SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) - Coastal Georgia’s largest city is delaying a plan to swap its current police headquarters for a new building farther away from downtown.
The plan calls for Savannah to trade the current building for a new building that Savannah College of Art and Design would build at no cost to the city.
The Savannah Morning News reports City Manager Pat Monahan is seeking the delay because part of the proposed new site may be needed for widening of a canal. The city is studying a hydrology report of canal widening options to help determine how much of the parcel could be needed.
Part of the 5-acre (2-hectare) site could be needed to build a foundation to replace the current Talmadge Memorial Bridge. The Georgia Ports Authority has said the bridge isn’t tall enough to accommodate larger new container ships.
There are also concerns about maintaining the historic nature of the current red-brick headquarters and maintaining a police presence downtown.
Monahan says the Savannah College of Art and Design would agree that any exterior renovations would conform to federal guidelines for historic buildings, note the historic use as a police barracks and have an historic marker.
Monahan also says the city would create a downtown police substation.
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The metric conversion in the 4th paragraph has been corrected.
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