Get ready for more company, Savannah.
PastForward, the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s annual conference, is expected to bring more than 2,000 historic preservationists, architects, city planners, developers, and public and private-sector professionals to the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center and the Westin Savannah Harbor Resort Tuesday through Friday.
Visit Savannah has worked hand-in-hand with the Historic Savannah Foundation and the Savannah College of Art and Design to bring the convention – held here in 1968 and again in 1998 – back to Savannah.
“Savannah and Chatham County are really gearing up to have the National Trust back in our community,” said Joseph Marinelli, president of Visit Savannah. “This conference brings the finest preservation specialists from around the globe to see this special jewel that we call home.”
Susan West Montgomery, whose job as the National Trust’s senior director of preservation resources includes planning and executing the annual conference, said her group can’t wait to get back to Savannah.
“For historic preservationists, Savannah is a great place to visit,” Montgomery said. “It’s a city that has modeled good behavior, taking a thoughtful, strategic approach to preservation while at the same time accommodating their huge tourism industry.
“It’s always good to go to places that are getting it right, and Savannah does that – from its protection and revitalization of its historic treasures to pioneering a revolving fund to provide gap financing for restoration projects.”
The four-day conference is packed with events, including educational learning labs, day-long preservation leadership training intensives and field studies that take attendees into the community – from Ossabaw Island to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Auldbrass Plantation in Yemassee, S.C., to the tabby ruins in Beaufort – to see preservation projects first-hand.
New this year are the
TrustLive presentations, which will bring new voices and ideas together to focus on the intersections between historic preservation and larger issues, including climate change, entrepreneurship, evolving technology and engaging new audiences.
TrustLive will be live-streamed and virtually attended by people from across the nation and around the world, Montgomery said.
Getting the public involved
The Preservation Studio, which is open to the public, will feature live demonstrations, films and exhibits showcasing the latest products, services, resources and information in preservation.
“Every conference has its exhibit component, but we’re taking the exhibit hall to the next level with lots of interactive, hands-on opportunities for attendees and the public,” she said.
There will also be the standard networking sessions, dinners, luncheons, receptions and board meetings.
Other events open to the public include the Thursday evening awards ceremony at the Lucas Theatre for the Arts and a tourism summit that wraps up the conference Friday afternoon.
“The Richard Driehaus National Preservation Awards ceremony from 6:30 to 7:30 at the Lucas showcases 2014’s preservation stars – the organizations, projects and people exemplifying the best that preservation has to offer,” Montgomery said.
The tourism summit on Friday afternoon has its roots in 1995, when the Historic Annapolis Foundation brought together a group of civic leaders representing some of the most “heavily-touristed” historic districts in the nation. Those were cities where the influx of visitors brought welcome economic energy, but the sheer number of visitors often posed substantial challenges to the historic fabric of the city and the quality of life for its residents.
The findings and recommendations of that session were published in 1995 and shared more broadly during the 1998 National Preservation Conference in Savannah. Two decades later the city of Savannah, Visit Savannah, the Downtown Neighborhood Association, Historic Savannah Foundation and the National Trust for Historic Preservation will reconvene this group to consider whether those initial findings and recommendation remain relevant and how contemporary issues can be addressed.
The program, which is free and open to the public, will include the finding of a recent survey, a panel discussion and Q & A.
Also on Friday, Historic Savannah Foundation will host its Candlelight Homes Tour, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
“This tour of private residences in the Columbia, Warren and Washington Wards will feature the impacts of good infill, rehabilitation and collaborative planning,” said Daniel Carey, president and CEO of Historic Savannah Foundation.
“By viewing these historic homes, both local residents and visitors will gain a new knowledge and a deeper appreciation for Savannah’s preservation movement and our unique city.”
Cost of the tour is $45. For more information, go to http://www.myhsf.org/special-events/candlelight-home-tour/.
Economic impact
In the world of historic preservation, Savannah is more than just a conference site, Montgomery said.
“Historic preservation is a place-based activity, and we consider the conference an extension of our commitment to saving and stewarding places,” she said. “In this regard, we are committed to making an investment in the local economy in several ways.”
The conference brings dollars to the local economy in the form of lodging, food and beverage receipts, Montgomery said.
The 2,000-plus attendees will represent more than 4,500 room nights, generating revenue of more than $100,000 at the conference hotel — in this case, the Westin — alone.
“We use local vendors and services whenever possible, including transportation services totaling more than $50,000, decorator and support services of $10,000, as well as local photographers, and other production staff as needed,” she said.
ON THE WEB
National Trust for Historic Preservation - www.preservationnation.org/
The conference – www.pastforward2014.com/