Adams could not be reached for comment, though he has expressed displeasure with some of the board's decisions in the past. If we do our job right, they should be people who are knowledgable about preservation, knowledgable about historic structures and have the technical expertise together with citizen input. This beautiful district has survived for 350 years, and you don't want to unwittingly destroy it. But Shay said more members with business or hospitality industry backgrounds are needed. The board is full of preservationists and academics, he said, who are often condescending and give developers conflicting feedback.
New plans cost thousands of dollars, and the delays can sometimes ruin developments.
I'm not afraid to go before the review board, but I don't sleep much the night before I go before it. Beth Reiter, the city's preservation officer, said decisions are made for good reason. The Historic District is facing unprecedented pressures. Without vigilance, the face of Savannah could be scarred, its National Landmark District status stripped. The point of the review board is to protect the historical, cultural and heritage of Savannah, not to tear it down.