Preservation Alert: Appeal Of COA for Overscale Building at 20-24 E. Oglethorpe Ave. Proceeds to the Zoning Board of Appeals Thursday, July 24, 2025

On May 14, 2025, the Savannah Downtown Historic District Board of Review approved a Part 1 COA for a massive 6-story structure at 20-24 East Oglethorpe Avenue. Next week, at 10:00 AM Thursday, July 24, 2025, at 112 East State Street, the Savannah Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) will hold a hearing that includes an appeal from the Ballastone Inn Property, LLC of that COA. The appellant is the owner of the adjacent buildings. 

The proposed building, over 68 feet high and over 80 feet across, is not visually compatible in height or mass with the contributing buildings within view, most of which are 2 to 4 story townhouses.

Whether or not you can attend in person, if you believe this building is inappropriate for this location, please email a letter supporting the appeal to the OPC at opc.preservation@gmail.com. Please send your letter by Tuesday July 22 so that we at the OPC can aggregate them and forward them to the ZBA. Here is a sample letter:

Dear City of Savannah Zoning Board of Appeals,

I support the appeal to overturn the COA granted to the overscale building at 20-24 E. Oglethorpe Ave. The proposed building does not comply with the visual compatibility standards or the design standards in Savannah’s zoning ordinance.

[Signature]

Address]

Include in the subject line: “Letter in Support of the Appeal of 24-004958-COA