May 4, 2024
Dear Supporters,
Welcome to our newsletter, in which we will keep you up to date on our activities and other preservation news.
In this newsletter, we focus on the City's proposal to redevelop the Savannah Civic center site and refurbish the Johnny Mercer Theatre. The City's proposal stands in opposition to its obligation to fully restore the Oglethorpe Plan across the entirety of the Civic Center site. We offer our main recommendation and explore considerations supporting that recommendation, as well as other concerns about the proposal. (Image: Section of 1939 Cadastral Map, Elbert Ward. Click Image for Source. Courtesy of the City of Savannah Municipal Archives.)
Please sign our Change.org petition.
OPC's Recommendation:
The Oglethorpe Plan Coalition, Inc. recommends demolishing both the Arena and Johnny Mercer Theatre and re-establishing the Oglethorpe Plan across the entire Civic Center site. This includes restoring the streets and Elbert Square, as well as restoring the individual tithing lots and trust lots
Legal Considerations:
The City of Savannah Zoning Ordinance requires the restoration of the Oglethorpe Plan under Section 7.8.10 (a). The City is not exempt from this provision.
The Ordinance's provisions that define allowable street layout and height and mass of infill buildings must be followed.
The Ordinance is the product of years of negotiations and public input.
It also incorporates previous understandings with the National Park Service and protects our National Historic Landmark status.
The Oglethorpe Plan is what makes Savannah unique and a draw to visitors from around the world.
Economic Challenges:
The City is seeking design and planning input before knowing even rough estimates of the cost of various proposals. When all costs are considered, it may be clear that restoring the theatre does not make economic sense.
The City is forgoing substantial revenue if it does not sell the entire site. Tithing lots and trust lots with teardowns have sold for up to $2 and $7 million, respectively. The site has 26 tithing lots and 4 trust lots. Of these, 8 tithing lots and 1 trust lot are at the theatre site. See graphic below.
The 2018 study by the Urban Land Institute, a highly-recognized land use expert, supported the restoration of the Oglethorpe Plan, and this recommendation was initially supported by the city government.
The current proposal to build a large office block and restore the theatre would generate new parking demands and probably force the construction of a large and unsightly parking facility, also at an additional cost to taxpayers.
To the extent that additional municipal offices are needed, they should be located out of the high-priced downtown to areas where both access and parking are easier to manage. One option is to locate new offices adjacent to those on the Westside.
Community Preferences:
It is not clear that the City's proposal reflects the desires of the community in which it is located nor the wishes of the people paying for it.
The majority of downtown residents, including taxpayers who would bear a substantial portion of the cost of the proposal, have not been supportive of it.
The stakeholders from the tax-exempt arts community do not bear the costs, so it is somewhat questionable to claim "public support" for a theatre by citing responses from entities that will not have to pay to refurbish it.
Restoration of the Oglethorpe Plan would benefit both residents and tourists by reuniting the historic district and the historic west side of Savannah.
It would also put the site back on the tax rolls.
Restoration of the Oglethorpe Plan allows multiple uses including mixed-income housing.
Governance Concerns:
The City must maintain full transparency in this process.
“Visioning” sessions must be for open discussion, not enforcing predetermined plans.
Conflicts of interest must be avoided. No consultant used to guide the planning process should be permitted to participate in the execution of any proposals passed by the City.
The City must provide access to the list of all vendors, contractors, consultants and anyone employed by the City to plan or execute this project.
Invite Us to Your Event for a Discussion of Hot Topics in the District
The OPC would be glad to come to 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.
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, June 2, at 7PM. Please contact us at the above email with your contact information if you are interested in attending. Capacity is limited.
January 31, 2024
Dear Supporters,
Welcome to our newsletter, in which we will keep you up to date on our activities and other preservation news.
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:
Victory! New Subdivision Rules Passed Unanimously by City Council
Ominous Signs in New Recombination Proposal in Warren Ward
Another Win (For Now) - Historic Site and Monument Commission Unanimously Nixes "Tacky" SAV Sign in City Market
Civic Center Back on the Front Burner
NHL Status Not Improving - Just in Limbo
New NHL Application Sought by the Department of the Interior
Thank You - Matching Gift Proposal a Success
Monthly Oglethorpe Plan Coalition (OPC) Volunteers Meeting
Invite Us to Your Event for a Discussion of Hot Topics in the District
Victory! New Subdivision Rules Passed Unanimously by City Council
Thanks to the letters from supporters like you, on December 19, 2023, the City Council passed the long-awaited proposal for subdivisions and recombinations of lots in the Downtown Savannah National Historic Landmark District. We thank you for your efforts to help this new rule pass.
This new rule represents a win for all, creating greater transparency and public input into important land use decisions.
For background to why the proposal was generated, on September 26, 2022, the National Park Service, the division of the Department of the Interior that oversees National Historic Landmarks (NHLs), issued a letter to the Chatham County - Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission. The letter cited a proposed building at 336 Barnard St. as the type of project that in aggregate would pose a threat to the integrity of the Savannah Downtown NHL District. The proposed structure was a new building on the rear portion of a subdivided tithing lot. Because of the subdivision, the new building, which abutted the lane, no longer had to comply with the rules in the Ordinance limiting the height and other features of accessory lane structures. in addressing the importance of protecting the lanes, the NPS emphasized that “the discernability of the plan must be retained so residents and visitors are able to identify all the features that compose the Savannah Town Plan ... ”
Recombinations pose their own threats. The combination of lots has allowed the creation of large parcels, thereby creating opportunities for overscale monolithic buildings. In 2018, the NPS had conducted a detailed analysis of the integrity of the NHL District and had concluded that combinations of parcels for large buildings is one of the leading threats to the district. More recently, a recombination was the precursor to the permit for the commercial swimming pool at 3 West Perry St., which sparked a community outcry.
Starting in October 2022, the City established a working group of select stakeholders, including the OPC, who met periodically with the City to address ways to better regulate subdivisions and recombinations. The stakeholders quickly reached a consensus on several steps to take. Unfortunately, some of the recommendations have not yet been put forth to City Council. Nonetheless, the new rule signifies a first step in addressing the issue. This first step would not have occurred without the vigilant efforts of preservationists who identified subdivisions and recombinations as a threat to the Oglethorpe Plan.
Ominous Signs in New Recombination Proposal in Warren Ward
The public has expressed concern about a proposal for a lot recombination for 301 E. Bay Street that encompasses six tithing lots constituting 75% on the northwest tithing block of Warren Ward. Fortunately, the Metropolitan Planning Commission is recommending denial. The OPC likewise has expressed its objection.
The application was originally scheduled for a hearing on January 16, 2024 but was continued. It is tentatively scheduled be heard at the Planning Commission Tuesday February 6, 2024 at 112 East State Street at 1:30 PM. You can confirm date and time in about a week on www.thempc.org.
The subject lots lie in the tithing block bounded by E. Bay Street on the north and E. Bryan Street on the south, Habersham St. to the east and Lincoln Street to the west. Approximately half of the parcels, which are fully built up, are on the north side of E. Bay Lane and the other parcels, now mostly parking lots, are on the south side.
Recombinations are inconsistent with the Oglethorpe Plan's division of tithing blocks into 60 x 90 foot parcels. As stated in the prior article, recombinations are used to build out-of-scale buildings, such as large hotels, that hurt the integrity of the district. The lots appear to all be owned by 301 East Bay Ventures LLC, and the built up lots are the site of Staybridge Suites, suggesting a possible expansion of the hotel.
These parcels are located in Warren Ward. Both Warren and Washington Wards were established in the early 1790s. These wards are unique to Savannah, containing the largest number of eighteenth century dwellings. The neighborhood is residential in character with few large-scale structures.
Creating a combined lot for an overscale building would be a travesty in such an important and historical part of the district. While the status of all the National Historic Landmarks is currently on hold (see article on NHL status below), the NPS's last evaluation of Savannah's NHL in 2018 put it in the threatened category in part because of overscale development. This combination of lots would only make a bad situation worse.
Th OPC is reaching out to the developer to learn more about the plans and hopefully guide the developer towards a proposal that will maintain the district's integrity.
Another Win (For Now) - Historic Site and Monument Commission Unanimously Nixes "Tacky" SAV Sign in City Market
On December 14, 2023, the Historic Site and Monument Commission (HSMC) voted unanimously to deny approval for an inappropriate massive metal sign in City Market. Visit Savannah had proposed a five-by-thirteen-foot aluminum sign in the middle of West St. Julian Street. Visit Savannah is the largest business unit of the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce and calls itself "the official destination marketing organization" for Savannah.
Shockingly, the Metropolitan Planning Commission supported the proposal, appearing to pretend that the SAV sign was not a sign because it is "public art." While it might or might not be art, it is clearly also a sign, and as such, it must comply with the sign rules in the Ordinance. In the hearing, the HMSC asked to see the insurance policy, which turned out to be insurance for a sign, embarrassingly undermining Visit Savannah's assertion it was not a sign.
In the view of the OPC, the sign, made up of three large channel (three-dimensional) letters "SAV," constitutes a "channel sign," which is prohibited under the Ordinance.
The HSMC was unwilling to address the illegality of the sign, but the HSMC did turn it down on the basis that it was inappropriate, and as one member stated, "tacky."
Many members of the public, at the urging of the OPC together with Scenic Chatham, wrote letters against the sign and/or came to the hearing to speak. The public outcry had a significant impact and contributed to the victory. Thank you.
Civic Center Back on the Front Burner
The future of the Civic Center and the Mercer Theatre is again on the front burner. This vast area, bounded by Oglethorpe Avenue on the north, Liberty Street on the south, Barnard Street 0n the east and Montgomery Street on the west was redeveloped in the 60s prior to historic restrictions. Many historic homes were destroyed for the site, and the Oglethorpe Plan's gridwork of streets was destroyed, with Elbert Square cut in half.
This travesty of 1960s Federally financed urban renewal made way for the construction of the Mercer Theatre and a connected arena. Although the theatre began with state-of-the-art acoustics, alterations over time severely compromised the acoustics.
In 2018, the Urban Land Institute recommended the restoration of the Oglethorpe Plan and the removal of the arena and theatre. City Council approved this recommendation. However, the current City Council is considering saving the theatre.
Questions abound. Is the theatre restorable and at what cost? Would a new theatre be more advisable? Should the land opened up by the removal of the I-16 overpass be used for a new building?
The Oglethorpe Plan Coalition recommends the full restoration of the streets and squares. We are engaging with numerous stakeholders to fully explore all the pertinent issues and solutions.
What do you think? Please let us know by emailing opc.preservation@gmail.com.
NHL Status Not Improving - Just in Limbo
Recent news reports have suggested that the Downtown Savannah National Historic Landmark (NHL) District is no longer rated as "threatened" because the City had improved the integrity of the district. The NHL status is assessed by the National Park Service (NPS), a division of the Department of the Interior. Contrary to these reports, the suspension of the endangered assessment is not the result of an improvement in the integrity of the district. Rather, the change results from the NPS placing all NHLs, not just Savannah, into "no category."
As the NPS has recently explained, "The National Park Service is currently evaluating the NHL condition monitoring program nationwide as part of its commitment to providing technical assistance in the form of helpful and constructive feedback to stewards of these nationally significant properties. As the NHL condition monitoring program is undergoing this reassessment, NPS is not currently updating or assigning condition categories to properties. As a result, NPS considers NHLs, including the Savannah NHL District, to be in no category during the program evaluation period."
The integrity of the district continues to deteriorate, with the OPC documenting the deterioration instance by instance. To imply the district's integrity is improving is misleading in our view.
New NHL Application Sought by the Department of the Interior
On December 8, 2023, the National Park Service (NPS), a division of the Department of the Interior, issued a letter to the City of Savannah to begin the process for Savannah to re-apply for recognition as Historic National Landmark (NHL) District. The criteria for NHLs has evolved since the original designation of downtown Savannah as an NHL in 1966, updated in 1985. Savannah needs to reapply and explain how its NHL qualifies under the updated criteria. The NPS also recommends expanding the NHL further south to encompass all of Forsyth Park.
The possible expansion of the NHL raises many questions. The 1966 designation was primarily based on the uniqueness of the Oglethorpe Plan, which arguably only extends southward as far as Gaston Street. The area encompassing Forsyth Park would need to fall under a different criterion.
This development is in its very early stages. Please let us know what you think.
Thank You - Matching Gift Proposal a Success
Late last fall an anonymous donor had agreed to donate $5000 conditioned upon another donor or group of donors contributing that amount. Soon after the announcement of the matching gift proposal, several donors stepped forward and made the fundraiser a success. Thank you.
If you would like to donate to our cause, please visit our GoFundMe page by clicking here.
Donation Acknowledgement Letters
We deeply appreciate all the help our supporters have given. The OPC has made efforts to send to each donor a letter acknowledging the donation. If you did not receive your letter, please let us know at opc.preservation@gmail.com.
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, February 4, 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 enjoy coming to 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.
November 21, 2023
Dear Supporters,
Welcome to our newsletter, in which we will keep you up to date on our activities and other preservation news.
We Savannahians are witnessing a sustained degradation of the very qualities that make our Downtown Historic District unique and a national treasure. Major threats appear every few weeks, challenging the guardians of our treasured downtown. Residents are now forced to reach out to the courts because the system in place to protect the district is failing us. There are now three major lawsuits in the courts addressing preservation issues, including the allegedly unlawful swimming pool proposed at 3 West Perry, the proposed building at 336 Barnard St., and the risk to the Davenport House Endowment, all discussed in this newsletter.
In This Issue:
Regulating the Subdivision Process in the Historic District
Green-Meldrim House Welcomes New Director
Lawsuit Filed to Stop Commercial Swimming Pool at 3 West Perry
Stop Work Order Sought to Halt Construction at 336 Barnard Street
Davenport House Endowment at Risk; Lawsuit Filed
Threat to Factor's Walk Thwarted for Now
Preservation Alert: Stop the SAV Sign - Attend the December 14 Hearing
Thank You and Matching Gift Proposal
Next OPC Volunteers Meeting
Mayor Johnson, DNA Guest Speaker November 28th
Progress on Regulating Subdivisions, Hopefully To Be a Win for All Downtown Residents
After being mired in red tape, a recommendation has been presented to the HDBR Downtown Historic District Board of Review (HDBR) that any proposals to subdivide or recombine lots in the Savannah Downtown Historic District will be required to obtain a certificate of appropriateness. This means that the proposals will be subject to public notice and hearings rather than being consummated behind closed doors. This recommendation is likely to be submitted to City Council in early December. Assuming that the measure is adopted by City Council, it will represent a win for all residents, creating greater transparency into important land use decisions and allowing the public to be heard.
If this requirement for public hearings had been in place, it is likely that the proposed swimming pool at 3 West Perry, discussed below, would not have been approved. The owner of 3 West Perry obtained approval from the Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC) to recombine two lots and obtained a building permit for a private pool. A public hearing likely would have revealed the possibility that this was going to be a commercial swimming pool. Had the public weighed in, it would also have pointed out, among other things, that the covenant in the property deed required approval of Ships of the Sea Museum, which had not been obtained for the project.
As background to why the proposal was generated, on September 26, 2022 the National Park Service issued a letter to the MPC citing the proposed building at 336 Barnard St. as the type of project that in aggregate would pose a threat to the integrity of the Savannah Downtown National Historic Landmark District. The proposed structure was a new building on the rear portion of a subdivided tithing lot. Because of the subdivision, the new building, which abutted the lane, no longer had to comply with the rules in the Ordinance limiting the height and other features of accessory lane structures. The NPS expressed its concern because this type of proposal changes the discernability of the lanes in the Oglethorpe Plan.
Starting in October 2022, the City established a working group of select stakeholders, including the OPC, who met periodically with the City to address ways to prevent such an error from happening again. The stakeholders quickly reached a consensus on several steps to take. Unfortunately, some of the recommendations have been blocked by the City. Nonetheless, the current green-lighted recommendation is important and signifies a first step in addressing the issue. This first step would not have occurred without the vigilant efforts of preservationists who identified subdivisions and recombinations as a threat to the Oglethorpe Plan.
Green Meldrim House Welcomes New Executive Director Jamie Credle and Celebrates Milestones
Last month, the Green-Meldrim House (GMH) appointed the well-respected museum curator Jamie Credle as its new Director. In addition, the GMH celebrates its new status as a 501(c)(3) museum house and the 80th birthday of its purchase by St. John's Church. In 1943, when Ms. Meldrim was in her 90s, she sought a buyer who would preserve the house. When neighboring St. John's Church expressed its interest but needed to raise funds, the Church, with Mrs. Meldrim's assistance, engaged in a broad fundraising effort, with contributions coming from a large number and wide variety of Savannahians. This event in 1943 was the first Savannah-wide effort to save a historic structure from potential demolition.
Lawsuit Filed to Stop Pool at 3 West Perry Street
Over the summer, demolition began on the historic Clermont Lee gardens at 3 West Perry Street. This followed the MPC approval for a recombination of lots and Department of Buildings approval for a private residential pool.
The owner allegedly began advertising the pool for his company's STVR clients, revealing thereby that the pool was likely for commercial, not residential, purposes.
Upon this discovery, outraged neighbors and community leaders including the DNA and OPC, voiced their opposition. In an October 15, 2023 letter, the OPC wrote City Manager Jay Melder and cited the provisions in the Ordinance that justify the City's right to suspend a building permit (which results in a stop work order) if an applicant made misrepresentations in obtaining a permit.
On or about October 17, the City issued such a stop work order. Since that date, neighbors and the Ships of the Sea Museum, whose permission was necessary but not given for the project, have filed a lawsuit which includes a demand for a permanent injunction.
The text of OPC's letter is here.
Stop Work Order Requested to Halt Construction at 336 Barnard Street
The project at 336 Barnard Street, which is the subject of litigation alleging that the building does not comply with the Ordinance, has commenced construction. This is despite the fact that litigation has been ongoing since February 22, 2023.
Plaintiffs have filed a motion for a temporary injunction to halt work while the Court determines the merits of the case.
Davenport House Endowment at Risk; Lawsuit Filed
The Trustees of the Davenport House Endowment Fund have commenced a lawsuit against the Historic Savannah Foundation (HSF). The endowment was funded with generous contributions from dedicated preservation supporters. The intent was that the income the endowment would exclusively support maintenance of the Davenport House.
Recently, HSF has attempted to take control of the endowment, for purposes that are not yet public. According to HSF's most recently posted Form 990, it faces significantly increased liabilities. In recent years, HSF has hired firms, including ones related to its own Board of Directors, construction and renovation projects for its own buildings.
Threat to Factor's Walk Thwarted, for Now
In October, the HDBR heard a proposal to build a deck alongside a bridge on Factor's Walk. Such a proposal, had it been approved, would have opened the floodgates to any business on Factor's Walk asking the same: to build a deck over the lower roadway that would fill the areas between the bridges. Imagine Factor's Walk with all the spidery bridges obscured by commercial modern decks.
Many of us are still in shock that anyone would think it appropriate to drastically alter Factor's Walk, one of Savannah's most iconic landmarks. The extreme nature of this proposal shows how far the frenzy of development is threatening to undo the efforts of generations of Savannah's preservationists. Please see letter from the OPC here.
Preservation Alert: Stop the SAV Sign - Attend December 14 Hearing
Visit Savannah has proposed a five-by-thirteen-foot aluminum sign in City Market in the Middle of West St. Julian Street. This proposal is not only inappropriate in character for the Historic District, but it also appears to be prohibited by the Ordinance.
The City is pretending that the SAV sign is not a sign because it is "public art." While it might or might not be art, it is clearly also a “channel sign,” and as such, it must comply with the sign rules in the Ordinance. The three letters, "SAV," are a logo of Visit Savannah and were designed by their advertising firm. The sign will be fabricated by a commercial sign maker. Under the Ordinance, it constitutes a "ground sign," which requires a COA. It is also a "channel sign," which is actually prohibited. Please read the letter from the OPC, here.
In the view of the OPC, the City is aware that the sign is prohibited, and it appears to be circumventing the COA process and prohibitions in the Ordinance by taking the proposal to only the Historic Sites and Monuments Commission. Please show up and let the City and Visit Savannah know that they are not above the law!
PLEASE SHOW YOUR OBJECTION BY SPEAKING AT THE DECEMBER 14, 2023 HEARING AT THE HISTORIC SITE AND MONUMENT COMMISSION AT 4PM AT 112 EAST STATE STREET.
Thank You and Matching Gift Proposal
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 OPC’s GoFundMe page by clicking this link.
An anonymous donor has agreed to donate $5000 conditioned upon another donor or group of donors contributing that amount. These donations will be earmarked for litigation expenses.
Next 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, December 3 at 5 PM. Please contact us at the above email with your contact information if you are interested in attending. Capacity is limited.
Mayor Johnson To Attend DNA
Mayor Johnson will present at the monthly meeting of the Downtown Neighborhood Association at the Coastal Georgia Center at 305 Fahm Street Tuesday, November 28 at 5:30 PM. This is a good opportunity to ask about quality of life and preservation issues.
September 26, 2023
Dear Supporters,
Welcome to our newsletter, in which we will keep you up to date on our activities and other preservation news.
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.