STRUCTURES Endangered Extinct Preserved Easements What is a Preservation Easement? What buildings qualify for a Preservation Easement? What are the advantages of a Preservation Easement? How do I learn more? San Francisco Heritage participates in the public forum as an advocate on behalf of the preservation community. When public policy puts the city's cultural resources at risk, or when demolition or unsympathetic alterations threaten a significant building, Heritage will state the case for conservation before the appropriate agency. This may be the Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board, the Planning Commission, the Redevelopment Agency, the Port Commission, the Board of Appeals or the Board of Supervisors. Heritage's efforts have resulted in the retention of historic Western Addition residences, the Federal Reserve Bank Building, the Jessie Street Substation, the Jackson Brewery, the Fallon Building, and the Herbst Theater, amongst other significant structures. Working with city agencies and with developers and property owners, Heritage has helped to achieve the preservation and sensitive adaptive reuse of such architecturally significant building as the Sheraton - Palace Hotel, the former Metropolitan Life Building (Ritz-Carlton Hotel) and the former Southern Pacific Hospital (Mercy Family Terrace). back to top Endangered Structures Our list of endangered structures will be posted soon. back to top Extinct Structures Our list of extinct structures will be posted soon. back to top Preserved Structures-Easement Properties Click on the property to see photograph. (see photo credits) Haas-Lilienthal House, 1886 2007 Franklin Street Peter Schmidt, Architect Nightingale House, 1882 201 Buchanan Street Our first easement, donated in 1974. Gibb-Sanborn Warehouse, 1855 101 Vallejo One of a handful of structures surviving from Gold Rush era; converted to professional offices in 1972. Vollmer House, 1885 1735-37 Webster Architects: S.C. and J.C. Newsom Moved 12 blocks in 1974 - one of eleven buildings moved to save them from demolition. back to top Preservation Easements In 1974, Heritage accepted its first preservation easement: the "Nightingale House" at 201 Buchanan Street. Since that time, Heritage has accepted donations of over 56 permanent preservation easements, creating one of the largest preservation easement programs in the West. What is a Preservation Easement? An easement conveys to a second party a partial interest or right in a property which places restrictions on the owner's use of the property. A preservation easement, in particular, is a legal instrument ensuring th e protection of architecturally and historically significant structures by limiting the future owner's right to demolish the building or to make destructive alterations. The typical preservation easement applies to the publicly visible portions of the exterior of the structure (façades), but may extend to certain interior elements and even to the open space surrounding the building, if Heritage and the donor agree. When Heritage accepts a preservation easement, it receives the legal right to review and approve the design of proposed changes to the portions of the structure covered by the easement. All other rights and obligations of ownership, such as the right to sell or lease the property as well as the responsibility for maintenance, remain vested in the owner. To bind future owners of the property, a preservation easement runs with the title to the property. What buildings qualify for a Preservation Easement? Any structure which contributes to the historical architectural character of San Francisco can potentially be protected by a preservation easement. Donors seeking to take advantage of tax benefits for their gift must ensure that the building is also a "certified historic structure." A building is certified if it is on the National Register of Historic Places or determined by the Secretary of the Interior to be contributing to the historic character of a locally or nationally designated Historic District. The recipient of the donation must be a unit of government or a publicly supported charitable organization, whose purpose is historic preservation and which has a demonstrated ability to meet ongoing legal responsibilities. Heritage is the only organization in San Francisco with a program to receive, administer, and enforce preservation easements. What are the advantages of a Preservation Easement? The principal benefit of the donation of a preservation easement is the guaranteed permanent protection of historically and architecturally important buildings. However, in addition to the satisfaction of contributing to the preservation of the community's architectural heritage, donors also enjoy substantial Federal and State income tax benefits for qualifying donations by treating the value of the easement as a charitable contribution. For more information on Preservation Easements Contact Bill Beutner at San Francisco Architectural Heritage: 415-441-3000 ext. 10.

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