Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Gee, the address is Pooler, but for some reason they are calling it the Savannah Tanger Mall.
Anyway, we took a snoop through there today, and the place was all asses and elbows, trying to get ready for tomorrow. We were shocked at how full the parking lot was with employee cars. For some reason, the main entrance is the opposite side from 95. The 95 side looks very unattractive to me, sort of like a prison, but at least the light house thing is there. The main entrance is nice looking. It faces some nice gated apartment complexes, and there seems to be enough distance that perhaps those apartments won't be affected negatively. I hope not. Lights from the mall might be an issue for the apartments facing the mall.
Landscaping crews (a hundred+ people) were frantically planting stuff, and hundreds of trees lay ready to go into the ground. Even if they work through the night, there will still be much to do in the next few weeks. As much as I dread the next few weeks (avoiding Sam's Club or Home Depot) it is sort of exciting to see such a bustling enterprise here. I am hopeful that after the first few weeks, things will buff out.
I had to laugh at the LIVE NEWS REPORTS on the eve of the Big Day ... raining so hard the parking lots and public areas were all flooded! All that pretty landscaping ... of course, RAIN could be just the thing to keep crowds away.
A HUGE section of the parking area had been cordoned off for what I assume is the opening festivities tomorrow. Nothing had been erected there, but there is plenty of room for tenting, if necessary.
I wouldn't go there tomorrow, whatever the weather, but those same folks who go shopping on the day after Thanksgiving, in the middle of the night, will probably be there. They will probably get a key chain, or something, for free!
I mean, I guess in response to the Live News Reports, this is the biggest thing to happen to Savannah, shopping-wise, in 25 years. While I agree Gentlearts that the 95 side is a little plain, I was actually impressed at the photos of the interior corridors. They really did try to incorporate a lot of Savannah's architectural elements. I noticed columns reminiscent of some downtown storefronts, a lot of tabby stucco, brick pavers, a lot of brick, fountains, the bell tower, and of course the lighthouse. I can at least say this is the most unique Tanger outlet that I've ever seen.
As far as the traffic, there are long range plans to fix Pooler Parkway. The developer was able to finance, buy, and develop the land and mall, so the City was really in no position to deny his variances. I think we just need to have patience and plan to leave a little earlier when we need to go somewhere. At the end of the day, this is really an economic benefit to the region.
There are also plans for another half-million square feet of development to include what I would assume is more in-line retail space, anchors, restaurants, hotels, and other out parcels. One news article said Carter was in talks with a sporting goods store, which would be nice for Pooler.
In the future, the residents of Pooler need to be more active at the Planning Commission and City Council meetings to be involved in the development of the City. If people think something's a bad idea, they need to speak up to the folks that sit on these boards. Here's the link to the board members, agenda, and meeting schedule.
Finally, here's a lesson in Pooler zoning. If you look at the Savannah Area GIS, Home Page - Savannah Area GIS, and turn on the zoning layer, you will notice that the land where the mall was developed was part of a PUD (planned unit development). When Godley Station was created by a zoning ordinance in the 1990s, the trend in City Planning was to control all development through a PUD. Essentially, they zone the entire Godley Station in such a way, so that every time a developer wants to build anything, whether its a subdivision or a neighborhood restaurant, they need an amendment to the PUD. This allows more scrutiny in the area and control of business types and building materials. The Godley Station master plan, a separate document, called for all retail to be clumped together. Which is exactly what has happened.
Once you continue down Pooler Parkway, all of those large tracts of land past Hwy 80 are zoned residential or industrial until the intersection with Pine Barren. So, unless someone acquires this land and gets the land rezoned, it will be single family detached houses or warehouse in the future. There is a tract of land, zoned under a different PUD and likely will be a neighborhood grocery-anchored shopping center at the NW corner of Pine Barren and Pooler Parkway. The land behind Morgan's Corner is industrial. The land across from Lowe's is zoned residential and the land on either side of Lowe's is zoned commercial. Of course, Wal-Mart still owns the land at the SE corner of Pine Barren and Pooler Pkwy and the chain will likely develop it when more houses are built on that end of Pooler Parkway. Over the I-16 Bridge is all Savannah Quarters territory, which is its own beast of a PUD.
Point in identifying all of this, is that Pooler Parkway will never be like Abercorn. It will be commercial near I-95, heavily residential for several miles past the limits of Godley Station, and then will have some more commercial areas near I-16, terminating with residential around the Quacco merge.
A friend who works at the airport said about dozen private jets flew in yesterday for the private gala last night ... which another friend attended and says "was incredible!" He met Ralph Lauren, the Property Brothers and "a whole bunch of fine looking gay men!" He even went up in the lighthouse! The Tanger name is on the sign, but this is Ben Carter's baby ... "the nicest outlet mall I've ever seen!" Carter announced that Phase 2 is already underway and will bring another 100 stores (including some large anchors) and restaurants (unnamed of course).
Oh .. and on the noon news, they said crowds were lighter than expected and traffic was no problem. Duh.
A friend who works at the airport said about dozen private jets flew in yesterday for the private gala last night ... which another friend attended and says "was incredible!" He met Ralph Lauren, the Property Brothers and "a whole bunch of fine looking gay men!" He even went up in the lighthouse! The Tanger name is on the sign, but this is Ben Carter's baby ... "the nicest outlet mall I've ever seen!" Carter announced that Phase 2 is already underway and will bring another 100 stores (including some large anchors) and restaurants (unnamed of course).
Oh .. and on the noon news, they said crowds were lighter than expected and traffic was no problem. Duh.
The Spotted slideshow made it look very nice, even in the rain. That's where I noticed all the attention to architectural details. The people looked nice too. A caliber above Pooler, if you will.
The Spotted slideshow made it look very nice, even in the rain. That's where I noticed all the attention to architectural details. The people looked nice too. A caliber above Pooler, if you will.
I was surprised to see what appears to be a roof (or partial roof) over the interior corridors? Very classy!
The Spotted slideshow made it look very nice, even in the rain. That's where I noticed all the attention to architectural details. The people looked nice too. A caliber above Pooler, if you will.
Was local county commissioner Dean Kicklighter there, smoking cigarettes & making fun of the gay men?
Gee, the address is Pooler, but for some reason they are calling it the Savannah Tanger Mall.
Easy answer. Because it is well within the Savannah market.
Pooler is not the be all end all. Savannah is. At least in the region. You can't have Pooler without Savannah.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ajc100890
I mean, I guess in response to the Live News Reports, this is the biggest thing to happen to Savannah, shopping-wise, in 25 years. While I agree Gentlearts that the 95 side is a little plain, I was actually impressed at the photos of the interior corridors. They really did try to incorporate a lot of Savannah's architectural elements. I noticed columns reminiscent of some downtown storefronts, a lot of tabby stucco, brick pavers, a lot of brick, fountains, the bell tower, and of course the lighthouse. I can at least say this is the most unique Tanger outlet that I've ever seen.
As far as the traffic, there are long range plans to fix Pooler Parkway. The developer was able to finance, buy, and develop the land and mall, so the City was really in no position to deny his variances. I think we just need to have patience and plan to leave a little earlier when we need to go somewhere. At the end of the day, this is really an economic benefit to the region.
There are also plans for another half-million square feet of development to include what I would assume is more in-line retail space, anchors, restaurants, hotels, and other out parcels. One news article said Carter was in talks with a sporting goods store, which would be nice for Pooler.
In the future, the residents of Pooler need to be more active at the Planning Commission and City Council meetings to be involved in the development of the City. If people think something's a bad idea, they need to speak up to the folks that sit on these boards. Here's the link to the board members, agenda, and meeting schedule.
Finally, here's a lesson in Pooler zoning. If you look at the Savannah Area GIS, Home Page - Savannah Area GIS, and turn on the zoning layer, you will notice that the land where the mall was developed was part of a PUD (planned unit development). When Godley Station was created by a zoning ordinance in the 1990s, the trend in City Planning was to control all development through a PUD. Essentially, they zone the entire Godley Station in such a way, so that every time a developer wants to build anything, whether its a subdivision or a neighborhood restaurant, they need an amendment to the PUD. This allows more scrutiny in the area and control of business types and building materials. The Godley Station master plan, a separate document, called for all retail to be clumped together. Which is exactly what has happened.
Once you continue down Pooler Parkway, all of those large tracts of land past Hwy 80 are zoned residential or industrial until the intersection with Pine Barren. So, unless someone acquires this land and gets the land rezoned, it will be single family detached houses or warehouse in the future. There is a tract of land, zoned under a different PUD and likely will be a neighborhood grocery-anchored shopping center at the NW corner of Pine Barren and Pooler Parkway. The land behind Morgan's Corner is industrial. The land across from Lowe's is zoned residential and the land on either side of Lowe's is zoned commercial. Of course, Wal-Mart still owns the land at the SE corner of Pine Barren and Pooler Pkwy and the chain will likely develop it when more houses are built on that end of Pooler Parkway. Over the I-16 Bridge is all Savannah Quarters territory, which is its own beast of a PUD.
Point in identifying all of this, is that Pooler Parkway will never be like Abercorn. It will be commercial near I-95, heavily residential for several miles past the limits of Godley Station, and then will have some more commercial areas near I-16, terminating with residential around the Quacco merge.
I think that even if more people were to get involved, it wouldn't solve anything because it seems the majority of the citizens speaking out are so uneducated about what is best for the area, it may as well make matters worse.
This whole PUD is a good idea in theory, but the way it was done was incredibly stupid and the reason why traffic is the way it is. I dunno.. perhaps bundling commercial areas together wasn't so bad, but the developments that occurred should have been more scrutinized. It seems just about everything is all auto-centric and no thought was given to any other mode of transportation. While preservation of greenspace was given some thought (minute), it wasn't given nearly enough. I could go on, but hopefully you all get the idea.
Easy answer. Because it is well within the Savannah market.
Pooler is not the be all end all. Savannah is. At least in the region. You can't have Pooler without Savannah.
I think that even if more people were to get involved, it wouldn't solve anything because it seems the majority of the citizens speaking out are so uneducated about what is best for the area, it may as well make matters worse.
This whole PUD is a good idea in theory, but the way it was done was incredibly stupid and the reason why traffic is the way it is. I dunno.. perhaps bundling commercial areas together wasn't so bad, but the developments that occurred should have been more scrutinized. It seems just about everything is all auto-centric and no thought was given to any other mode of transportation. While preservation of greenspace was given some thought (minute), it wasn't given nearly enough. I could go on, but hopefully you all get the idea.
OK ... let me say this once again: TRAFFIC IN POOLER IS NOT BAD! Ga. 21 into Effingham, Victory at Skidaway and Truman, DeRenne at Bull, Abercorn from Armstrong all the way through Georgetown to I-95 ... ALL MUCH WORSE!
Pooler Parkway, on the other hand, moves traffic amazing well ... I-16 on one end, I-95 on the other and a limited access partial cloverleaf flyover intersection in the middle at US 80! Imagine if that had been a grade-level traffic light intersection?
I'm not familiar with the original PUD, but from what I can tell from documents online it ALWAYS called for commercial development clustered at the I-95 end of Pooler Parkway ... because, well, that's the ONLY section of Pooler Parkway that actually falls within the Godley Station plan! And it was all designed along a system of frontage roads accessed only at major intersections (limiting curb cuts off PP). Except for the addition of the huge tract where the mall is going, I can't see too many changes in the original commercial zones shown in the map below?
Some other info I picked up online: The Godley Station Master Plan was initially approved by the MPC on October 30, 1996 in conjunction with the rezoning of the Godley Tract on October 30, 1996. All properties within the Godley Station development are subject to the restrictive covenants which were established in conjunction with the creation of Godley Station. Compliance with and changes to the restrictive covenants were initially under the control of a single declarant. The initial declarant was The Branigar Corporation, a subsidiary of Union Camp. The ownership and declarant rights were transferred to International Paper Realty Corporation when Union Camp was purchased by International Paper Company. Over time, Godley Station began to be known as three separate parts, Godley Station South, Godley Station North, and The Highlands at
parts of Godley Station.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
