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PLANNING INITIATIVES
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MASTER PLAN
 SDRA
is developing a Downtown Master Plan to serve as a fundamental
tool to balance quality of life issues, ensure a balance between
preservation and development initiatives, foster diversity
and connectivity downtown, and coordinate existing and future
planning efforts and planned development projects.
Phase I of the three-phased
planning process concluded in March 2006. This phase included
a series of public work sessions to formalize the vision
and guiding principles for the plan. A market
analysis and transportation
and mobility study were also conducted as part of this
process.
In May 2006, Phase
II kicked off with a comprehensive planning session with the
Steering Committee reviewing and commenting on eight
specific focus areas within the
master plan boundaries based on the vision and guiding principles.
The consulting team of Kise, Straw and Kolodner, Urban Partners,
McMillan and Associates and Sottile and Sottile will provide
detail analysis of each of three chosen focus areas during
this phase.
SDRA anticipates
that the third and final phase will commence prior to the
end of the year with the compilation of the final document
for review by Mayor and City Council and the Metropolitan
Planning Commission for approval and inclusion as an addendum
to the Tricentennial
Plan.
This comprehensive
planning effort is being coordinated by SDRA in partnership
with the City of Savannah and the Metropolitan Planning Commission
(MPC). The project is publicly funded by the City of Savannah
and SDRA with in-kind support from the MPC. The Historic Savannah
Foundation, Downtown Neighborhood Association and Tourism
Leadership Council have each contributed generously to support
this effort.
For more information,
please contact Bridget Lidy at (912) 651-6973 or bridget_lidy@sdra.net
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URBAN REDEVELOPMENT
PLAN, MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. BLVD./MONTGOMERY STREET
CORRIDOR, JONES STREET TO 52ND STREET
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In 1996,
at the request of the City of Savannah, the Savannah
Development and Renewal Authority combined efforts with
the Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard (MLK) Revitalization
Task Force expanding SDRA’s focus area to include
MLK and Montgomery Street, River Street to Gwinnett
Street. |
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The vision for the Martin
Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Montgomery Street
Corridor from River Street to 52nd Street is that
of a historic and diverse community which welcomes
all people to the area for its commercial activity,
architectural and cultural heritage, and boulevard
appearance in a vibrant urban setting.
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In 1998, the Savannah
Development and Renewal Authority (SDRA) in conjunction
with the City of Savannah completed the first of two
redevelopment plans for the MLK and Montgomery Street
Corridor. Mayor and Council approved the Martin
Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Montgomery Street Revitalization
Plan in October 1999. This plan offered strategies
and solutions to enhancing business and property development
to position the Corridor as the gateway to Savannah.
The plan included a comprehensive concept for streetscape
enhancement.
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 With
the adoption of the Revitalization Plan, Mayor and Council
expanded the project area south to 52nd Street along
MLK and Montgomery Street Corridor. In November of 1999,
SDRA launched a 16-month planning process to develop
a community vision and strategy for improvement for
the expanded project area. More than 260 business, property
owners, community and civic leaders and interested citizens
participated in this process. In December 2002, Mayor
and Council adopted the Urban Redevelopment Plan
for Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Montgomery
Street Corridor, Jones Street to 52nd Street. At
the same time, Council designated the study area, south
of Jones Street as an Urban Redevelopment Area in accordance
with the Georgia Urban Redevelopment Law.
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SDRA
and the City are moving forward with implementation
of the many strategies for revitalization included in
the Plan. Current efforts include formation of the MLK
and Montgomery Street Business Association; expansion
of the boundaries of the Façade Improvement Loan
Program and Sprinkler Cost Assistance Program to include
the newly designated Redevelopment Area; implementation
of comprehensive streetscape improvements to MLK and
the development of a plan for streetscape improvement
to Montgomery Street and the east-west streets between
MLK and Montgomery Street.
To fully utilize the powers allowed
by the Georgia Urban Redevelopment Law a comprehensive
land-use strategy will need to be developed. |
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LAND USE SURVEY AND STRATEGIES |
In December 2002, the Mayor and Aldermen
of the City of Savannah approved the Urban Redevelopment
Plan, and designation of an Urban Redevelopment Area, under
Georgia Urban Redevelopment Law, for the MLK and Montgomery
Street Corridor, Jones Street to 52nd Street.
This
designation opens the door for federal funding to enhance
revitalization efforts and allows the Mayor and Aldermen
the authority to enact special programs and incentives
to further redevelopment efforts.
To
enact the full powers of the Urban Redevelopment Law,
a comprehensive land-use strategy in accordance with
the community’s vision for revitalization and redevelopment
will need to be developed for the project area.
This
effort is anticipated to begin in early 2004 and will
be coordinated by the City of Savannah and the SDRA in
conjunction with the Metropolitan Planning Commission.
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MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. BLVD. STREETSCAPE
PLAN |
As a part of the on-going commitment
to the revitalization of Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard
(MLK), the City of Savannah is moving forward with the
phased implementation of comprehensive streetscape improvements
along MLK from River Street to Exchange Street. In March
of 2003, $3.4 million in Special Purpose Local Option Sales
Tax (SPLOST) funds were approved for continued implementation
of these improvements and the development of a similar
plan for Montgomery Street. |
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 In
April, work began on the implementation of a Model Streetscape
Block between Oglethorpe Avenue and Liberty Street along
MLK. This project is the first opportunity for Savannah
area residents and visitors to get a glimpse of the finished
streetscape design. The Model Block project is scheduled
for completion in Fall 2003. Once completed, the block
will showcase the comprehensive streetscape improvements
planned from River Street to Exchange Street. These improvements
include brick paved sidewalks, ornamental street lighting,
additional pedestrian crosswalks, new medians and landscaping.
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For information regarding progress
on this important project, visit the City of Savannah’s
website at www.savannahga.gov.
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MONTGOMERY STREET STREETSCAPE |
In 2004, the City of Savannah and SDRA will be moving forward
with a community visioning and input process to guide development
of a comprehensive plan for streetscape improvements to Montgomery
Street and the east/west streets between Montgomery Street
and MLK.
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BUS SHELTER PLACEMENT |
The placement of permanent bus
shelters has been incorporated into the comprehensive
implementation of streetscape improvements to MLK.
To address short-term needs for shelters, SDRA, in
conjunction with Chatham Area Transit, convened representatives
from the City of Savannah, the Savannah College of
Art and Design, business, property owners and the
community to select locations suitable for the placement
of bus shelters along MLK.
Please click
here for the latest update on the installation
of the bus shelters.
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UPDATE TO THE 1986 BROUGHTON STREET
URBAN REDEVELOPMENT PLAN |
In
1986, the City of Savannah adopted the Broughton
Street Urban Renewal Plan and designated the 12-block central
business district in the core of downtown Savannah as
an Urban Redevelopment Area (Area) under GA Urban Redevelopment
Law.
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The Plan defined the geographical boundaries
of the area which extend from the centerline of Congress
Street to the centerline of State Street, and from the centerline
of East Broad to the centerline of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Boulevard. The Plan also sparked streetscape improvements,
special zoning designations, and property improvement loan
programs to assist in the revitalization of the Redevelopment
Area.
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The vision for the continued development and revitalization
of the Broughton Street Urban Redevelopment Area is that
of a vibrant historic core that balances commercial, residential,
and institutional uses in an attractive, functional and
prosperous urban environment.
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To address the needs of
this dynamic area today, the SDRA guided a comprehensive
16-month community and committee based planning process
to develop
a renewed vision for the area and to offer strategies
and solutions to enhance business and property development
and to balance the needs of the commercial, entertainment
and residential uses now predominant in the Area.
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The
planning process identified the Area’s
declining infrastructure as a critical component of the
revitalization process. Over the next year SDRA and
the City of Savannah
will be addressing the infrastructure needs in a two-pronged
approach:
- Short-term Block-by-Block improvements
- Development of a long-term comprehensive master
plan for overall streetscape and infrastructure
enhancement.
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Short-term projects include:
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Long-term projects include:
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- Sidewalk improvements
- Landscaping Master Plan
- Lighting analysis/improvement
- Parking and Vacant Lot Improvements
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