
Tillerman LLC is an ethical real estate development, facilities planning and consulting firm focused on conservation, preservation and social equity. We envision regenerative communities and a cyclical economy, recognizing the interdependence of human and natural systems.
DEVELOPMENT
Conservation Development
Inclusive Communities
Community Land Trusts
Urban Agriculture Site Planning
Adaptive Reuse Programming
Rehabilitation Management
Historic Structure Reports
PRESERVATION
PRESERVATION
Adaptive Reuse Programming
Rehabilitation Management
Historic Structure Reports
OPERATIONS
Resilient Facilities Planning
Capital Needs Assessments
Sustainable Operations & Maintenance
Programming & Space Planning
Integrated Design Facilitation
Green Building Systems
Stakeholder & Project Team Engagement
Stakeholder & Project Team Engagement
Programming & Space Planning
Integrated Design Facilitation
Green Building Systems
Founder

Frank Burdette
Founder
It was at Southface that Frank learned to merge the concepts of building science and high-performance building with his knowledge of historic preservation and adaptive reuse. He served as Construction Manager for the development of the Southface Eco Office, Atlanta’s first LEED Platinum building, and recipient of the Urban Land Institute’s Sustainable Development Award in 2010. It was also at Southface that Frank developed the EarthCraft for Sustainable Preservation Program with The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation to address retrofits in historic buildings. Through his passion for reuse, he became the founding Board member of Lifecycle Building Center, an Atlanta nonprofit promoting building material reuse and sustainable building education.
Since launching his project planning and management firm in 2015, Frank has served as the Construction Manager for the implementation of Woodlands Garden of Decatur’s Master Plan, conducted an adaptive reuse feasibility study on four Fort McPherson hospital facilities for multi-family residences and nonprofit offices, created a 10-year plan for sustainable building operations and maintenance at the new Drew Charter School Junior/Senior Academy, and begun working as a program specialist on the Decatur Legacy Project community land trust.
Frank resides in Decatur, with his wife, Jennifer Bates, and their two children. His other interests include social equity for access to healthy homes and locally-grown food. Having served as Board President of the Athens Land Trust, he is actively involved in the expansion of the community land trust model for permanent affordable housing and greenspace conservation. He is currently realizing a long-time vision in developing an intentional transit-oriented agri-centered co-housing conservation community with studio and performance space for artists.