cuyler-Brownville, and other areas. These neighborhoods have maintained their architectural character while accommodating sensitive infill development and adaptive reuse.
Economic Geography: Unlike the actual timeline's sharp division between the affluent historic core and struggling peripheral neighborhoods, economic activity and investment are more evenly distributed across the city. Commercial corridors in historically African American neighborhoods including West Broad Street (now Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard) and Waters Avenue have experienced revitalization while maintaining their cultural character and locally-owned businesses.
Housing Diversity: The historic districts contain a much more diverse housing stock than in the actual timeline, including substantial affordable and moderate-income housing alongside higher-end properties. Approximately 25% of housing units in the Landmark District remain affordable to households earning 80% or less of area median income, compared to less than 5% in the actual timeline.
Institutional Integration: Major institutions including SCAD, Memorial Health, and the Savannah Ports Authority have expanded in ways that complement neighborhood fabric rather than displacing it. Institutional campus plans are developed through collaborative processes with surrounding communities, resulting in more contextual development and shared amenities.
Tourism Infrastructure: Tourism facilities including hotels, restaurants, and attractions are more dispersed throughout the city rather than concentrated in the Landmark District. This distribution reduces pressure on the historic core while spreading economic benefits to more neighborhoods.

Economic Structure

Savannah's economy in 2025 shows significant differences from the actual timeline:

Balanced Tourism: While tourism remains an important economic sector, it constitutes approximately 20% of the local economy rather than the 30%+ share in the actual timeline. This more balanced economic structure provides greater resilience against tourism disruptions, as demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic when Savannah's economy proved more stable than other tourism-dependent cities.
Preservation Economy: The preservation trades sector has developed into a significant economic cluster, with Savannah firms providing specialized services throughout the Southeast and beyond. The Preservation Trades Center, evolved from the original training program, has become a nationally recognized institution providing certification in traditional building skills and sustainable preservation techniques.
Manufacturing Retention: Unlike the actual timeline where manufacturing declined to a minor economic role, Savannah has maintained a significant manufacturing sector, particularly in areas compatible with historic character including furniture making, food processing, and artisanal production. These businesses often occupy rehabilitated industrial buildings in historic areas adjacent to the downtown core.
Creative Industries: A diverse creative sector has developed, building on Savannah's cultural heritage and SCAD's educational programs. This includes film and media production, design services, and craft enterprises. Unlike the actual timeline where much of this activity is SCAD-centered, the alternative Savannah has a broader ecosystem of creative businesses with stronger connections to local communities.
Wealth Distribution: Economic benefits are more widely distributed than in the actual timeline. The median household income in historically African American neighborhoods is approximately 75% of the citywide median, compared to about 55% in the actual timeline. Local business ownership rates among minority residents are significantly higher.

Social and Demographic Patterns

The social fabric of Savannah reflects the different development path:

Racial Geography: While some demographic change has occurred, historic neighborhoods maintain significantly greater racial and economic diversity than in the actual timeline. The Landmark District is approximately 30% African American in 2025, compared to less than 10% in the actual timeline. The Victorian District remains majority Black, though with greater economic diversity.
Displacement Reduction: The combination of property tax protections, affordable housing preservation, rent stabilization, and economic opportunity programs has significantly reduced displacement. Approximately 40% of residents in historic districts have lived in their neighborhoods for 15+ years, compared to about 20% in the actual timeline.
Educational Outcomes: The greater neighborhood stability and economic opportunity have positively affected educational outcomes. High school graduation rates for students from historic neighborhoods are approximately 15 percentage points higher than in the actual timeline, with stronger pathways to both higher education and skilled trades.
Cultural Continuity: Traditional cultural practices have maintained greater vitality than in the actual timeline. Churches, social organizations, and cultural institutions in historic African American neighborhoods have largely remained in place rather than being displaced, providing continuity for community traditions and intergenerational knowledge transfer.
Civic Engagement: The community-based preservation approach has fostered stronger civic infrastructure and engagement. Neighborhood associations, community development corporations, and cultural organizations have developed leadership capacity and political influence that extends beyond preservation issues to broader questions of urban governance.

Tourism and Heritage Experience

The character of Savannah's tourism and heritage presentation differs significantly from the actual timeline:

Authentic Experiences: Tourism marketing and experiences emphasize authentic engagement with Savannah's diverse heritage rather than a romanticized version of the antebellum South. Tours led by community residents present nuanced narratives about the city's complex history, including the realities of slavery, Jim Crow segregation, and labor struggles alongside architectural and cultural achievements.
Distributed Visitation: Tourist visitation is more evenly distributed throughout the city's historic areas rather than concentrated in the Landmark District. Heritage trails, cultural sites, and visitor amenities in the Victorian District, Cuyler-Brownville, and other areas draw visitors beyond the traditional tourist core, reducing congestion while spreading economic benefits.
Living Heritage Focus: Intangible cultural heritage including music, foodways, crafts, and storytelling traditions receive as much emphasis as architectural heritage. The Savannah Living Heritage Center, established in 1995, showcases these traditions through demonstrations, performances, and participatory programs that connect visitors with community practitioners.
Resident-Visitor Balance: Tourism management policies maintain a better balance between resident needs and visitor experiences than in the actual timeline. Residential areas within historic districts have stronger protections against tourism impacts, while commercial areas are designed to serve both residents and visitors rather than becoming tourism monocultures.
Accommodation Mix: The lodging sector includes a diverse mix of accommodation types, with locally-owned bed and breakfasts, historic inns, and boutique hotels maintaining a significant market share alongside larger hotels. Short-term vacation rentals are more tightly regulated than in the actual timeline, with stronger protections for residential housing stock.

Preservation Philosophy and Practice

Savannah's approach has influenced preservation thinking nationally and internationally:

Community Preservation Model: The "Savannah Model" of community-centered preservation has become an influential alternative to both traditional architectural preservation and market-driven heritage tourism development. Preservation organizations and government agencies from throughout the U.S. and internationally study Savannah's approach to balancing architectural conservation, community stability, and economic development.
Equity Integration: Considerations of equity, affordability, and community benefit have become standard elements of preservation planning and implementation in Savannah, rather than afterthoughts or separate initiatives. Preservation impact assessments routinely evaluate potential displacement effects and include mitigation measures when needed.
Technical Innovation: Savannah has become a center for innovation in preservation techniques that make historic rehabilitation more affordable and accessible. The Affordable Preservation Technology Center, established in 2005, develops and disseminates methods for energy-efficient historic rehabilitation, low-cost restoration techniques, and compatible materials that meet preservation standards while remaining within reach of moderate-income property owners.
Climate Adaptation Leadership: Savannah has emerged as a leader in climate adaptation for historic coastal cities. The Historic District Climate Resilience Plan, adopted in 2018, provides a comprehensive approach to flood mitigation, storm protection, and sustainable adaptation that maintains historic integrity while addressing climate threats. This work has become a model for other historic coastal communities facing similar challenges.

National and Global Influence

Savannah's alternative development path has influenced heritage conservation and urban development beyond Georgia:

Preservation Policy Reform: Savannah's experience has informed national policy reforms including the creation of the Historic Preservation Tax Credit Equity Program (2010), which provides enhanced incentives for projects that maintain affordability and support community ownership in historic districts.
International Recognition: Savannah received UNESCO World Heritage status in 2015, with the nomination specifically recognizing not just the city's architectural significance but also its innovative approach to living heritage conservation that maintains community continuity alongside physical preservation.
Professional Practice Evolution: The "Savannah Approach" has influenced professional practice in historic preservation, urban planning, and community development fields. Case studies from Savannah are standard components of professional education in these fields, and the annual Community Preservation Institute hosted by the city attracts practitioners from throughout the world.
Tourism Alternative: Savannah has demonstrated a viable alternative to the mass tourism model that has transformed many historic cities. Its approach emphasizing authenticity, community connection, and distributed benefits has influenced tourism development strategies in cities seeking to avoid overtourism and its negative impacts.

The Counterfactual Present

By 2025, this alternate Savannah faces a different set of challenges and opportunities than the actual city:

Continued Pressures: Despite the success of the community-centered approach, Savannah still faces ongoing pressures from market forces, climate change, and changing economic conditions. The systems and institutions developed over decades provide resilience but require continued vigilance and adaptation.
Model Evolution: The community preservation model continues to evolve to address emerging challenges including climate adaptation, changing housing preferences, and new technologies. The Savannah Community Heritage Alliance is currently developing "Heritage Forward 2050," a long-term vision for the next phase of the city's preservation-based development.
Regional Application: The success of Savannah's approach has created interest in applying similar methods in smaller communities throughout the coastal region, requiring adaptation of the model to different contexts and capacity levels.
Generational Transition: As the generation that pioneered the community-centered approach reaches retirement age, new leadership is emerging from the neighborhoods and programs developed over the past five decades. This transition brings both challenges of continuity and opportunities for fresh perspectives.

In this alternate 2025, Savannah stands as a global exemplar of how historic preservation can serve as a foundation for equitable, sustainable urban development rather than a driver of gentrification and displacement. The city still faces significant challenges, particularly from climate change and broader economic forces, but it confronts them from a position of community strength, institutional capacity, and shared commitment to an inclusive vision of heritage conservation.

Expert Opinions

Dr. Dolores Hayden, Professor Emerita of Architecture and American Studies at Yale University and author of "The Power of Place," observes:

"What's most striking about this counterfactual Savannah is how it challenges our assumptions about the inevitable relationship between historic preservation and gentrification. In the actual timeline, we've often seen a predictable pattern where preservation designations lead to rising property values, which in turn drive displacement of long-time residents, particularly in communities of color. This scenario demonstrates that this pattern is not inevitable but rather the result of specific policy choices and institutional arrangements. The early implementation of resident protection measures alongside physical preservation created a fundamentally different trajectory. Equally important was the expansion of preservation focus beyond architectural monuments to include vernacular buildings, cultural landscapes, and intangible heritage. This broader understanding of what constitutes 'heritage' created space for more diverse communities to see themselves in the preservation movement and benefit from it. The timing was crucial—implementing this approach in the 1970s, before tourism and real estate speculation had transformed the city's economy, allowed for the development of institutions and practices that could manage these forces rather than being overwhelmed by them. This scenario suggests that preservation can be a tool for community empowerment rather than displacement when it is conceptualized and implemented with equity at its center from the beginning."

Vaughnette Goode-Walker, historian and director of the Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum in Savannah, notes:

"This alternate history captures something profound about cultural heritage and community continuity. In the actual Savannah, the preservation of buildings has often come at the expense of preserving the communities and cultural traditions that gave those buildings meaning. African American neighborhoods that maintained vibrant cultural traditions despite segregation and disinvestment found themselves displaced just as their architectural heritage was being 'discovered' and valued by outsiders. This counterfactual scenario suggests a different possibility—one where the people who created and sustained cultural traditions remain present to continue evolving those traditions rather than being replaced by newcomers who appreciate the aesthetic but not the cultural context. The emphasis on intangible heritage alongside architectural preservation is particularly important. Buildings matter, but so do the stories, music, foodways, religious practices, and social traditions that make a community. When these elements remain connected rather than being separated—with buildings preserved but communities scattered—both are enriched. The scenario also recognizes the economic dimension of cultural heritage. By creating pathways for community members to build livelihoods based on their cultural knowledge and skills, this approach creates economic incentives for cultural continuation rather than abandonment. While this scenario may seem idealistic from our current vantage point, it represents not just a technical alternative but a more holistic and humane vision of what preservation could be."

Daniel Carey, former President and CEO of Historic Savannah Foundation, comments:

"This counterfactual scenario highlights something preservation practitioners increasingly recognize: the tools and techniques of historic preservation are powerful instruments that can serve various ends, some more equitable than others. The revolving fund model pioneered by Historic Savannah Foundation in the actual timeline was innovative and effective for architectural preservation, but its market-based approach had unintended consequences for community stability. The modified approach described here—maintaining the basic mechanism but adding affordability provisions and community benefit requirements—represents a path that preservation organizations could have taken with the right awareness and commitment. The scenario also correctly identifies the importance of economic opportunity alongside housing stability. By developing preservation trades training and supporting heritage-based businesses, this approach created economic anchors that helped communities benefit from rather than be displaced by preservation activity. Perhaps most importantly, this scenario recognizes that preservation is ultimately about people as much as places. Buildings matter because they provide the physical framework for human lives and communities. When preservation loses sight of this fundamental purpose and treats buildings as ends in themselves, it risks becoming an elite aesthetic exercise rather than a force for community well-being. While the actual Savannah has made progress toward more inclusive preservation in recent years, this scenario suggests how much further we might have come had we embraced these principles from the beginning of the modern preservation movement."