James Rolf is a New Orleans native and graduate of Jesuit High School. He attended Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana, where he received his B.S. in Business Administration. While living in Natchitoches, he worked to restore homes in the Natchitoches Historic District, the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase.
After graduation, James worked as the facilities manager for a large hotel chain in the Greater New Orleans area. He completed his Masters in Preservation Studies at Tulane University in 2016.
James is the Director of Planning and Preservation for the Recovery School District and the principal of Rolf Preservation Works, LLC. Between these two roles, he has over 15 years of experience in rehabilitating historic structures. During his time as the Director of Planning and Preservation with the Louisiana Recovery School District, James oversaw the renovation of 25 school buildings, leveraging over $85M in historic and new markets tax credits. James brings his extensive experience in complex financial structuring as well as knowledge of historic building materials to every project.
Rolf Preservation Works, LLC (RPW) is a locally-owned historic preservation consulting firm based in Old Gretna, Louisiana. Consultants specialize in historic tax credits, historic district and structures surveys, and preservation consulting from the Gulf South to the West Coast. The firm has experience handling Federal and State Historic Tax Credit applications, National Register of Historic Places & National Historic Landmark nominations, LA Cultural District Creation/Expansions, historic property research, building assessments and documentation, project management, historic district permitting, and grant writing.
James is a fifth-generation Gretna resident and is passionate about investing in and preserving the community in which he lives. James continues to preserve the built environment through his restoration efforts of his residential rental properties as well as clients’ residential, commercial and institutional buildings. Rolf Preservation Works is currently working on a number of tax credit projects throughout the state, as well as finalizing the McDonoghville National Register District nomination.