June 7, 2024
We Savannahians are witnessing a sustained degradation of the very qualities that make our Downtown Historic District unique and a national treasure. Ever more inappropriate development is proposed every few weeks. We at the Oglethorpe Plan Coalition, Inc. are dedicated to addressing these threats and protecting the Downtown Savannah National Historic District. (Image from Baedeker’s United States, 4th Edition, 1909. Private Collection.)
In This Issue:
Updated Perspectives on the Savannah Civic Center Development Project
Street Talk
HDBR Rejects Inappropriate Addition to 201 West Jones Street
17 East Perry To Be Restored
City Council Rejects Zoning Change at SE Corner of E Broad and Gwinnett
E Bro Project Begins Outreach
Monthly Oglethorpe Plan Coalition (OPC) Volunteers Meeting
Invite Us to Your Event for a Discussion of Hot Topics in the District
Updated Perspectives on the Savannah Civic Center Development Project
In our last newsletter dated May 4, (available on this site), we set forth the OPC's view on the optimal plan for the development of the Civic Center site, recommending a full restoration of the Oglethorpe Plan across the entire site.
For those who agree with this position, you can make your voice heard by signing the petition at https://chng.it/YFDdKK2h4J, now at almost 300 signatures.
The City, which plans to make a decision by resolution June 27, has updated its 3-options for the development of the site here:
The first option is to restore the arena and the Johnny Mercer Theatre (JMT). The second is to demolish both. In the second proposed option, the City has incorporated our recommendation (in the May 14 petition cited above) to build a new theatre. The third option is to demolish the arena and restore the JMT.
Three issues have emerged from the ongoing discussions and presentations concerning the development of the Civic Center site:
The City's cost analysis of the alternatives is incomplete and overstates the cost of Option 2, demolishing the entire site and building a new theatre (on nearby city-owned property).
Unlike Option 2, Option 3 would cause permanent harm to the Oglethorpe Plan.
Option 3 will have a limited shelf life, necessitating a future capital spend to develop a new theater, making Option 2 the most cost effective option.
Cost Analysis:
In comparing the cost of maintaining the JMT in its current spot (Option 3) versus building a new theater (Option 2), the City overstates the cost of the new theatre at $210 to $230 million. By comparison, the Gaillard in Charleston, SC purportedly cost in the range of $140 million. The City also understates the cost of renovation. The renovation of the Geffen Theatre in New York cost approximately $550 million. Most real estate professionals will state that it is cheaper to build new than to renovate. We believe the cost of option two, after subtracting $80 million for the land sales, is closer to a net $60 million. An additional 40 million dollars income is projected by the city in the form of tax revenue over the next 40 years if JMT removed and land freed for private development.
Additionally, no provision has been made in the calculation of the cost of maintaining the JMT in its current location for the parking required to support the theater. Like the JMT itself, any municipal parking (whether lot or garage) occupies valuable real estate, and the loss of such revenue should be included in any cost comparison.
Permanent Harm:
Option three includes the possibility of building a new 120,000 sq. ft. municipal office building to hide the north façade of the JMT. To do so, the City would build on the public green space along Oglethorpe Avenue.
This option not only removes the legitimate tithing lot from private sale and future tax revenue, but also bulldozes the magnificent line of live oaks that form an essential gateway link into the historic district.
This proposed office building is intended to be a permanent structure thereby doing irrevocable damage to Oglethorpe Avenue. It drastically expands the stretch encroachment of new oversized buildings that dominate the Oglethorpe Avenue entrance to the Historic District.
Limited Shelf Life:
The option to keep the JMT overlooks the limited “shelf life” inherent in the renovation of the JMT. The City's consultant admits that the exterior shell of the JMT will not last more than 50 years regardless of the extent and cost of interior renovation. Therefore, at some foreseeable point in the future, the City will be forced to demolish the JMT and build a new theater. While “up to 50 years” may seem a long time, the present value of the then cost of a new build theater will still be a very large number and a significant additional cost that must be factored into the decision being made now.
One way to evaluate this additional cost is to calculate the present value cost of building a new theater in 40-50 years, assuming that theater would cost about $150 million in current dollars and that the interest rate differential between inflation and money market interest rates is 3% per annum. That present value calculation results in approximately $40 to $46 million of additional cost. This means that the lifetime cost of Option 2 ($60 million) is substantially lower than the cost of Option 3 ($130 -$166 million) and is also much lower that Option 1 when the present value of eventually replacing both the arena and theatre is taken into account.
Since the cost estimates for Option 3 are likely higher and much less certain than Option 2, and since Option 2 represents less disruption to city and community life, Option 2 is clearly the prudent choice.
Given that a new theater will eventually be required, it seems wasteful not to address that issue today and build a new theater designed to endure for a century or more.
Street Talk
In addition to large projects, the OPC also monitors changes to individual structures in the Historic District and its perimeter. Below is a recap of some notable items:
HDBR Rejects Inappropriate Addition to 201 West Jones Street.
On March 13, 2024, the Historic District review Board (HDBR) reviewed a proposal for a new addition to the rear of 201 West Jones Street at Barnard Street. The three-story addition obscured approximately a third of the building visible from the street, involved the destruction of original features of the building, and overwhelmed the original structure. Interestingly, the building was featured in the 2018 Report by the National Park Service as an example of the historic pattern of townhouse-garden-carriage house that should be preserved.
The HDBR rejected the application. Two months later, on May 8, the applicant presented a modified version of the addition, not addressing all of the concerns of the HDBR. The OPC, which had spoken against the original proposal, spoke against the modified version as well. Surprisingly, the HSF spoke in favor; nonetheless, the HDBR once again rejected the design for much the same sound reasons it had previously.
17 East Perry Proposed To Be Restored.
As reported in a prior newsletter, the OPC spoke against a proposal to alter the facade of 17 East Perry, a fine 1850s dwelling in a transitional Greek revival/Italianate style. In particular the OPC objected to a proposal to remove portions of the original cast iron balcony railings that remained as window guards on the ground floor windows. In its presentation, the OPC also provided images of comparable homes with their second story balconies intact.
The HDBR agreed with the OPC and rejected the application, and in response the owner took a new approach, opting to restore the building to its original look and adding back the missing portions of the cast iron balcony. The OPC applauds this effort.
City Council Rejects Zoning Change at SE Corner of E Broad and Gwinnett
After months of a successful campaigning by neighborhood activists, on May 9th, City Council denied Foram Group’s rezoning application at the SE-corner of Gwinnett and East Broad. The zoning change was to create a Small Planned Development to erect a massive four-story apartment building of approximately 185 units and one commercial space atop underground parking. Exceeding the size of one of the City's largest buildings, the Juliette Gordon Low Federal Building, by 19,000 sq. ft., the single building would have required the sale of one parcel and 600 E Gwinnett Lane owned by City of Savannah. Six historic buildings that contribute to the Eastside Historic District (EHD) would have been demolished. EHD has no local historic district protections since being established nationally in 2002. Bethel AME Church (1876) sat on this site until its demolition in 2021.
MPC’s Planning Commission voted 12-to-1, November 7, 2023, to deny the rezoning. Afterwards, the City Manager and Staff worked with the applicant on a new design. City Council, on March 28, 2024, unanimously remanded the changes back to Planning Commission for review. In late April, the Planning Commission approved the project subject to 13 conditions and modifications. The applicant appeared willing to comply with all but one of the recommendations, which was a reduction in density. The project was not seen as economically feasible otherwise. City Council reversed the decision of the Planning Commission, noting the complexity of the conditions.
The surrounding neighbors organized and spoke-out at every opportunity over the 15 months since the project became public. Additional information on the project can be found on Forsyth Park Community Alliance’s website. [https://fpcasavannah.com/e-broad-%26-e-gwinnett-proj]
E Bro Project Begins Outreach
On May 15, members of the OPC presented a new initiative entitled the E Bro Project at a privately hosted event, which focuses on the optimal way to develop East Broughton Street from Lincoln to East Broad. This stretch of Broughton is very different from the western end of the street and is characterized by small historic structures and boutique businesses. With the proposed sale of the Acura Car Dealership building at the corner of Habersham Street, development of this area is imminent.
At the meeting, stakeholders from Warren and Washington Wards met to discuss this new approach. The stakeholders in this project include residents, property owners, businesses, preservation groups, other community groups, developers and the city.
The scope of the project includes everything from the choice of sidewalk and streetlight design to the shape and scale of new structures to be built on empty lots. If you would like to volunteer time to the E Bro Project, please reach out to us at opc.preservation@gmail.com.
While this project is focused on East Broughton Street, it is about more than Broughton Street. The project also acts as a pilot for neighborhood stakeholders to determine the nature of future development in their neighborhood. It is meant to create a new paradigm. The current process of being passive, waiting for the City or developer to present a plan and then react to it, always puts us on the defensive. We need to change the paradigm.
Monthly Oglethorpe Plan Coalition (OPC) Volunteers Meeting
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 Sunday, July 7, at 7PM. Please contact us at the above email with your contact information if you are interested in attending. Capacity is limited.
Invite Us to Your Event for a Discussion of Hot Topics in the District
The OPC would be glad to attend your event, be it a neighborhood association or other community group, to share our concerns and hear your views about the state of the historic district. Please reach out to us at opc.preservation@gmail.com.