Development plans are gaining momentum at the 9-acre Trustees’ Garden property on the eastern edge of the Historic District, purchased about a decade ago by a local firm with deep Savannah ties.
The property is being developed by Randolph Street Development LLC, owned by Charles Morris, who, along with Robinson Callen and Art Berger, purchased the property in 2004 for $6.8 million.
A few petitions have appeared at the Metropolitan Planning Commission this month pertaining to the site, one for a rehabilitation of the exterior of the historic Kehoe Iron Works building and the other to add an amphitheater to the list of permitted cultural facilities within the city’s zoning ordinance.
Both received unanimous approval from the Historic Review Board and planning commission. Morris said Tuesday his goal is to create a hub of cultural event space for the community.
“The vision is to make it into a gathering place,” he said. “A place where people can meet or have an opportunity to go to events … whether it’s music or culture or dance.”
The Charles E. Morris Center, which opened in 2008 on East Broad Street, was the first phase of this vision and now regularly plays host to concerts, meetings and community events.
Morris said gardens were recently added to the corner of East Broad and Bay streets, while the next phase will be the restoration of the nearly 10,000-square-foot metal building for another multi-use event space projected to open in spring or summer of 2015.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and I just bought a little piece of it down there, and one thing led to another,” he said, adding that he’s now the sole developer of the property.
Lominack Kolman Smith Architects presented plans last week for initial stabilization and restoration work for the exterior of the historic Kehoe Iron Works building, at Broughton and Randolph streets.
According to the petition, the site can be divided into four sections: the one-story side gable foundry building, the four-story central office tower, a two-story side gable chipping and fitting building and a one-story front gable metal machine shop building — although the first three all appear as one brick structure when viewed from Broughton and comprise nearly 20,000 square feet of space.
The first phase of the Kehoe Iron Works Foundry rehab will “explore, stabilize and restore” the buildings built around 1885, including replacing a metal roof where there isn’t one, replacing a non-code compliant stairway and fixing windows. This work will occur while the adjacent metal building is under construction.
“It’s been a very complicated project because the building was in such bad condition,” said architect Jerry Lominack. “It’s incredible it stood that long.”
He said work is underway to complete the metal building, which will have 10,000 square feet of space as well as 5,000 more of below-grade construction, including a full-service kitchen, new restrooms and terraces.
Lominack said there are also plans to fully restore the cupola, a distinguishing architectural feature visible in historic photos of the site.
In addition to its historical origins as an iron foundry, the building served for many years as offices for Savannah Natural Gas, which was sold to Atlanta Gas Light in 1966. After the 2004 sale of the property, the gas company had to remove 55,000 tons of soil contaminated with coal tar residues, according to a Savannah Morning News report at the time.
Morris said he would also like to build a bowl-shaped amphitheater on a nearby parcel, with grading work slated for the slope overlooking General McIntosh Boulevard.
Site plans for any new structures will need to come back before the planning commission.
The commission board approved rezoning of all three parcels that comprise the property to R-B-C, or Residential-Business-Conservation, from its previous designation of Light Industrial in preparation for more development.
“It’s been a real joy, and I’m glad I’m able to do it, and I just want to get it completed because I think people will enjoy the space,” said Morris.