By Eric Curl
May 25, 2023 – The Historic Preservation Commission approved the Galvan Foundation’s plans for multiple Cuyler-Brownville properties on Wednesday, as the New York-based nonprofit moves forward with its city endorsed mixed-income housing initiative for the historic neighborhood.
The approved projects include the rehabilitation of the fire-damaged historic duplex at 2205 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, along with the construction of a carriage house on the lot. In addition, the HPC approved Galvan’s plans, through a subsidiary, Savannah Local Initiatives, to construct a similar duplex and carriage house on the adjacent vacant lot.
Both properties were purchased from the Historic Savannah Foundation, which placed a 10-year affordability covenant and deed restriction pertaining to the use and resale of the property. The covenant requires that affordable units not have a rent that exceeds the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) published fair market rents for Chatham County and that the affordable units must not have a household income that exceeds 120% of Area Median Income (AMI).
The HPC also approved Galvan’s plans for four properties previously owned by the city, which were recently transferred to the Chatham County-Savannah Land Bank Authority as part of a mixed-income housing development plan. The plans include the restoration of the dilapidated historic home at 923 West 40th St. and construction of an addition to the structure that was built in 1924.
Galvan’s approved projects also include the construction of three single-family homes on the 700 block of Lavinia Street, after recently receiving approval from the landbank authority to purchase the former city properties. The 3-bedroom, 2-bath houses have to be sold under the landbank’s affordable housing guidelines and requirements, which establishes a maximum sales price to ensure the properties can be purchased by households earning 80% of the area median income or less.
The pending LBA sales are the first four of 19 former city properties the Savannah City Council agreed to sell as part of the New York-based nonprofit’s housing initiative in the historic Cuyler Brownville neighborhood.
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