I take a lot of photos when I run. Sometimes I learn a bit about what I photograph. – Eric Curl
The northwest corner of West 37th and Jefferson streets sits vacant after the First Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church was destroyed by a fire in 2019, as described in this WTOC story. The site was sold to New York-based KPL Periphery, LLC for $145,000 in August, according to the sales record. The church has since moved to 1046 Mohawk St.
Established in 1933, the Crystal Beer Parlor is one of many local restaurants struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as described in this Savannah Morning News article. A GoFundMe page has been created to help keep the establishment in business.
The building at 30 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard was constructed in 1883 and is a contributing structure to the downtown Historic District. The rehabilitation plan for the building, including the construction of a one-story addition at the south portion of the lot along West Congress Street was approved on Nov. 13, 2019. Since then, amendments to the plan were approved on June 10 and Nov. 12. A rendering of the proposed building can be seen here.
The historic two-story masonry building on the southwest corner of Franklin Square was constructed in 1891 and has sat vacant since the Universe Trading Company moved out in 2012. Franklin Square Real Estate, LLC sold the building to B&B Savannah, LLC for $2.5 million in January 2020, according to the property record. On Dec. 9, Lynch Architects requested a 12-month extension of the certificate of appropriateness issued on Nov. 13, 2019 to rehabilitate the building. It is Lynch’s intention to begin construction in the first quarter of 2021, according to correspondence submitted as part of the extension request. The Universe Trading Company now operates at 1607 Skidaway Road, where you can continue to find an eclectic assortment of furniture, statues, and off-the-wall tchotchkes, as described in this Savannah Morning News column.
Plans were submitted in March to renovate the former city municipal building at 132 East Broughton St. for use as a 45-room hotel with a restaurant and a bar. In June 10, Lynch Associates Architects received a 12-month extension of the certificate of appropriateness issued in June 2019 for rehabilitations, alterations and a rooftop addition, according to the meeting minutes. The building was constructed in 1959 and is a contributing structure within the downtown Historic District. The property was purchased from the city for $4.5 million in June 2019, according to the property record.
The city traded the vacant lot at 641 E. Broughton St. to Row Pine Development in May 2019, according to the meeting minutes. The city staff report regarding the transfer said the land was originally purchased with the intent of constructing a new parking garage, but since then the city decided to build a new parking garage in conjunction with the Eastern Wharf mixed-use development project. After Row Pine sold the property for $2.5 million in June 2019, it is being advertised for sale as a premier downtown Savannah hotel site by Colliers International.
Work continues on the Eastern Wharf development east of downtown along the Savannah River. Along with luxury apartments, a boutique hotel, a public park and a parking garage, the first phase of the development will also include 40,000 square feet devoted to retail, food and beverage and 80,000 square feet of Class A office space, according to this Savannah Moring News article.
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