Hotel proposed to replace former machine shop near waterfront

A new hotel is being planned for the northwest edge of Savannah’s Downtown Historic District, as today’s apparently unceasing demand for visitor accommodations continues.

One of the last remnants of Indian Street’s industrial past is set to be torn down, while an adjacent historic building would be restored, as part of the project scheduled to go before the Historic District Board of Review on March 13.

The project’s architect, J. Elder Studio, is petitioning on behalf of the owner to demolish a former machine fabrication shop at 512 Indian building St. and add on to and restore the adjacent historic building at 3 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard along West River Street.

Located across from Plant Riverside hotel complex, which features a restored former power plant as its centerpiece,  the proposed 95-room hotel would step up from four stories along River Street and MLK to five stories on Indian Street.

“Following various discussions with the MPC staff and local organizations, the architectural inspiration harmoniously resonates with the industrial heritage of the western River Street and Port, epitomized by steel structures with deep-set storefronts and terracotta panel infills” according to the architect’s project description.

Offsite-valet parking has also already been arranged for the property and the $40 million investment will include improved sidewalk connections and access to River and Indian streets, in addition to  “the really good hotel” for the area, Elder said Tuesday, adding he could not disclose at this time what hotel it is.

"They are ready to invest and we are trying our best to accommodate them, but at the same time bring something that we believe will be good for Savannah's future and will in some way pay homage to Savannah's industrial past, without copying it,” he said.

The warehouse being demolished dates back to 1945 and previously housed the Dixie Machine and Fabrication Co., which provided pump repairs, propeller work and complete welding services, according to the shop’s sign.

The vacant building at 3 MLK was constructed in 1939 for the South Atlantic Paper Company and then later occupied by a wholesale laundry and dairy supply company.  The proposed hotel comes after the building’s owner did not move forward with previous plans to renovate the structure for retail use on the first floor and high-end luxury apartments on the upper floor with a rooftop garden.

The high cost of rehabilitating the building has made it difficult for other projects to move forward, Elder said.

“That's where having to do the addition,” he said. “Having a larger hotel and using adjoining property helps offset that cost.”

Indian Street evolution

The hotel project comes as the Savannah College of Art and Design is increasing its presence on the former Indian Street industrial corridor as well. The university recently completed a 17-story student housing complex a few blocks west of the hotel site at 641 West River St., in addition to converting the former Ghost Coast Distillery across the street into a classroom building for its photography program.

There have also been multiple apartment complexes built along the corridor in recent years, including luxury apartment complex, The Baxley, and the student oriented private development, The Hue.

Following preliminary discussions with Metropolitan Planning Commission officials, Elder said that they plan to design the hotel in such a way that it could be converted to apartments in the future, if it was determined to be more suitable.

“That's something they have asked us to consider as we are designing,” he said. “But that is definitely a prime property located across from hotels so they still see (the hotel) as appropriate for that area.”

Neighborhood concerns

The continuing interest in developing hotels has some residents south of downtown anxious that such developers will be eyeing their neighborhoods. As a result, the Thomas Square Neighborhood Association, Cuyler-Brownville and Victorian neighborhood associations are making another attempt to further restrict hotel development in the communities.

The associations recently posted a new online survey after an unsuccessful attempt last year to prohibit hotel development throughout the three communities by extending Savannah’s Hotel Development Overlay District, which currently only regulates the size and location of hotels downtown. The neighborhood associations are now proposing the addition of a new “Small” or “Boutique” class of hotels, which would allow up to a maximum of 40 rooms in certain sections of their communities.

Eric Curl was a Savannah Morning News reporter for 14 years. After leaving the News, he launched Savannahagenda.com, to grow awareness and engagement with local planning, zoning and development decisions, business development and community causes.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Hotel proposed to replace former machine shop near waterfront