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Preserve South Dakota manages a facade easement program allowing for the dedication and donation of a building's exterior facade for the purpose of ensuring preservation and protection. Since 1983, Preserve South Dakota has accepted more than a million dollars worth of facade easements. Here's how it works: The owner of an historic building interested in insuring its preservation, while at the same time continuing to retain basic ownership, possession and use of the structure, may donate the "facade" of the building to a non-profit organization, such as Preserve South Dakota. The term "facade" refers to that part of a building that can be seen by a person facing it. The owner in effect relinquishes their right to change the facade of the building without the permission of the holder of the easement. Such a donation allows the building's owner to qualify for tax breaks equal to the appraised value of the easement. In return, Preserve South Dakota agrees to hold the easement and guarantee the preservation of the facade until perpetuity. The easement agreement provides a mechanism whereby a property will be protected indefinitely, no matter who the future owner of the building may be, for as long as the building exists. As easement can also be donated for a special site such as a cemetery, Indian burial mound or archeological site. |
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