January 5, 2026
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:
Year In Review: Inappropriate Proposals Put Forth in 2025 Significantly Modified after Pushback from the OPC and Its Supporters
Darth Vader Carriage House Significantly Modified
Oglethorpe Avenue Six-Story Building Less Inappropriate than Originally Designed
Junior League Monument Shelved
Addition to 118 West Harris Drops Tower Feature
Many thanks to you, the supporters of the OPC, for speaking at hearings and sending in letters to oppose proposals that hurt the integrity of the District. The OPC tries to work with architects to ensure that their proposals are consistent with the standards; however, when this is not possible or does not result in significant improvements, your voice is what reminds the Historic District Board of Review (HDBR) to enforce the Ordinance when reviewing these proposals.
This year, your support and our efforts working with architects and applicants resulted in improvements, but many proposals were still not fully appropriate. All in all, however, 2025 was a net positive for preservationists
Darth Vader Carriage House Significantly Modified
After multiple hearings, in November 2025 the HDBR approved a proposal for a carriage house at 219 E. York Lane between Abercorn and Lincoln. The lane has a large collection of mid-nineteenth-century carriage houses. The public and OPC objected to the first iterations of the proposal, seen below, which featured side walls in standing seam metal. The OPC met with the architect and suggested modifications. While there remained room for improvement, the final approved version was substantially better and preserves the integrity of the lane.
BEFORE
AFTER
Oglethorpe Avenue Six-Story Building Less Inappropriate than Originally Designed
In September 2025, the HDBR approved a proposed six-story “maybe-it’s-a-hotel” at 20–24 E. Oglethorpe between Bull and Drayton, just steps from the historic Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace. Throughout a series of hearings, the OPC consistently objected to the proposals’ excessive height and mass. OPC supporters sent scores of letters of opposition.
The OPC also met with the owner and architect in early stages of the proposal. Although there was no willingness on their part to address overall height and mass, they listened to our recommendations for stylistic changes to make the building more compatible with the contributing buildings surrounding it. Among other items, the OPC recommended a higher proportion of masonry to glass and a reduction in the vast expanses of balconies. The OPC also expressed concerns about the elimination of the 1733 tithing lot line through an aggregation of lots.
Although the OPC still objects to the excessive height and mass of the building, we are pleased that in the last iteration of the design, the architects adopted a more classical approach to the design elements, including changes suggested by the OPC. Further, the revised design divided the Oglethorpe Avenue façade into two sections with the division between them marking the location of the 1733 lot line.
BEFORE
AFTER
The issue of height and mass is now the subject of pending litigation initiated by the adjacent property owner.
Junior League Monument Shelved
In the spring of 2025, the Junior League proposed a massive monument on Oglethorpe Square in Anson Ward. The OPC and neighbors objected. Through coaxing and diplomacy, the OPC helped persuade the Junior League to either find a more suitable location or reconsider the project entirely. In response the Junior League did propose a location on Bay Street but appears subsequently to have put the project on hold, possibly permanently.
Addition to 118 West Harris Drops Tower Feature
In November 2025, after several hearings and revised designs, the HDBR approved an addition to 118 West Harris. The OPC and neighbors objected for numerous reasons, highlighting the inappropriateness of eliminating much of the open space between the main building and lane addition. Nonetheless, while the addition was ultimately approved, the objections to the proposal led to the elimination of the initially proposed tower-like structure, which was not compatible with the historic integrity of the lane.
BEFORE
AFTER
The COA for this proposal is being challenged in Superior Court by an adjacent property owner.
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, January 11, 2026, at 3 PM. 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.