Satire by Eric Curl
Nov. 6, 2025 – During his State of the City speech Wednesday night, the mayor reported that the city is doing well financially, crime is trending downward, development fees are being collected and that infrastructure and sustainability initiatives are underway.
However, the big news was his announcement of the city’s plan to add a gold-covered ballroom to the office building and underground parking garage private developers intend to construct across from Forsyth Park. Sticking to the “halftime” theme of the night, the mayor said the ballroom will be the size of a football stadium and be surrounded by statues of his favorite players from his beloved New York Giants.
The announcement comes after the city’s recent acquisition of the project site last month – a move that eliminates the need for further design review of the proposed office complex by the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC).
Now unbound by the commission’s restrictions, the office complex/garage, with the addition of the ballroom, will be unlike any building in Savannah, the mayor proclaimed.
FORSYTH PARK OFFICE BUILDING/PARKING GARAGE TIMELINE
PROJECT TIMELINE
September 2023 — The Savannah City Council declines to add contributing-resource protections for several buildings on the project site, clearing a path for demolition of the structures.
Link: Savannah Agenda article
March 28, 2024 — The Savannah City Council approves a development agreement between the Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA), the City of Savannah and developer Forsyth Commons, LLC enter into a development for an underground public parking garage and office buildings at the parcels adjacent to Forsyth Park.
Link: Development Agreement
Link: City Council agenda item
Jan. 9, 2025 — The City Council approves the rezoning of the subject parcels from TN-1 (Townhouse-Neighborhood) to TC-2 (Town Center) and amends the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) to support the proposed development.
Link: City Council agenda item
Feb. 18, 2025 — The Chatham County–Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission recommends approval of requested height variances: one building up to 71 feet (5 stories) and two buildings up to 57 feet (4 stories) for the project.
Link: Savannah Agenda article
April 2025 – The developers submit a court filing notifying the court they are abandoning their previous rezoning applications and associated permits related to the proposed development along Whitaker Street and Park Avenue. The judge grants the developers’ motions for a 90-day stay and to abandon the rezoning, variances and map amendments related to the office buildings. Link: Savannah Agenda article
July 2025 – A superior court judge rules in a court order that the demolition work could proceed after opponents had sought an injunction to halt the work.
August 14, 2025 — City Council authorizes execution of an amended development agreement, raising the estimated cost of the garage from ~$31.35 M to ~$35 M.
Link: Agenda item
Link: Savannah Agenda article
October 2025 — SEDA approves issuance of $35 million in bonds to finance the garage. Also, the city notifies the Historic Preservation Commission of its intent to treat the office buildings as exempt from the normal design review process under the municipal ownership/exemption path. A 2025 Phase I archaeological survey of the project site found no artifacts or intact archaeological resources and concluded that no further investigation is needed before construction.
Link: News article Savannah Agenda
Link: SEDA meeting agenda
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