June 18, 2025

Written By James Hundsrucker

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.

In This Issue:

  • Street Talk

    • Appeal Filed in Opposition of Proposed Six-Story Behemoth on Oglethorpe Avenue

    • Junior League Proposes Metal Arched Gate to Nowhere in Oglethorpe Square

    • Darth Vader Carriage House Postponed

    Monthly Oglethorpe Plan Coalition (OPC) Volunteers Meeting

Street Talk:

 

Appeal Filed in Opposition of Proposed Six-Story Behemoth on Oglethorpe Avenue

On May 14, 2025, the Historic District Board of Review approved a new six-story building (plus mechanical floor) on Oglethorpe Avenue, adjacent to the Ballastone Inn and steps away from the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace and the 1700s Lachlan McIntosh House. This building was approved despite the fact that there are no six-story contributing buildings in the neighborhood, and 95% are four stories or less, making the six-story behemoth a true anomaly. Below is an image of one of the buildings owned by the Ballastone, with the proposal at the right.

In approving the proposal, the HDBR failed to fully apply the Design Standards, which are provisions in the Ordinance whose intent is to protect the nearby contributing structures. In fact, one board member stated that his philosophy was that it wasn’t possible for a new building to “pay homage” to historic resources and that only people who didn’t “love” Savannah would reject the proposal. One has to wonder why individuals who openly refuse to apply the Ordinance are permitted to be members of the HDBR, whose sole and important duty it is to apply the standards and protect the district.

The HDBR also failed to acknowledge the many small contributing buildings nearby, with which this proposal is visually incompatible.

An appeal of the decision has been filed with the City of Savannah Zoning Board of Appeals and is tentatively scheduled for July 24, 2025.

Junior League Proposes Metal Arched Gate to Nowhere in Oglethorpe Square

On July 10, 2025 at 4:00 PM at 112 East State Street, the Historic Site and Monument Commission will review a proposal for a monument to the Junior League in Oglethorpe Square, the site of the historic Owens-Thomas House. Many neighbors are not happy with the proposal. It is an arched gate nearly 13 feet high composed of ornamental metalwork supposedly “reminiscent” of cast iron.

Unfortunately, the quality of the craftsmanship is not in fact reminiscent of the squares’ beautiful examples of cast iron, such as the side portico of the Owens-Thomas House and the railings of nearby Greek Revival houses. Rather, the proposed metalwork is more reminiscent of garden railings from a home improvement chain store. To place such a mediocre assemblage amongst actual high-quality cast iron is disrespectful to the historic integrity of the District’s cultural resources.

In addition, the gate’s depiction of figures draws from kitsch commercial art. While tastes in art may differ, this hardly qualifies as fine art worthy of the Historic District. And because tastes do differ, the residents of the downtown, who invest millions in maintaining their historic homes, should not be burdened with unwanted “art” that denigrates the beauty of what they are trying to preserve.

We hope the Junior League will relocate this structure outside the Historic District.

The OPC has reached out directly to the Junior League, but a call has not yet taken place.

The agenda for the public hearing on July 10, 2025, is here: https://www.thempc.org/eagenda/x/smc/2025/july-10-2025-savannah-chatham-county-historic-site-monument-commission-meeting/6124_37980.pdf

 

Darth Vader Carriage House Postponed

As reported in our June 6, 2025 Preservation Alert, the proposal for a dreary, dark and ominous structure at 219 East York Lane, initially scheduled for Wednesday, June 11, 2025, has been continued to a future date to be announced.

This proposal is visually incompatible with the contributing buildings near it in every way imaginable. While most carriage houses have a horizontal expression, this three-story 15-foot-wide proposal has a vertical expression. Its fenestration and materials are not visually compatible with the nearby contributing structures. Moreover, the cantilever on its west façade is not a building form found on any contributing structure in the area and encroaches on the space typically used for a garden party wall. This proposal more closely resembles Savannah’s stacked shipping containers at the port than anything in the National Historic Landmark District.

We also note that the insurance maps indicate that this property never had a carriage house.

Hopefully, the property owners will return with a better design. We will keep you posted as this proposal develops.

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, April 6, at 7PM. Please contact us at the above email with your contact information if you are interested in attending. Capacity is limited.

 
 
James Hundsrucker
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March 4, 2025