Gullah Geechee Historic Neighborhoods Community Development Corporation announces future location of new headquarters – Savannah Herald

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (Nov. 5, 2025) – The Town of Hilton Head Island and the Gullah Geechee Historic Neighborhoods Community Development Corporation (CDC) have announced the location of the future CDC headquarters within the building occupied currently by Memory Matters at 117 William Hilton Parkway.

A nonprofit organization providing brain health education and memory care services, Memory Matters announced the sale of its building to the Town of Hilton Head Island in early October. The sale is part of the organization’s long-term strategy to strengthen its mission and expand services on Hilton Head Island for individuals and families impacted by dementia.

“Someone once said that ‘Opportunities don’t happen, you create them,’” said CDC Board Chairman Rev. Louis Johnson. “I would like to congratulate our executive director, Thomas Boxley, the Town Manager, and our Town Council, and all who collaborated on the acquisition of the Memory Matters facility in the Historic Stoney Neighborhood. We look forward to new opportunities for growth and building of community that this strategic investment creates.”

Under the terms of the agreement, the acquisition includes a leaseback period of up to two years, allowing Memory Matters to continue operating at its current location to ensure that all programs and services continue safely and without interruption during the transition. Thanks to a significant gift from an anonymous donor, the organization is actively working to secure a new, permanent facility on the north end of the Island, with the goal of creating a dementia-friendly, accessible space that prioritizes safety, flexibility, and long-term sustainability. Following the leaseback period, the Town and CDC will upfit the building for operations.

“The Town worked closely with the Memory Matters team to help them accomplish their goal of a new space that meets their growth and service needs within the community and help the CDC create a new headquarters within the historic neighborhood community it serves,” said Mayor Alan Perry. “This is a fantastic and tangible next step in the CDC’s mission to sustain our historic neighborhoods and empower our Gullah Geechee community.”

The 0.78-acre property and 7,000 sq. ft. building was purchased for $1.525 million using 50% TIF district (tax increment financing) and 50% CDC funds. The establishment of a CDC headquarters is aligned with the Town Council’s Fiscal Years 2026-2028 Strategic Action Plan Goal #7: Preserve, Protect, and Celebrate Gullah Geechee Culture and Heritage. This effort honors the area’s historic role as a vital economic and cultural hub and demonstrates the ongoing partnership between the Town and the CDC in supporting historic neighborhood preservation.

In 2022, Town Council took a major step towards protecting Hilton Head Island’s historic and culturally sensitive neighborhoods by creating the CDC. Serving the Bay Gall, Big Hill, Chaplin, Gardner, Grassland, Jarvis, Jonesville, Marshland, Mitchelville, Spanish Wells, Squire Pope, and Stoney communities, it was established in response to longstanding challenges such as limited economic opportunity, housing access, and educational resources that threaten the sustainability of these neighborhoods.

The CDC’s mission is to preserve cultural assets and improve quality of life by promoting entrepreneurship, preventing gentrification, supporting housing and infrastructure needs, and expanding financial and business opportunities.

To learn more about the CDC, visit hiltonheadislandsc.gov/gullahgeecheecdc/.

To learn more about and engage with the Gullah Geechee culture on Hilton Head Island, visit experiencegullah.org/.