Height questions, zoning quash potential for Savannah hotel near Forsyth (Martin: fit in, apartments)

[Airforceguy]

I really have no issues with the hotel. Personally, I think it would fit into with the area.

The board voted 6-2 to deny the proposed hotel as it was presented after much confusion about whether the building qualified for a bonus story that would make the structure five stories tall. The residential height map only allows a maximum of four stories.

According to Ellen Harris, director of Historic Preservation and Urban Planning, the now vacant lot is in a RIP-D zoning district, which allows for mixed uses. The project qualifies for the bonus story under the standards for commercial and other uses, but it does not qualify under residential standards.

Harris said she requested an interpretation from the zoning administrator on whether to apply commercial or residential standards and received an email stating that the bonus story would be permitted and be set against the commercial standards.

“This is not a zoning confirmation letter. I think that something that is so important as granting a bonus story is worthy of having an official determination from the zoning administrator and a little bit more than just a casual email between two colleagues,” said Martin Smith, who spoke on behalf of the Savannah College of Art and Design. Smith was one of five people, including representatives from the Historic Savannah Foundation, who spoke out against the height of the project. Three letters of opposition were also submitted to the board.

SCAD owns three neighboring buildings. Smith said the school wasn’t opposed to the hotel or development but wanted the zoning issue to be more thoroughly examined.

The petition originally went before the board last month but was continued at the request of the petitioner, Patrick Shay of Gunn Meyerhoff Shay Architects.

Shay said he was unaware of the zoning issue until it was raised at the meeting and twice denied the board’s suggestion that he request a continuance of the petition to a future meeting.

“I had not heard that line of reasoning or any of this until 10 minutes ago,” Shay said responding to public comment. “... So the controversy, if that’s what it is over whether or not the zoning administrator has their job appropriately, is not something I have the ability to address here today...”

The revised plan reviewed Wednesday met all 15 of the conditions set forth by the board in May, including getting eliminating one story and eliminating a tower structure.

Height questions, zoning quash potential for Savannah hotel near Forsyth | BiS | Business in Savannah News

[Newsboy]

Saw this on the news last night. That's an ugly vacant lot between the park and the 14-story Chatham Apartments, which is an eyesore in itself and public housing for elderly and mentally ill folks. It's also just south of the recently and beautifully restored Candler Hospital, now home to Savannah Law School.

The HRB is once again splitting hairs. Hotels have very low floor-to-ceiling heights because most of the systems run through the walls and not between the floors. There's not significant difference between 4-6 floors and 5 seems like a reasonable compromise if that's what it takes to make the project economically feasible. It will not be any taller than any of the other surrounding structures, including the SCAD executive offices which are housed in three townhouses to the immediate south.

[SavannahLife]

Indeed, yes it will be nice to have something there. Let's take care not to set a bad precedent to developers they can ignore the height map though. I thank the Historic Review for good work here. It could be a slippery slope. I like that the downtown is midrise, we have a unique city. The height map is why our city looks and feels the way it does. It is enjoyable to walk around town. And it seems like all these new hotels go right up to the sidewalk, no set back, while older buildings gave more space. And, the building design shown in the article the design looks like something from the 70s. It's probably not final but it did not look like it blends in. Also would be nice to see more diverse development other than hotels..