This is the first of two petitions for 505 West 36^th Street. 

The Petitioner is requesting an amendment to the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) for the property at 505 West 36^th Street from Traditional Neighborhood (TN) to Traditional Commercial (TC) in association with a proposed use as a museum. The property is 0.11 acres and will be restored as an African American historic and cultural arts museum with a renovated carriage house. The subject parcel is the site of the Kiah House, a residential building constructed in 1910. It was the residence of Dr. Calvin L. Kiah and Virginia Kiah and served as one of the first African American museums in Savannah. In 1959, Virginia Kiah opened the museum and it closed in 2001 once she passed. Both the main building and carriage house have been unoccupied and deteriorating since the closure.  

The parcel is in the Cuyler-Brownville Historic District, established in 1997, and is one of Savannah’s oldest African American neighborhoods. Note, since the petition was submitted, the property was transferred from the Historic Savannah Foundation to Galvan Initiatives Foundation. The new owner is currently moving forward with plans for the museum and carriage house. 

On November 7, 2023, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the amendment to the Future Land Use Map from Traditional Neighborhood to Traditional Commercial.