September 26, 2023
Thank You
We express our extreme gratitude to the large numbers of donors to the OPC. Your generous gifts allow us to cover our minimal administrative expenses and our payment of a portion of the legal fees for litigating preservation causes. To donate further, please visit here.
Volunteers Welcomed
The OPC is a volunteer group, and we want you! Please contact us at opc.preservation@gmail.com if you would like to get involved. We will have a meeting on October 4 at 7 PM. Please contact us at the above email with your contact information if you are interested in attending. Capacity is limited.
Civic Center Update:
Despite the flurry of activity late last spring concerning the future of the Johnny Mercer Theatre and the entire Civic Center, there is not much news to report. The issue appears to be on hold during the election cycle, as most of our elected officials seem not to want to jeopardize their chances by stating what they stand for.
A recent survey of the members of the Downtown Neighborhood Association determined that the general consensus of downtown residents was against refurbishing the theatre. The preference was to fully restore the Oglethorpe Plan. That approach had been recommended in 2018 by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and was approved by the City Council. See the DNA letter to the City. https://www.savannahdna.org/post/civic-center-redevelopment-residents-must-have-a-voice
Subsequent to the approval of the ULI, the City Council announced a different plan involving the restoration of the Johnny Mercer Theatre. The Oglethorpe Plan Coalition has studied the city's proposal and has determined that retention of the theater would:
by its placement prevent the restoration of our internationally acclaimed Oglethorpe Plan, including Elbert Square.
violate existing Historic District ordinances and agreements with the National Park Service that form the foundation of our National Historic Landmark status, already threatened.
require retention of the surrounding surface parking, thus usurping far more of the site than currently admitted.
prevent the taxpayers of Savannah from benefiting from the sale of this valuable land or the increase in the tax base through additional residences.
In considering a remodeling of the theatre undertaken by the City, many residents are skeptical of any project managed by the City, given the vast problems incurred on the Broughton Street project.
Nick Palumbo, the Alderman for the 4th District, seems to be the biggest advocate of retaining the Mercer Theatre, but of course, he does not represent the downtown, which lies in the 2nd District. Such a position, advocating to protect a mid-century modern structure, is strangely in sharp contrast to his September 14, 2023 vote for allowing demolition of two mid-century modern buildings, which the MPC, HPC, HSF and architectural historian Robin Williams advocated to protect as outstanding examples of the architecture of their respective periods.
It would be wonderful for Savannah to gain a fine new theater in the long term, not a "cheap" quick patch job, run by the city, which jeopardizes our existing world class attractions. The potential removal of the I-16 ramp on MLK might provide the land for a new theatre to replace the Mercer. Alternatively, the theater does not need to be downtown at all. Like city offices, it should be easily accessible to all the residents of the city.
The OPC welcomes your views. Please let us know what you would like to see.
Regulating Tithing Block Subdivision - One Year and Still Waiting
Almost a year ago, on September 26, 2022, the National Park Service issued a letter to the Metropolitan Planning Commission regarding the threat to the integrity of the district posed by projects like 336 Barnard Street, a project involving the construction of a McMansion on the rear portion of a subdivided tithing lot. https://www.thesavannahian.com/a-mcmansion-on-every-lane/
A tithing lot is one of the lots to the north and south of a square. Buildings on tithing lots typically front the east-west streets and have subordinate rear buildings on the lane.
In response to the letter, the City gathered a group of stakeholders, including the DNA and the OPC to formulate solutions to the problems created by the subdivision of tithing lots. The recommendations, however, are mired in the opacity of City inactions. As a result, soon a year will have passed without any citywide solution to the problems brought to light by 336 Barnard.
One major concern is that the division of a tithing lot cuts off the front building from access to the lane. The lane is where garbage collection occurs. If subdivision persists, the risk is that the east-west streets become the location for garbage containers. Imagine Jones Street lined with garbage cans!
The stakeholders have recommended that subdivision be permitted only if the front building has an easement for access to the lane.
Demolishing 1880s Buildings in the Victorian District - Does This Sound Right to You?
On September 14, 2023, the City Council, on a motion by Alderman Detric Leggett, voted for a resolution that would effectively allow the demolition of two Victorian-era buildings in the Victorian District. Yes, you read that correctly. These two structures, dating from the 1880s or earlier, although partly covered in a brick veneer and combined into one building, remain largely intact and potentially restorable in our opinion.
The Victorian era buildings are owned by Portfolio Holdings LLC, whose registered agent is Mr. Brad Baugh. Mr. Baugh is also the treasurer of the Victorian Neighborhood Association, which was in favor of allowing Mr. Baugh’s LLC to destroy these two historic structures.
The Mayor and Alderman Nick Palumbo voted in favor of the resolution, effectively permitting demolition. They have received contributions from individuals associated with the property owners/developers and counsel. In the hearing the Mayor refused to disclose those contributions even when asked to by Alderwoman Kesha Gibson-Carter. Neither the Mayor nor Alderman Palumbo recused themselves, and they voted in favor of the interests of their campaign contributors.
Update on Barnard Street Litigation
The litigation regarding 336 Barnard Street is extremely important to the Downtown Historic District. This case will likely determine what rights residents have to appeal anti-preservation decisions of the Historic District Review Board, the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) and City Council. This case will determine whether the provisions in the Ordinance that protect our district are enforceable or are just a meaningless set of rules only used when in a developer’s favor.
In January 2023, the ZBA denied the appeal of the Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for Barnard Street. The OPC, thanks to your generous contributions, is assisting a petition of certiorari to Superior Court, which will likely review the ZBA decision. Superior Court has sanctioned the petition and issued a writ to the ZBA to send up all documents pertaining to the COA proceedings to Superior Court.
The City appears to be doing its utmost to prevent the petition from being heard, challenging the right of the petitioner to file the petition, refusing to send up all the documents requested by the petitioner and trying to prevent the court from seeing images of the proposed building or even the relevant section of the City Zoning Ordinance. We are currently awaiting the Court’s decision on motions filed by the parties on these matters. We will keep you apprised of the outcome.
A Harbor Light Without a Harbor
In the current fanatical effort to ever expand tourism, we are actually destroying the historic monuments people come to see.
At the eastern end of Emmet Park stands the Old Harbor Light. Built in 1858, the Old Harbor Light used to guide ships through fog, storm and the dark of night from the outer harbor into the river channel. It stands among numerous large anchors, a symbol of its maritime significance. One of Savannah’s tourist sites, it has been featured in postcards and etchings by the famous southern artists Elizabeth O’Neill Verner https://www.mutualart.com/Artwork/The-Harbor-Light-Savannah/48BD340788B57D77AF37405040AB92AF
and Christopher Murphy, Jr. https://collections.telfair.org/objects/8428/harbor-light?ctx=80f781a81a10e066112827cf52108640ee20b4cb&idx=0
Now, after years of hotel development, when looking east and northeast from Harbor Light, one can no longer see the harbor. We have replaced the view of the harbor with a multistage parking garage and hotel. All one can see of any water is a snippet of the river looking to the north.
To make matters worse, it appears that this degradation of the monument was planned by the City. When the City designed the building height map in 2019 it deliberately set the height for the buildings around Emmet Park at 3 stories – not 3 stories from the ground, but rather 3 stories above the park itself. For an image from just a few years ago, click here https://www.waymarking.com/gallery/image.aspx?f=1&guid=72b5a002-c834-4d10-9cea-5aa93ad9b15a
Here’s a more recent view, showing construction in the background.