City Talk: Should 50-year-old buildings be automatically given historic protections?

This is the City Talk column by Bill Dawers, a longtime contributor to the Savannah Morning News.

The owner wants to make alterations to the facades on Drayton Street, Oglethorpe Avenue and East York Lane, including new windows and storefronts. The changes would likely be most noticeable on the Oglethorpe side, which would have a clearly defined entry that might attract a wider variety of potential tenants.

The Metropolitan Planning Commission staff recommended approval of the alterations with three relatively straightforward conditions, but the nondescript building is now part of the latest chapter in the ongoing civic discussion about preservation in Savannah’s historic areas.

According to the MPC staff report, a gas station occupied the site for some time in the first half of the 20th century. The existing building dates to 1973 or earlier, which makes it more than 50 years old.

The building is currently designated as a non-contributing resource in the National Historic Landmark District and the Savannah Downtown Historic District, but staff are seeking guidance from the full MPC board on whether the nondescript structure would now qualify as contributing.

If the building were reclassified as a contributing resource, then several proposed changes to the facades would not meet the applicable standards.

As reported by Eric Curl at Savannah Agenda , the MPC board delayed the petition at its most recent meeting and directed staff to talk with city officials about the status of this building and others of similar age.

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MPC officials are right to be cautious, especially given growing resident concerns about the changing character of the city and the threats posed by large-scale development.

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While the caution is warranted, the MPC and the city should move expeditiously to develop policies for reclassifying noncontributing buildings. A milestone like turning 50 years old might trigger at least a cursory review, but that alone should not be sufficient to grant a building historic protections.

The structure at 144 Drayton St. does not have any architectural distinction.

“The design is a simple one, consisting of a two-story rectangular box with vertical punched openings and masonry (brick veneer) façade,” reads the description in the MPC report.

The building was constructed during or just prior to a period of significant disinvestment in downtown and does not seem to have played a significant role in Savannah’s history, although the site itself probably has some fascinating stories to tell.

It seems likely that many similar undistinguished buildings in the landmark district and other historic areas will soon celebrate their 50th birthdays.

Owners should be encouraged to invest in those properties and make appropriate exterior changes to add value. They should not be subjected to costly bureaucratic delays as the building’s status is reevaluated.

Delaying a simple agenda item by even a few weeks could have myriad negative impacts down the road as owners deal with construction issues and the timing of new leases.

There would seem to be a variety of options for ensuring that truly historic buildings don’t get lost in the shuffle. MPC staff and city officials could beef up their periodic review of existing structures. Neighborhood organizations and elected city officials could be part of the process so that specific properties can be scrutinized more efficiently.

More consistent efforts to notify owners of the status of their properties could also be considered.

But the proposed changes to 144 Drayton St. should not have to wait for new processes. The owner has paid for and submitted architectural plans that need only a few revisions to conform with the design standards, as interpreted by MPC staff.

Officials should work quickly to greenlight the alterations, and then they should find appropriate ways to avoid similar issues for every building that’s been around for 50 years.

Bill Dawers can be reached via @billdawers on Twitter and CityTalkSavannah@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: City Talk: Should 50-year-old buildings trigger historic protections?