After reviewing further information about the condition of the facade at 240 W. Broughton Street and upon seeing more suitable infill design plans, Historic Savannah Foundation (HSF) recently announced it will dismiss the complaint recently filed against the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). HSF filed the complaint last month in Superior Court, the only legal path available for appealing ZBA’s decision to allow demolition of the 1924 building.

“Our mission at HSF is to preserve historic buildings. Each situation is unique and requires different tactics. The purpose of the original complaint was to allow more time to explore adaptive use options for the building and draw attention to the city’s review processes which, of late, have gone awry,” said Daniel Carey, HSF’s president and CEO. “In subsequent conversations with city leaders and developer Ben Carter and his team, we became convinced that the condition of the building would not allow for incorporation into the proposed new building. New and improved renderings submitted to the Historic Review Board both addressed our concerns and were more visually compatible.” 

HSF, which did not enter or exit this conflict lightly, will continue to closely monitor Broughton Street and pursue necessary tactics to meet its objectives, including meeting with the City of Savannah and the Metropolitan Planning Council about review processes.  

“The bottom line is this: there must be respect for existing ordinances and review process, and we intend to uphold their integrity,” Carey said. “We take all preservation issues seriously -- whether on Broughton Street or Meldrim Row, where we are currently working with the city to save and relocate as many as two historic buildings.” 

As a result of discussions about 240 W. Broughton Street, HSF is establishing a new grant program to protect historic facades along Broughton Street and invites all developers of historic properties to demonstrate their commitment to preservation by joining and matching HSF’s pledge. There are a number of covered-up facades that can be revealed, and HSF is intent on helping with a complete revitalization of Savannah’s commercial core. That goal is right in line with HSF’s mission to protect and preserve Savannah’s heritage through advocacy, education and community involvement.

“The new facade matching grant program is a meaningful way for HSF to ensure that all historic buildings along Broughton Street have an opportunity for restoration,” Carey said. “This program will benefit businesses on Broughton, improve property values, and help revitalize our city’s historic retail district.”

Ben Carter, developer of the Broughton Street Project, provided the following statement:

“We are very pleased that Historic Savannah Foundation has chosen to drop its lawsuit against the City of Savannah. I am grateful that over the past few weeks we have been able to engage in productive dialogue with the leadership and staff at HSF that has resulted in a better understanding of our common goals for the improvement of Broughton Street and the downtown corridor. I am hopeful that we can work together to restore Broughton Street to the High Street it once was.”