For Immediate Release
Date: October 29, 2015

City leaders and private industry joined forces on Thursday to move forward plans to develop a new public safety facility on Hutchinson Island.

Savannah Harbor Associates LLC, which is planning an exciting mixed-use development east of the Westin, donated 1.625 acres of land to the City to develop a new facility for Savannah Fire and the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department. The value of the land donation is more than $250,000.

Flanked by a fire truck and police cruiser at the site of the planned public safety facility, Mayor Edna Jackson thanked Savannah Harbor Associates for the donation.

“This is about the public and private sectors working together to make our community safer and better,” said Mayor Jackson. “It is partnerships like this that make Savannah great.”

Savannah Harbor Associates, a consortium involving the John Cay family, Batson-Cook, and CSX, will unveil plans for its development in coming months. It worked with urban planner Sottile and Sottile and architects with Hussey Gay Bell to develop plans for a new public safety facility that will integrate seamlessly into the future development.

“It gives us great pride to be able to donate land to such a worthy cause,” said Rusty Ross, representing Savannah Harbor Associates. “Public safety is of paramount importance, and we cannot thank our men and women in uniform enough for the work they do every day to make our community – and future communities – a better and safer place to live.”

The facility will be funded primarily through Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) proceeds. Construction is expected to begin in 2016, and become operational in 2017.

“This will be the first time that Police and Fire will be under one roof,” said City Manager Stephanie Cutter. “This is an exciting opportunity.”

District One Alderman Van Johnson, who represents Hutchinson Island, pointed out that all involved – the developers, engineers, and architects – are from Savannah, partnering with the City of Savannah.

“Local folks working on local projects,” Alderman Johnson said. “This is really what community is all about.”