Back in the mid-1990s, I was lucky to take a tour of Broughton Street with Peter Armato, who was then head of the Savannah Development and Renewal Authority.
Broughton Street looked stunningly different in those days. While there were a few vibrant businesses here and there, some blocks were literally lined with vacant or underutilized properties.
Broughton’s upper floors were largely unused. After 5 p.m., the sidewalks were virtually empty.
Broughton Street would have seen significant improvement without SDRA involvement, but the independent public authority, first under Armato and then under Lise Sundrla, accomplished many things in terms of the streetscape, facades, business recruitment and the like.
The SDRA also had some major successes in the Montgomery/MLK corridor, but the efforts there have faced more significant impediments than those on Broughton.
The bones of Broughton Street remained intact even as businesses fled the area decades ago, but the same cannot be said of Montgomery Street and Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.
The I-16 flyover irrevocably changed traffic patterns and divided the corridor. Large scale developments such as the courthouse complex and the civic center forced the closure of connecting streets.
The negative impacts of such changes are hard to overstate.
I applaud city manager Stephanie Cutter for trying to restore significant funding for the SDRA and for suggesting a focus on Montgomery Street, but revitalization efforts will meet with only limited success as long as current traffic patterns are in place.
Also, it’s worth noting that we sometimes get caught up in a form of linear thinking. We consider the north-south orientation of Montgomery and MLK, but we don’t fully appreciate the community assets to the east and west.
After all, it’s ironic that so many large Montgomery Street parcels are entirely vacant, even though they’re just a block or two from high-priced residential areas.
Given the elevation, the easy access to arterial roads and the proximity to downtown, many blocks of Montgomery Street should be considered prime real estate for residential or commercial development.
Further south, development along Montgomery Street will be impeded by the inexplicable tolerance for street-level prostitution and drug sales. Much of that activity occurs along Jefferson Street, but the effects on Montgomery are pretty obvious.
I understand some of the political frustration in recent years with the slow pace of change in the MLK/Montgomery corridor.
But the SDRA couldn’t convince investors to ignore either the deep economic downturn or the tangible barriers created by the current street configuration.
With the economy on the upswing and confidence on the rise, this seems like a good time for the SDRA to tackle some of these daunting challenges.
More on proposed new church at 37th and Drayton
Tuesday’s City Talk looked at the proposed new Christ Church Anglican at the northeast corner of 37th and Drayton streets. The Metropolitan Planning Commission originally had the general development plan on its agenda for last week, but the matter is being continued.
The variances for height, setback, maximum footprint and parking will first be reviewed by the Zoning Board of Appeals, as required by the zoning ordinance for Thomas Square.
My primary concern about the application is the sheer size of the footprint of the buildings. The height of the church also needs careful consideration.
But some of the objections to the new church campus deal with the perceived lack of parking in the neighborhood. Those complaints echo similar ones about a proposed restaurant at Drayton and Liberty streets and even a planned bed and breakfast at Gaston and Whitaker streets.
We are inevitably going to see more parking concerns regarding developments that abut streets like Whitaker and Drayton where parking is prohibited.
So let me just suggest the obvious.
Let’s allow parking on Whitaker and Drayton streets, which have unusually wide travel lanes.
We could add parking spaces to both those streets, which would increase the value of adjacent properties, reduce travel speeds and create development opportunities.
Fundraiser for Muse Arts Warehouse
Since being founded just over three years ago by JinHi Soucy Rand, Muse Arts Warehouse has proven an indispensable venue for grassroots arts organizations. Located at 703 Louisville Rd., just west of the intersection with Boundary Street, Muse has hosted plays, films and many other events.
Supporters of Muse Arts Warehouse have a chance to show their appreciation and guarantee the ongoing viability of the venue at a fundraiser on Monday, April 8. “Show Me The Love” begins at 5:30 p.m. with a cocktail social and concert at Bryson Hall at 5 East Perry St.
The gathering at Bryson will include a cash bar and BBQ for sale from Gerald’s Pig and Shrimp.
At 7 p.m., the Savannah Theatre at 222 Bull St. will host a musical revue with a lineup that reads like a who’s who of the Savannah theatre scene. An extensive silent auction will feature gift packages from notable businesses and works from some of Savannah’s most successful artists.
General admission tickets will be $20 at the door.
You can read more at http://www.musesavannah.org.
City Talk appears every Tuesday and Sunday. Bill Dawers can be reached via billdawers@comcast.net and http://www.billdawers.com. Send mail to 10 East 32nd St., Savannah, Ga. 31401.