2007-01-15, 15:09

Mixed use in an old neighborhood of Savannah

By: Jonathan Groner

On Martin Luther King Day, a reflection:

In 1940, Fellwood Homes opened on Savannah's West Side as public housing for blacks. That followed local custom and law, which of course did not mandate desegregation until the 1960s. The development was torn down in 2003, and now there are plans to revitalize the neighborhood with mixed-use development. Here are the first few paragraphs of a Jan. 9, 2007, article from the Savannah Morning News:

Fellwood Homes and Annex to be replaced by eco-friendly mixed-use development

Savannah's oldest public housing neighborhood is giving way to a mixed-use development that developers say will help revive the west side.

The structures at Fellwood Homes and Fellwood Homes Annex came down this weekend, but it could be well into 2008 before "Sustainable Fellwood" begins to take shape on the 26-acre tract.

Replacing the 1940-era buildings off West Bay Street will be multi-use housing, a large park and retail/office space.

"We're starting with a clean slate," said Rosalyn Truitt, development services manager at the Housing Authority of Savannah.

Last month, the authority selected Melaver Inc., a local development group, to head a team as master developer for the more than $30 million public-private partnership project, Truitt said.

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Like many mixed-use developments that are planned or under way, this will be an environmentally friendly, energy efficient development. From the discredited mid-20th century regime of segregation to the early-21st century ideal of green building is a long way.

For the full story, please visit http://old.savannahnow.com/stories/010907/136474886.shtml.



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