November 14, 2025
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:
Survey Time: Please Respond to Three Important Surveys Below
Street Talk: Concerning Results from November 12, 2025, HDBR
Survey Time: Please Respond to Three Important Surveys Below
Public Art: The City has launched a new public art project that will potentially alter the historic nature of the downtown.
For months, residents of the downtown have implored the City not to place mod 21st century-style “art” on our historic streets and in our beautiful squares. Despite the views of the residents, the City is insisting on pushing this initiative forward. Here’s an example of what they recommend:
The city has issued an online questionnaire. It is full of leading questions, but it does have a comment section, in which we suggest that you ask for the City to refrain from imposing any new art in the Downtown Historic District. There is no “none of the above” option to the first question, and unless you select a suggested location for public art about which you are “excited,” it will not accept the rest of your answers. We recommend “walking trails” as the least intrusive.
Here is the survey: https://www.savannahpublicart.com/view-the-plan
Forsyth Park: The City is asking for feedback on an inappropriate modern seating arrangement in the park. The northern section of the park is the original Forsyth Park, centered around the fountain. The larger southern section is the Forsyth Park extension, historically used as a parade ground with military monuments. The imposition of a 21st century design in a historic 19th-century park is inappropriate. It also disregards the importance of green space as a feature of the military marching grounds. Here’s a detail of the proposal:
We recommend that this part of the park be restored to open green space. If you agree, please say so in the online survey here:
https://www.savannahga.gov/4270/Forsyth-Park-Gathering-Space
Civic Center: The city is also asking for feedback on the future use of the restored Oglethorpe plan area that will result from the demolition of the arena and parking lot. You need to respond by Friday, November 21, 2025.
We recommend that the City follow the uses traditionally associated with the plan: institutional buildings on the trust lots, including a reconstruction of the long-lost Bulloch Habersham House as a civic building, and townhouse/garden/carriage house combinations on the tithing lots.
Please take the survey and if you agree, please feel free to use all or part of our recommendations in the comments section: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XCSHV6H
To support the reconstruction of the Bulloch Habersham House, please see our petition on change .org: Reconstruct the Historic Bulloch-Habersham House in Savannah, Georgia
Street Talk: Concerning Results from November 12, 2025, HDBR
Overscale addition to 118 West Harris StreetApproved by the HDBR
On Wednesday November 12, the Historic District Review Board approved an inappropriate overscale addition that features a two-story spite wall and party deck reducing the sunlight and violating the privacy of the adjacent lot. With its newly added rear elevator tower, this addition destroys the twin nature of these historic homes. Even worse, this proposal sets a terrible precedent others will surely follow and flies in the face of the requirement for context-sensitive design.
Thanks you to all of you who sent in letters of opposition. The vote was 4 to 3, with the chair, as is typical, voting against the residents’ desire to protect the district.
HDBR To Encourage Building That Will Block Berrien Street and Prevent Restoration of the Oglethorpe Plan
The owner of the lot at the 400 block West Montgomery, which lies on top of the former Berrien Street, intends to build a building on the lot. The owner claimed that the City had not given them sufficient direction as to how to deal with the requirement under Ordinance Section 7.8.10(a) to restore the street. However, in their presentation, they showed a letter they had received from the City. The HDBR had apparently not read the letter in advance, and members of the audience (at risk of being removed from the room) called out that the letter, posted on the monitor, showed that the City required the establishment of a public right of way in the former street location.
Here's a snip from the City’s letter:
The HDBR reluctantly enforced Section 7.8.10(a) but then immediately encouraged the owner to find a way around the statutory requirement by either getting a variance or special exception. While the HDBR bylaws require it to act in the best interest of preserving our historic resources, some members of the current HDBR act as if their role is to help owners get around the Ordinance. The HDBR continued the hearing until early 2026.
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. Our next meeting is planned for December 7, 2025. Please contact us at the above email with your contact information if you are interested in attending. Capacity is limited.