PEOPLE
MAKING HIS MARK ON TOWN DESIGN BY KIM KACHMANN PHOTO BY ROB KAUFMAN
"I'm
a competitive person,” Jake Gartner said. “I try to be the best I can be, whether it’s family life, being a builder, coach or the chairman of a board — I want to be the best they’ve ever had. Excellence drives me in my personal life and my professional life.” Gartner is putting that drive and passion for excellence to work for his community as chairman of the Town of Hilton Head Island’s Design Review Board. Aside from his work on the board, Gartner owns Hammerhead Builders, winner of several LightHouse Awards and “Builder of the Year” as voted by Hilton Head Monthly readers. His wife, Kim, teaches science at Hilton Head Island Middle School. They have two active kids: 14-year-old Haleigh, who loves acting, singing and volleyball; and 12-year-old Payce, who loves sports, especially soccer and baseball. Last year, Gartner coached the Hilton Head Hurricanes, the town’s travel baseball team. His goal as chairman of the Design Review Board is to protect the unique character of the island. “I get stressed out if I’m not doing a really good job,” Garner said. “I try to stay true to the design guidelines for buildings and landscaping like Shelter Cove, Sea Turtle Marketplace and what you’re going to see at Coligny. There’s a human element on the path to building large shopping areas, but there’s a dictum: follow the town design guidelines. The DRB looks at everything from the roof to the façade and the landscape to make sure the building project is in keeping with island character as defined in the Town of Hilton Head Island Design Guide.”
MAKING THEIR MARK
Each month, this column profiles Lowcountry citizens who offer fresh insights, renewed hope and a deeper sense of connection to our community. 50 hiltonheadmonthly.com
JAKE GARTNER Gartner’s board involvement grew out of his association with HHI 25, a group of individuals under the age of 40 running successful businesses on the island. Lee Edwards, former town councilman and president and CEO of The Greenery, created the group to get a younger perspective on town matters. “The town’s important to me because my kids will grow up here and my business will be here forever,” Gartner said. “I have a love for the town and a responsibility to it.”
The board reviews every new building project along the island’s main roads — William Hilton Parkway, Pope Avenue, Palmetto Bay Road, etc. — the beachfront and the resort zoning district. This includes deep into Sea Pines, where the board reviewed and approved the redesign of the Sea Pines Resort clubhouse and beach club. “We check everything from the soffit and fascia to how many and what size magnolia trees are needed. We look at benches, trash cans, walkways, and