Plans for a new office complex near Forsyth Park continue to move forward, following a year marked by legal challenges, neighborhood debate, and shifting oversight. The project is proposed for the southwest corner of Forsyth Park, at the intersection of Whitaker Street and West Park Avenue, and includes multiple office buildings along with a large public parking garage.
When the project first cleared key approvals last February, much of the focus was on height variances granted by the Chatham County Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission. Those variances allowed two buildings to rise higher than typical limits in the area, a decision that drew criticism from some nearby residents and preservation advocates. Since then, several legal challenges aimed at stopping the development have been narrowed or dismissed, clearing the way for the project to continue.
In recent months, attention has shifted away from the courts and toward how the project will be reviewed and constructed. The City of Savannah now owns the property, which allows it to treat the office buildings as exempt from the traditional Historic Preservation Commission design review process. That decision drew concern from members of the commission, who formally asked city council to opt into a full review. The city declined that request earlier this month.
Instead, city officials announced that the project will move forward under an internal design and compatibility review process. According to the city manager, this process is intended to mirror many of the same standards typically applied by the Historic Preservation Commission, including review of building height, massing, and overall compatibility with the surrounding Victorian District. City staff and outside planning and design consultants will be involved in that review, and conditions may still be placed on the project before construction begins.
Another recent update involves archaeology. Although an earlier survey found no significant artifacts on the site, the city has retained a firm to conduct additional Phase I archaeological work. No further land disturbance or permits will be issued until that assessment is completed and any recommended next steps are addressed.
The development itself is planned to stretch along West Park Avenue from Barnard Street to Whitaker Street. In addition to office space, it includes a three story underground parking garage with roughly 430 spaces, developed in partnership with the city. Supporters argue the garage will help relieve parking pressure around Forsyth Park, while critics remain concerned about scale, process, and long term impacts on the surrounding neighborhood.
While opinions remain divided, the project has clearly entered a new phase. With major legal hurdles largely behind it and an alternative review process now defined, the focus is shifting toward design details, archaeological findings, and how the development will ultimately fit into one of Savannah’s most closely watched areas.
