Savannah Area Chamber travels to Charleston to talk regional growth

Yahoo

06-03-2025

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — The Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce traveled to Charleston Thursday to discuss the growing pains of tourism in the two cities.
Leaders explored how communities can collaborate to address the challenges of growth when a major economic development comes to the area. The two cities are twins in many ways with their ports, airports, downtown trolleys, and tourism.
Joint Development and Regional Growth
Savannah area leaders, similar to Charleston, say they're taking a regional approach to growth. According to Tim Keane, Chief of Planning, Permitting, and Engineering with Charleston, planning regionally
'Many people think of us as the same place, and we're not obviously, but there are things that we do share,' Keane said. 'The ports, airports, tourism and transportation are all similarities.'
Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA) CEO Jesse Dillon and Regional Industry Support Enterprise (RISE) President and CEO Anna Chafin both talked about the need for more industry in our area which led to the recruitment of the Hyundai Metaplant in Bryan County.
Transportation Needs
Congestion on the roadways is a part of growth, panelists said. Transportation was also a major discussion point, leaders taking a closer look at travel improvements, including rapid bus service designed to connect the workforce with manufacturing, and its funding sources when a sale tax referendum does not pass.
Savannah Area Chamber members and guests traveled to North Charleston on the Amtrak train. Mayor Van Johnson noted improvements that could be made to the Savannah station, comparing it to the much more updated space in Charleston.
Charleston created a city transportation plan in 2018, with funding from a half cent transportation sales tax. Charleston Councilman Michael Seekings applauded a joint transit project called Lowcountry Rapid Transit, 21.3 miles of infrastructure and improvements. Seekings says they anticipate 7,600 daily riders on the line, which is a 70-minute end-to-end travel time.
'Before, it was all about roads,' Reveer Group President and CEO Rhett Reidenbach said. 'Today, roads are very unpopular. With the growth, people are more worried about green space being impacted.'
Savannah is working on its own transportation plan, called 'Savannah Moves', according to Chief of Planning and Economic Development Faye DiMassimo. In 2023, Chatham Area Transit (CAT) Board of Directors approved the Master Transit Plan, an investment strategy from 2024-2050.
'We've got the tools in our tool kit to do great things,' DiMassimo said.
Tourism and Quality of Life
Speakers also explored the intersection of tourism, booming sports interest and quality of life, discussing how to balance economic growth with community well-being and sustainability.
North Charleston Mayor Reggie Burgess touched on this when welcoming the chamber members to the Amtrak station, saying leaders need to put the citizens first and work with them.
Childcare, workforce, affordable housing and infrastructure funding are four main points of investment for Charleston Regional Development Alliance (CRDA), according to Board Member Jason Brown.
Housing challenges
Another panel takes a deep dive into developing housing in the booming economic region and the challenges such as land and construction costs, infrastructure demands and affordable options to accommodate a growing workforce.
Charleston Home Builders Association Adrian Cain says homes aren't being built fast enough, leading to rent and home prices doubling and tripling. The median home price is over $500,000, according to Zillow. Cain added that the average first time home buyer isn't able to live where they work.
'I think housing is the largest existential threat to our area,' Cain said. 'What we do not do a good job of is connecting rooftops, jobs, and roads… We can and must do better.'
In Savannah, the case is a little better. The median home price is over $319,000, according to Zillow.
Housing Savannah Laura Lane McKinnon shared that many people find it difficult to understand housing initiatives and techniques. They've had several collaborative meeting with developers to receive feedback from community members.
Cain also mentioned that there's room for housing if governments take a closer look at zoning and empty buildings that could be developed into homes.
A spokesperson with the Savannah Area Chamber tells News 3, they look to continue city to city collaboration to learn from other officials in areas with booming growth.
This is a developing story.
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