6-Story residential building being proposed for 703 Louisville Road (Savannah, Springfield: apartment complex, attorney)

[Airforceguy]

I found this project on the August 30th agenda for the Metropolitan Planning Commission. JSR Properties, LLC is proposing to build a six-story building that will feature 140 residential units. The lower two stories will have 147 parking spaces, while the upper four floors would be residential. I haven't been able to find any renderings. Right now the site is currently rezoned for heavy industry so it will have to be rezoned. The site is also home to Muse Arts Warehouse.
703 Louisville Road Site Plan-Savannah,GA by brandon walker, on Flickr

[WanderingImport]

Ooh! This kind of project is like gold. I hope something happens with it.

[Airforceguy]

The rezoning was approved. It will be a student housing development targeting SCAD students...

The Metropolitan Planning Commission on Tuesday approved rezoning for a 1.64-acre site in West Savannah that is slated to become a student-oriented housing development.

The change from the current I-H (Heavy Industrial) to P-RIP-D (Planned Medium Density Residential) was for the site at 703 Louisville Road, which is just outside the boundaries of the Savannah Historic District and is currently home to a freight terminal building, which was constructed in 1929.

MPC staff had recommended the issue be continued to the next meeting, stating that additional information was needed to determine the most appropriate district and residential density for the property.

Attorney Phillip McCorkle — who represented the petitioner, JSR Properties, LLC — disagreed and challenged the report, stating that staff’s goal was to reduce the size of the development and save the entire structure, even though the property and building carry no historic designation.

“... It is not in the Historic District, it is not a protected structure and it’s not registered in any way and if (the owner) wanted to, tomorrow he could go get a demolition permit. I ask you all to remember that as we go through this discussion,” McCorkle said adding that while his client didn’t intended to demolish the entire structure, removal of a portion of the back half of the building or shed was possible.

He stated that staff had been in agreement with the initial plan that included removing the shed, but had changed their minds after a series of meetings and had focused too much on the final design.

“We had a series of meetings after we were informed that (staff) objected to us removing the shed — and this was disturbing to me because so much time was spent on what’s the building going to look like... and it was made clear that they wanted the entire structure preserved, and they wanted it to look how they wanted it to look,” said a visibly frustrated McCorkle.

The issue of the development being too large or not having enough parking would only be caused by preserving all of the shed structure, he argued.

Rezoning approved for proposed West Savannah development | BiS | Business in Savannah News

[WanderingImport]

Targeting SCAD students? I wonder if it would be available to anyone else or if it is actually a SCAD residential dorm.

[pink caddy]

Originally Posted by WanderingImport

Targeting SCAD students? I wonder if it would be available to anyone else or if it is actually a SCAD residential dorm.

I'm wondering if SCAD students will go there. I have spoken to a dozen students regarding the new one on the west side and none of them think it's an attractive or safe place.

[Newsboy]

This development is on Louisville Road just south and east of Boundary Street. It will wrap around the old Norfolk Southern freight terminal that currently houses Muse Arts Warehouse (among other tenants). There's SCAD dorms immediately across the Savananh-Ogeechee Canal from this site, facing the backside of the Railroad Musuem; and SCAD's huge new dorm complex with parking decks and dining halls etc is just beyond this site, on the other side of the Boundary Street viaducts.

There's no reason to think these residences won't be HUGELY popular with SCAD kids. They are right in the middle of everything.

[pink caddy]

First year students don't have a choice but to live on campus. After that it's "I'm free, I'm free, catch me if you can."

[SavannahLife]

looks good, infill will improve that area and benefit MLK area businesses

[Airforceguy]

Planners are supportive of the rezoning the site that they say is part of the downtown expansion area, but planners and some city aldermen have some questions about the number of residents the building would house and whether there would be enough parking to accommodate them. The developer has proposed a 140-unit apartment complex, but it is not clear how many bedrooms those units would include and whether the rooms would be rented out individually as student housing, according to the staff report.

Since only one off-street parking space is required per unit, there are concerns parking would spill over onto the adjoining Springfield Canal and along Louisville Road where there is no on-street parking, said MPC staffer Charlotte Moore.


“It’s just an odd property by being surrounded by right of way,” Moore said.

Staff requested a bedroom count to help gauge the project’s impact, but Moore said Tuesday that the developer had not provided that information.

The developer’s attorney, Phillip McCorkle, did not return calls Tuesday and Wednesday seeking comment.

There are also concerns about the size of the proposed building and the preservation of the old terminal. The 87-year-old structure is located outside the downtown Historic District, but would likely be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, Moore said.

“We don’t have many of those structures left,” she said.

The latest plan would integrate about half of the building into the development, but the western side would be demolished to meet certain traffic design requirements, Moore said.

The building currently consists of flex space and is also home of the Muse Arts Warehouse, an entertainment venue that offers live music, plays and film viewings.

Despite staff’s concerns, the planning commission recommended on Aug. 30 that the rezoning be approved without any conditions. The city council postponed consideration of the change at their last meeting on Oct. 13.

Savannah Alderman Van Johnson said Tuesday he believes the project could help spur development in the area the city has designated the Canal District, which would be anchored by the new arena. But Johnson said he also shares the MPC staffers' concerns about parking and density.

Developer eyes Louisville freight terminal for housing complex | SavannahNow

[TheDarkKnight]

Originally Posted by WanderingImport

Targeting SCAD students? I wonder if it would be available to anyone else or if it is actually a SCAD residential dorm.

I believe the Hue was targeting SCAD students, but I've had friends non-SCAD live there.