Live Oak Public Libraries opened a reimagined Carnegie Library, which is now a heritage center with special collections devoted to Savannah’s Black history.
* The City of Savannah is planning redevelopment in the Canal District to connect downtown with historically Black neighborhoods.
* Proposed developments include housing, a farmers market, and a food hall in the historic Water Works Building.
* Community members have emphasized the need for affordable housing, home ownership opportunities, and access to fresh food.
The City of Savannah is homing in on redevelopment opportunities between downtown and many of the city’s historically Black neighborhoods on its west side.
Opportunities for food and beverage, for-sale housing at existing neighborhood scale and affordable apartments have been identified as both economically feasible and aligned with community priorities, according to a presentation from project consultant RCLCO at a recent open house.
About 50 Savannahians joined city staff and project consultants to provide feedback on potential development in the canal district, advocating for affordability and options for fresh food in the area. The open house also served as opportunity for feedback and next steps for historic Water Works Building redevelopment, introducing two options for how the facility could be operated as a farmer’s market, food hall, entrepreneurial center and commercial kitchen.
“We want to do something that is life changing, and we’re going to do something that is transformational,” said the area’s Alderwoman Bernetta Lanier, who has been a longtime advocate for community-focused development in the area.
The canal district encompasses areas around Enmarket Arena, a transitional part of Savannah that connects downtown to those west side neighborhoods. Within the district, city planning has identified five city-owned properties that are both developable and not already programmed.
Target properties include four along Stiles Avenue, including areas surrounding the Water Works and Springfield Terrace School, which the city is restoring for use as a museum. Other properties include 2.2 acres west of Stiles Avenue north of the arena and another 4.8 acres off Louisville Road adjacent to Dooley Avenue.
But one of the pillar projects within the district is redevelopment of the Water Works. Lifelong West Savannah resident Bodua Gordon expressed support for each component of the canal district and hopes they will all be incorporated into the final product.
Also, the community partners the city collaborates with to run the space will be key to its success, said Gordon, who runs the local nonprofit Savannah Community Land Trust. Gordon also favors potential condos instead of apartments, which could allow for greater home ownership in the community.
“We need something that is actually going to help the community grow, transfer and have wealth-building options,” he said.
RCLCO’s analysis also found early plans for the historic Water Works building would likely need about $400,000 to $600,000 in additional revenue to meet its expected annual expenses under the proposed uses. RCLCO Managing Partner Jake Ross said those types of gaps are not uncommon in these types of developments, but the project will likely need philanthropic investment, government subsidy or increased tax revenue from adjacent developments to support it.
The city has also floated two potential operations structures. One option is for the city to oversee programming while partnering with multiple nonprofits to run day-to-day operations. The second model proposed was to hire a nonprofit for programming that would then oversee multiple partnerships for operations.
Residential opportunities identified in the market analysis were built-for-rent homes, affordable and market-rate apartments and for-sale homes. Ross said single-family homes in the area should be small lot or rowhomes that are both more attainable and match the scale of development in existing west side neighborhoods.
“We want to be sensitive to the character of the existing homes in these neighborhoods, as well as the affordability of the homes that are coming in,” Ross said.
One major community need expressed by attendees were options for fresh food and namely, a potential large-scale grocer. Ross said the current housing density may make it challenging to attract a large-scale grocer, but there are still opportunities for fresh food through the farmer’s market and corner stores.
For Gordon, his primary hope is that the community engagement doesn’t end there.
“They need to make sure they hear the voice of the community. They have good plans,” Gordon said.
Evan Lasseter is the City of Savannah and Chatham County government reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at [email protected].
Read more on Savannah Morning News
