Affectionately known as “America’s first planned city,” Savannah has been a hub for all things culture and commerce since 1733. Its position along the water turned it into a bustling port city, while its temperate climate and unique square-based design have continued to make it a favorite destination through to 2023. Of course, one of the characteristics that has defined the Savannah area is how it has maintained much of its original charm. Historic buildings give way to the Spanish moss trees of literary lore, and many of the business owners and families who have contributed to the city’s growth for centuries still do today.
Nevertheless, change can also be a positive—especially when it’s done with consideration for all that history. Enter, the Hostess City’s riverfront.
Tides of Change
As Savannah grew, its riverfront experienced countless evolutions. Soon, gone were the days when only dockworkers rolling barrels off ships frequented its walkways. But development didn’t keep up with the changing landscape of the city, and the riverfront was considered to be in a state of decline for decades.
Now, Savannah-loving investors are breathing new life into this beautiful stretch of waterside land. Upper East River is just one of the developers striving to bring the luster back to Savannah’s riverfront. From the residences, hotel, retail and office locations, and green spaces of our neighborhood and Eastern Wharf, all the way down to the energetic shopping, eateries, and nightlife of Plant Riverside, a new era of Savannah is forming along its riverfront. The best part? It all brings fresh possibilities to the city’s residents and guests, while honoring the rich history of the Savannah area.
But we aren’t the only ones who are excited about these shifts. Our realtor and Associate Broker at Bay Street Realty Group, Heather Booth, joined the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce’s President and CEO, Bert Brantley, to talk all things Savannah’s future.
Bert Brantley Talks Savannah Area Future
“The incredible thing about what we’ve seen is, these are investors who are saying, ‘Savannah is worth our time and worth our money,’” he shares. “All the way down to Plant Riverside; it’s a total game changer down there—incredible reuse of a facility that had been past its prime. To bring that back to life in such an incredible way and then to come all the way down here to Eastern Wharf and see this revitalization of this area down here—you know those are people who are putting their dollars in our market and saying, ‘Savannah is worth the investment. We’re betting on Savannah’s future.’”
He goes on to note that other parts of Savannah are seeing this rejuvenation as well. But the riverfront, he enthuses, is certainly something special.
To hear the rest of Brantley’s thoughts, tune in to the conversation:
#newsavannah #savannahriverfront #historicsavannah #savannahareachamberofcommerce #uppereastriver #savannahsfuture #easternwharf #plantriverside
