Preservation Easements
Protect your historic property with a preservation easement
When considering a sale or transfer of your historic property, you may worry about the property’s future. A historic preservation easement can protect your historic building and unique place.
Preservation Easement Basics
A preservation easement is a binding legal agreement that protects selected historic and architectural qualities of a property, ensuring they will not be destroyed or inappropriately altered. In a preservation easement, the owner voluntarily grants the responsibility to protect the historic property to Preserve Rhode Island. The owner retains all the usual rights to the property and can sell it or will it to whomever they wish.
A preservation easement with PRI provides protection in perpetuity, ensuring that subsequent owners follow its terms. No two preservation easements are the same: they are individually crafted for the specific protected property and based on the owner’s wishes.
Benefits of having a preservation easement on your property:
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Peace of mind knowing the property will remain intact
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Direct access to professional historic building and design expertise
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Facilitates estate planning
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May reduce property tax
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May qualify for federal income tax deduction
“When our local historic society was struggling to find solutions for the old Jail, Preserve RI consulted and educated us. We ultimately decided a preservation easement (held by Preserve RI) coupled with a private sale was the right decision for us.”
- Jen Suellentrop, East Greenwich Historic Preservation Society
“The easement has made sure that each of our hopes and projects for the house are thoroughly thought through."
- Carly McEnery, current owner of the Valentine Whitman House
Learn More
Read our introductory brochure (above) and schedule a site visit with Preserve Rhode Island by contacting our Director of Preservation, Paul Trudeau, at (401) 272-5101 ext. 206.
Easement Property Portfolio
Click on the images below to learn more.