16 Good Reasons Why Savannah is Hot

Howard Spiva, a local and very successful attorney, real estate broker and investment guru wrote this piece but he had 66 reasons and over the next few days, I'll list them all. Howard's web site is http:/www.spivalaw.com. Thanks Howard!

Savannah's population Boom, with 9% growth ...making Savannah in the top 100 growth areas in the country. Surrounding counties have hit 26 to 30% growth. Keys to the future. Compiled by Stephen Sacco

A profile of projects around the Coastal Empire
1. Savannah River Landing - An $800-million project
that will extend Savannah's riverfront walk and fit in with the city's master civic plan that will more than double the historic downtown area, while keeping the charm and beauty of General James Oglethorpe's plan for the city.

Plans include homes, a luxury hotel, a boutique hotel and streets of world-class retail space. In addition, restaurants and office space will create a new social center along the river. Savannah River Landing will feature new construction with the latest technological features and amenities. Water taxis are planned and will be available to take people from the mainland to Hutchinson Island. For information, go to the Web site www.savannahriverlanding .com.

2. Hutchinson Island Development - The civic master plan for Hutchinson Island takes some inspiration from Savannah's civic master plan for downtown. Hutchinson is already home to The Savannah International Trade and Convention Center and The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa. New development on the 200-acre island is planned to begin on Parcel 7, which is 13 acres of upland and 7 acres of water, just west of the Trade Center.

There are plans for hotels, housing and a framework for future growth. The island may also be the future home to a destination restaurant, ecotourism and a music venue. The philosophy for the Hutchinson Island is defined clearly by its developers: "The street and block plan organizes the site, provides public access to the waterfront, respects view corridors, improves circulation across the island, and creates blocks to accommodate a range of uses and open spaces." It is the basis for the official mapping of streets, parks, and other public spaces that will shape the public realm on Hutchinson Island.

3. Georgia Ports Authority/The Port of Savannah's Garden City Terminal - Savannah's port is now the second largest for container traffic on the East Coast and fourth largest in the nation. The port growth has spurred warehouse development and distribution facilities in the area, most notably by companies including Home Depot, Target and IKEA.

The port is owned and operated by the Georgia Ports Authority, which boasts that this port includes the industry's only Client Relations Center.

According to the Georgia Ports Authority "The facility's single-terminal design allows the port to operate in an environment of maximum efficiency and flexibility, as well as increased security, due to the concentration of all manpower, technology and equipment in one massive container operation." The authority says its representatives are versed in the unique requirements of international trade and investment, and its labor force comes from one of the top-six fastest growing populations in the nation. For information, go to www. gaports .com/.

4. Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) - Many people credit the Savannah College of Art and Design for beginning the revitalization of historic downtown Savannah. In 2003, Kaplan/Newsweek chose SCAD as a "hidden gem" and in 2006 the national survey rated SCAD the hottest college to study art in the country. The school's three locations and online programs attract students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries. In 2006, roughly 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students were enrolled.

The college sponsors cultural events like the Savannah Film Festival, which last year paid homage to actor Tommy Lee Jones, and the Sidewalk Arts Festival in April. According to its official bio SCAD was founded in Savannahin 1978 "with a curriculum designed to provide an excellent arts education and effective career preparation for students."
SCAD's goal is to prepare talented students for careers in the visual and performing arts, design, the building arts, and the history of art and architecture. The college emphasizes learning through individual attention in a positively oriented environment. For information, go to www . scad. edu/.

5. Armstrong Atlantic State University - Armstrong was founded in 1935 as Armstrong Junior College and has since become a part of the University System of Georgia. The university awarded over 900 degrees for the 2005-2006 academic year.

The school serves more than 6,700 students of all ages. Forty-three percent are from the Savannah-Chatham County area. Others come from throughout Georgia, the nation, and more than 70 countries. For information, go to www. armstrong .edu/.

6. Savannah State University - Savannah State University's motto is, "You can get anywhere from here." It is the oldest historically black college in Georgia. It was founded in 1890 as a state land-grant institution.

The university enrolls 2,500 students, many of whom come from Georgia, with a growing number from out of state and abroad, The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia states. Students may choose from 26 undergraduate and graduate degree programs offered through the colleges of Business Administration, Liberal Arts and Social Sciences and Sciences and Technology. For information, go to www. savstate .edu/.

7. University of Phoenix-Savannah Campus - The University of Phoenix specializes in adult education and is known nationally for its online courses. Roughly 200,000 students are registered for classes nationwide.

Established in 1970, the university now has a Savannah campus. For information, go to www. phoenix .edu/.

8. Georgia Institute of Technology Savannah Campus - One of the top research universities in the country has a campus on Savannah's west side. The campus was established to serve the area's growing knowledge-based businesses, aerospace and other industries. A convergence of art and technology has led to Savannah's emerging identity as The Creative Coast.
There are currently 125 undergraduates (juniors and seniors only) and 45 graduate students enrolled at the Savannah campus. Those numbers are expected to grow. Georgia Tech Savannah occupies a 46-acre tract within Savannah's Technology and Engineering Campus. Only minutes from downtown, the campus is bordered by natural wetlands and is home to a number of native plant and animal species, including coyotes, foxes, and deer. Distributed across three buildings, the campus supports a bookstore, café, library, student lounges and study rooms, distance-capable classrooms, and more than 30 instructional and research laboratories. For information, go to www .gtsav .gatech .edu/.

9. South University - South University's Savannah campus is home to the School of Business, School of Health Professions, and School of Pharmacy, the South University's Web site states. There are 3,500-plus registered students in the Savannah area, including those taking online courses. For information, go to ww .southuniversity .edu/campus/Savannah.

10. Savannah Technical College - Savannah Tech is an important part of the educational infrastructure in the area. The college often partners with business to offer Georgia Quick Start training that fit the needs of employers and job seekers alike. It currently serves roughly 4,000 students. Among the many programs the college offers, the most popular are nursing, hospitality, culinary arts and air conditioning. For information, go to www. savannahtech.edu/.

11. Live Oak Public Libraries/Library Business Center - The Live Oak Public Libraries serve Chatham, Effingham and Liberty counties with 19 branches.

Its main branch, located on Bull Street in Savannah, is home to the Business Resource Center, which provides assistance and information from books, publications and online databases to persons starting a business. In addition, existing businesses can request assistance for research on management and marketing issues.

The Live Oak Public Libraries has programs geared towards children and people of all ages. For information, go to www. liveoakpl.org/.

12. Memorial Health University Medical Center/ William and Iffath Hoskins Center for Biomedical Research - The medical institution serves 35 counties in southeast Georgia and southern South Carolina. Facilities include: Memorial Health University Medical Center, a 530-bed tertiary medical center; CareOne, a two-state home care division; Memorial Health University Physicians, a primary and specialty care physician networks; a major medical education program; NurseOne, a 24-hour call center; and an affiliation with Mercer University School of Medicine that will soon become a four-year medical program.

The William and Iffath Hoskins Center for Biomedical Research is a 60,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art cancer research and education facility designed for medical and translational research. Translational or "bench to bedside" research allows scientists and physicians to work together to quickly translate laboratory findings into new cancer treatments or prevention techniques. To learn more, visit www. memorialhealth.com/.

13. St. Joseph/Candler - St. Joseph's/Candler of Savannah, Georgia is comprised of St. Joseph's Hospital and Candler Hospital, two of the oldest continuously operating hospitals in the United States. It is the only faith-based facility in Savannah. It provides services including cardiology, oncology, digestive diseases, neurosensory disorders, orthopedics, women's and children's services and diabetes. Mary Telfair Women's Hospital and the J.C. Lewis Cancer Center are located there. For information, go to www.sjchs.org/.

14. Georgia Power - The electricity demands of the Savannah area are served by Georgia Power, the largest of five electric utilities that make up Southern Company. Georgia Power is an investor-owned, tax-paying utility that serves over 2.3 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Georgia Power has approximately 9,278 employees throughout the state, 400 of which work in coastal Georgia. It also has 267,252 customers across the 15-county coastal region, according to Georgia Power.

15. AT&T/BellSouth - There are more than 33,000 miles of fiber optic cable coursing under cobblestone streets, enabling high-speed connectivity just about everywhere. Savannah ranks as the second largest market in Georgia and has the second largest fiber deployment in the state. Telecom companies have invested heavily in infrastructure in the city and Savannah has additional local carriers that ensure competitive rates. Savannah has eight POPs (Points of Presence) and 125 exchange carriers as well as an ISDN switch, ATM, and ASL, according to the Savannah Economic Development Authority.

16. Gulfstream Aerospace - Luxury business jet manufacturer Gulfstream Aerospace announced in March 2006 that it would invest $300 million to expand its manufacturing and service facilities in Savannah, adding at least 1,100 new jobs over the next seven months. Gulfstream also opened a new research facility at Crossroads Business Park designed to accommodate some 750 engineers, some of whom may be working on what could be the first supersonic business jet, according to the Savannah Morning News. The company currently employs roughly 5,000 people in the area.