By Eric Curl
July 26, 2022 – The Historic Preservation Commission will consider a proposal on Wednesday to demolish a non-contributing building in Savannah’s Streetcar Historic District in order to clear the way for a 4-story apartment complex.
Commission staff is recommending approval of the demolition of the building at 1825 Montgomery St., but that consideration of the 86-bed apartment complex be postponed so that multiple design changes can be made.
“The building is too tall, too wide, the roof shape is not appropriate, it is not divided horizontally and vertically in a manner that reflects the traditional size of buildings nor does it convey human scale,” the staff report states.
The proposal comes almost a year since the Savannah Zoning Board of Appeals granted three variances for the site, including an increase in height from three stories (45-foot limit) to four stories (55-foot limit). In addition the zoning board increased the maximum distance for remote parking from 300 to 460 feet and reduced parking requirements by 20 spaces.
At the zoning board meetings, Attorney Robert McCorkle, who was representing the petitioner behind the project, compared the project to 4-story apartment complex being built three blocks north on Montgomery, according to the meeting minutes. The same architect, Andy Lynch, designed both projects and both would benefit the area in need of people and development, McCorkle said.
The other apartment complex, located in the adjacent Victorian District, benefited from a text amendment to the zoning ordinance allowing for four stories and a 55-foot height. However, that amendment was not re-applied to the Streetcar District, where the proposed project is located, following the adoption of a new city zoning ordinance in 2019. City staff attempted to correct the omission at the Savannah City Council meeting on July 2021, but the mayor and alderman chose not to re-adopt amendment.
The current owner, Massachusetts-based 1825 Montgomery, LLC, purchased the site for $975,000 in December 2020.
The Historic Preservation Commission meeting is at 3 p.m. at 112 E. State St. The meetings are in person but the public can also access the meeting virtually by registering via the registration page. The full agenda is now available to view.
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