Sometimes in arguing for the full restoration of the Oglethorpe Plan, Savannah preservationists get accused of various forms of nostalgia — of arguing for preservation for the sake of preservation, of ignoring contemporary needs.
But those accusations show a fundamental lack of understanding about the grid system established by General Oglethorpe when he founded the colony of Georgia in 1733.
In my City Talk column today in the Savannah Morning News, I write about the depressing news that the large vacant lot at the corner of Drayton and Charlton appears destined to be a surface parking lot for the nearby…
I write a lot about the interactions of pedestrians, drivers, cyclists, and various other modes of transportation here in Savannah. Earlier today, in preparation for my Tuesday column, I rode my bike to take pictures of surface parking lots on…
Well this is a highly recommended piece for those who care about the functioning of the trade center, the prospects of a new hotel on Hutchinson Island, future development of the island, the pressures on local spending as federal subsidies…
In my Savannah Morning News column today, I focus on the monetary value of on-street parking: New parking on Price will spur economic activity. A single parking space near a vibrant retail area could result in tens of thousands of…
The city of Savannah is moving ahead with the planned conversion of Price Street from two lanes one-way with no on-street parking to a new concept with one lane of traffic, on-street parking where conditions allow, and a bike lane.…
Savannah River Landing — the big empty spot at the east end of River Street next to the Marriott — is by far the most visible sign of the real estate bust in the Savannah area. It’s also an area…
Everyone knows we have an aging population in America, but what does it mean for American cities? Check out this fascinating AP piece: “Aging boomers strain cities built for the young“. Apart from some painful prose — like “silver tsunami”…
We love lists. And Travel and Leisure knows we love lists. So while you’re looking at the T&L website to try to find the winners of its 2011 World’s Best Awards, you can vote for Savannah, or one of 34…
No, this is not a cautionary tale about how to avoid decline in an urban area. I pretty routinely hear people talk about Savannah or Atlanta becoming the “next Detroit”. There’s sometimes a racist edge to those statements, which often…
In my City Talk column today, I talk a bit about the proposal to use public bonds (about $50 million worth, probably) to back the building of a new hotel on Hutchinson Island that would serve as a convention headquarters.…
Atlanta has long been synonymous with cars, with traffic, with sprawl. But local governments in the metro area appear to be embracing a vision for transit unlike ever before. This isn’t just some pie in the sky vision on my…
Every year when I would see Girl Scouts selling cookies from a table in front of the Juliette Gordon Low Home, I’d have the same thought: “Why can’t every business do that on their sidewalk if there’s still plenty of…
As you can tell by my overly long title to this post, Savannah’s new Cultural Arts Center will have many effects — all positive, I think — assuming it is sited, designed, and administered well. I write about the site…
