By Eric Curl
Jan. 14, 2025 – The Georgia Ports Authority recently purchased more than 13 acres surrounding the north and west sides of the Slip 3 water inlet on Hutchison Island west of the Savannah Convention Center.
The acquisition of the site, used by the previous owner as a barge depot, is a part of the GPA’s plan to expand its cargo terminal operations onto the island, according to Chief Administrative Officer James McCurry.
The acquisition gives the GPA ownership of almost all of the parcels directly west of the slip up to US 17, excluding an almost 10-acre parcel fronting the Savannah River that is owned by TIC, The Industrial Company, which the GPA’s property now surrounds.
“It’s all contiguous property where we already are, so we had the opportunity to acquire it and thought that was in the best,” McCurry said Monday.
The future Savannah Container Terminal on Hutchison Island is now in the permitting phase and will create three new big ship berths when completed, according to an update given in April.
Other than cleaning up the site in the coming months, the GPA doesn’t plan any new construction on the new parcel for a few years, McCurry said.
Lowcountry Land LLC sold the site to the GPA for $6.85 million, according to sales records.
The east side of Slip 3, which includes an unused riverwalk extension and water ferry shelter, is owned by Chatham County. The Savannah Convention Center Authority is negotiating with the county to acquire the parcels as part of its plan to construct a convention center hotel next to the convention center.
TIMELINE OF SAVANNAH CONVENTION CENTER PROPERTY
Following a closed-door executive-session meeting on Nov. 1, the Chatham County Commission approved the sale of parcel 7, a 20-acre site immediately west of the convention Center, as previously reported.
In December, Commissioner Patrick Farrell said that the convention center authority needed to purchase the property as a requirement to obtain bond financing for the hotel project. The county is to be paid about $8.5 million over a multi-year period, Farrell said at the time.
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