(SAVANNAH) – Forrest R. Lott and Denise R. Grabowski of Lott + Barber Architects will discuss “Sustainable Fellwood: A Sense of Place, People, & Planet” at the Oct. 23 meeting of the Savannah Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council. The meeting is free and open to the public.
“Sustainable Fellwood is the quintessential model for how affordable, sustainable housing can be integrated into the neighborhood, rather than isolated from it,” Grabowski said. “Furthermore, the green building designs of Sustainable Fellwood will provide healthier homes with lower utility bills to those who need it most.”
As a 27-acre redevelopment of Savannah’s first public housing project, Sustainable Fellwood today is envisioned as a $50 million mixed-use development encompassing public, affordable and market-rate housing, senior housing, single family homes, retail, medical, and technical space, organic community gardens, and significant common green space. This innovative development is the only one in our region participating in the US Green Building Council’s LEED-ND (Neighborhood Development) pilot program and will be guided by the Smart Growth Network’s principles for diverse, walkable, distinctive, attractive communities. Sustainable Fellwood is also participating in the EarthCraft Multi-Family and EarthCraft Coastal Communities programs.
Meeting participants will learn about the integrated design approaches of Sustainable Fellwood, including highlights of its sustainable fe atures, the role of Sustainable Fellwood for the greater community, and lessons learned. Led by Melaver Inc., Sustainable Fellwood represents a true partnership between the Housing Authority of Savannah, the City of Savannah, CHSA, the West Savannah Neighborhood Association, and the development & design team, which also includes Parallel Housing, PRI Inc, Vanguard, and Lott + Barber Architects.
The meeting will be held Oct. 23 from 5:45-7 p.m. on the second floor of Wild Wing Cafe in City Market. Free and open to the public. RSVP to Tommy Linstroth by Oct. 19 at tlinstroth@melaver.com
Sustainable Fellwood is also the first enterprise zone in the City of Savannah, which supports the development and further spurs the redevelopment of West Savannah by providing tax and other incentives to qualifying businesses and residential construction. An enterprise zone designation will establish a small geographic area in which owners of new, single family homes and also owners of businesses with 5 or more employees can apply to the City to receive graduated property tax abatement over a 10-year period. The savings on property taxes will provide added incentive for low-income families to purchase the affordable, single family homes on the Fellwood site. The 13 single family homes on the site will be sold to families earning 80 percent or less of area median income and the affordability of the homes will be maintained for a minimum of 20 years through re-sale deed restrict ions and shared-equitydeed restrictions imposed at the time of sale.
The Savannah Chapter of the United States Green Building Council is dedicated to promoting sustainable design and green building throughout the Creative Coast. The group meets monthly on the fourth Tuesday of the month from 5:45-7 p.m. on the second floor of Wild Wing Cafe in City Market. The meetings are open to the public, and everyone is encouraged to attend. The USGBC-Savannah Chapter seeks to educate the public on the long-term benefits of green building and how sustainable design can be integrated or implemented into one’s life. www.coastalgreen.org