The Petitioner is requesting the rezoning of nine parcels from TC-2 (Traditional Commercial-2) to S-PD (Small-Planned Development). The parcels are located on the southeast corner of E. Gwinnett Street and E. Broad streets. The Petitioner’s intent is to develop two buildings that will include mixed use apartments with upper story residential and retail/restaurant on the ground floor. The subject property is located in a neighborhood that exhibits the ward structure of the Savannah Town Plan. The neighborhood is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Eastside-Meadows-Collinsville Historic District.

The National Register (NR) nomination from 2002 states, “The Eastside Historic District is a large, residential neighborhood in the City of Savannah. Eastside developed as a series of subdivisions following the establishment of streetcar lines through the area in 1891. The district was first developed in the northwest corner, adjacent to the Savannah Victorian Historic District, which had been established three decades earlier. Development proceeded along the rail line with the largest houses built in the Queen Anne and Italianate styles at the north end in the late 1890’s. Subsequent development proceeded south and east through the 1920s with equally large houses but smaller Craftsman-style bungalows. Eastside, like other historic residential neighborhoods in Savannah, follows the city-established gridiron plan with streets shaded by a canopy of mature live oak trees. The Eastside streets were laid out by 1900 and mostly continue the City’s 19^th-century gridiron pattern of streets. East Broad, Paulsen, Harmon, Ott, Live Oak, and Cedar streets, and Atlantic and Waters Avenues comprise the major north-south streets. Park Avenue, Gwinnett, Bolton, Waldburg, Duffy, Henry, and Anderson streets are the major east-west corridors. Narrow service lanes run east-west through each block. Eastside’s nearly flat topography was drained by the 19^th-century Bilbo Canal, which runs below ground between Waters and East Broad streets. The historic rail line that extends north through the neighborhood features a plate-girder railroad bridge supported by steel lattice posts.” 

No local historic overlay district has been formed within the boundaries of Eastside-Meadows-Collinsville. The NR district provides federal tax incentives for rehabilitation of historic properties. No local regulations prevent the removal of historic structures in Eastside-Meadows-Collinsville. Of the seven structures within the subject property, five were identified as contributing to the historic character of the Eastside district in the NR nomination.

• 621 E. Gwinnett Street (PIN 20043 07018)
• 610-612 E. Bolton & 611-613 E. Gwinnett Lane (PIN 20043 07005)
• 614-616 E. Bolton Street & 615-617 E. Gwinnett Lane (PIN 20043 07004)

The buildings at 610-612 and 614-616 E. Bolton Street and 611-613 and 615-617 E. Bolton Lane are all one-story, side-by-side duplexes. The NR nomination notes this housing type as exemplary of the Eastside neighborhood: Eastside also includes a variety of multi-family dwellings, most of which do not include elements of an academic style. These include one-story frame duplexes with units set side-by-side. E. Bolton Lane is included in the nomination and shows structures at 610, 614, and 622. It is not clear if the buildings have been modified since the survey that was done for the nomination. One of the parcels owned by 621 Gwinnett, LLC is 810 East Broad Street. Faith on the Move Ministries was present at this location until it was demolished in 2021. The Eastside nomination listed 810 East Broad Street as a contributing structure. The developer could preserve the historic structures surrounding the subject property, relocate them, salvage materials if they are demolished, or conduct an archeological survey of the site.

One of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan’s Historic Preservation goals is to “Broaden historic preservation efforts to highlight and include historically underrepresented stories, sites, and communities.”

On November 7, 2023, the Planning Commission recommended denial of the request to rezone from TC-2 (Traditional Commercial-2) to Small-Planned Development (S-PD). After the meeting, the Petitioner reviewed feedback provided by both the public and the Planning Commission. Additional comments were received from the City Manager following the meeting. The Petitioner proceeded to modify the S-PD documents based on all of this feedback. 

The revised documents show the elimination of the fifth story (60ft in height) to a four-story (49ft in height) structure. The elevations along E. Broad Street show two buildings connected over E. Gwinnett Lane to accommodate for the loss in units on the fifth story. The automated parking garage is now shown as a conventional garage for between 181 to 205 spaces.  Two-way access to the site is provided along E. Bolton Street. Accommodations have also been made to ensure fire access and required turn radius to reach all points in the property. 

The S-PD remains a mixed-use concept with the same residential unit count of 185 units and 10,000 square feet of commercial space. The parking exemption for non-residential uses at 2,500 square feet and credit for bicycle and moped parking remain in place. The S-PD is closely aligned with the existing TC-2 standards.

The City Manager is presenting the revised petition to City Council to allow them to render the final decision. (Recommendation pending.)