The Savannah City Council has abandoned its plan to renovate a historic pharmacy on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard after hearing a dire prognosis about its structural health.
Under a new plan, the 1960s-era building will be razed and replaced with a replica featuring the same novel honey-combed block facade.
Cara O’Rourke, the city’s architectural coordinator, broke the news to the council that there were multiple issues discovered with the building that the city had purchased for $371,000 in 2009. The purchase of a vacant lot for parking, along with additional fees, later brought that total to about $510,000.
O’Rourke said the supportive rebar and grout was never installed within the walls when the building was built, as the design plans called for. There are cracks in the mortar and the foundation blocks are being pushed inwards from soil pressure. The roof leaks and there has been extensive water damage and much of the structure needs to be replaced.
“You might be wondering why this building is still standing,” she said.
Demolishing and building a replica is expected to cost about $1.4 million less than renovating it, bringing the projected total to $2.84 million. An additional $378,669 will need to be budgeted to cover that cost.
That project expense includes the $604,000 the city has already spent on the project, which was intended to serve as a catalyst for revitalizing the MLK corridor. The city planned to install its economic development department and some commercial tenants in the building, which was where Savannah’s first black-owned pharmacy was located.
City Manager Stephanie Cutter said the city’s original plan for the building is still relevant.
“It is a very sick building, but it can be recreated,” Cutter said.
Along with alleviating safety concerns, rebuilding the pharmacy will allow for the city to meet accessibility requirements, a better use of floor space and an extended lifespan.
News of the buildings deficiencies comes after the city council in May terminated the design contract to renovate the structure after determining its unsound condition required additional expertise. The discovery was made when a bulldozer accidentally swiped the building while demolishing an adjacent structure and revealed that the concrete blocks were not properly reinforced. About $40,000 of that $60,200 contract had been spent.
Not all of the aldermen were as supportive of rebuilding the structure as others. Alderman Tom Bordeaux said that he would like staff to explore some other ways the funds could be used to revitalize the area, before committing to anything. Bordeaux was also concerned after learning from staff that the new building could end up costing about three times what its value would end up being. Alderman Carolyn Bell agreed.
“I think we do have a responsibility to consider whether this money might be put to better use,” Bell said.
But others said that they should not forget that they bought the building for a purpose and pressed to move forward.
Alderman Estella Shabazz said the building was one of Savannah’s monuments and compared it the old Union Station along MLK, which was demolished.
“We don’t have that building anymore,” Shabazz said. “(The pharmacy) is definitely part of the African-American history of the city and we should preserve it.”