By Eric Curl
Aug. 1, 2021 – The fate of a quirky Savannah landmark is now in Parker’s hands, following the convenience store chain’s $4.7 million purchase last month of a recently vacated commercial area on the city’s southside.
The acquisition of the former 1950s-era gas storage tank, painted to resemble Earth, comes almost one year since Parker’s received approval to demolish the “globe” and surrounding buildings to redevelop the 3.43-acre site.
Parker’s bought the property from Lewis Commercial Properties on July 26 using a shell company named Atlas Shrugged II. In addition to being named after an Ayn Rand novel, the shell company shares the same corporate address and attorney as Parker’s and has been used to purchase other Parker’s properties in the past.
The purchase includes commercial buildings on DeRenne Avenue and White Bluff Road that were recently vacated by multiple businesses, including Mama’s Furniture, California Tattoo Company and Tailor Made Draperies.
A Parker’s spokesperson said on Thursday that the company does not have any information to share regarding the globe or surrounding properties, but they hope to make an announcement about plans for the site in the next few weeks.
The Metropolitan Planning Commission approved Parker’s plan last September to demolish the buildings and globe to make way for a new Parker’s convenience store, gas station and fast-food restaurant.
A previous Savannah Agenda article about the proposed demolition went viral on social media and led to local media outlets picking up the story and opposition from residents. Savannah Alderman Nick Palumbo called for the globe to be saved – possibly by relocating the structure. In response, Parker’s issued a statement saying that the development of the site was being explored, but the company did not own the property and no decisions had been made at the time.
Parker’s then then submitted a revised site plan in November. The revised plan relocated a proposed Parker’s store from the site of the globe to the east side of the parcel, where a coffee shop was located in the initial plan. A Chick-Fil-A is shown on the west side of the property along White Bluff Road. No new structures are shown in the area where the globe is located, but the location is listed as a “future development area” that will be graded, grassed and maintained until the lot is developed.
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