Restoring History: Repair of the Savannah Factors Walk Retaining Walls

Collins Speaker Series

The city of Savannah, Georgia was settled in 1733 on a bluff that overlooked the Savannah River. The city grew as a trading hub and many buildings were erected along River Street. In the mid-1800s, the city constructed what became known as Factors Walk, a series of masonry walls to retain the bluff and create a 3/4-mile-long network of alleys and walkways connecting commercial sites and provided access from the bluff down to the river. Over the past ten years, Collins Engineers, Inc. (Collins) has partnered with the city of Savannah to prepare historically sensitive repair documents and oversee the implementation of these repairs at various locations along Factors Walk. This presentation provides an overview of the history of the wall construction, previous repair efforts, the existing condition of the walls, and Collins’ repair strategies.

Jonathan Sigman is a licensed professional engineer with over 23 years of experience in structural design, inspection, and construction administration for buildings, bridges, and waterfront structures. Jonathan currently serves as the Regional Manager of Collins’ offices in Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia. He has extensive experience with design, assessment, and restoration of structures constructed with steel, concrete, masonry, and timber, and has a passion for restoration of historic structures. Jonathan has taught courses for NHI and previously served as an adjunct professor at Washington University and the University of Missouri-St. Louis.