Sherman Versus Ayn Rand.

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This memo is a purposeful departure from my usual four topics. It pieces together information from a variety of local sources regarding the largest industrial complex project ever undertaken in GA and the potential impact The Hyundai Battery Plant may have on our lovely historic city.

First of all, we are talking about an eventual employment roll for the factory in excess of 10,000 and ancillary suppliers of another significant amount, all needing residences. Secondly, I am told all major land for large warehouses is already under contract and an enormous amount of square footage is already under construction. This event protects Savannah and surroundings from any significant downturn should there be a real estate contraction.

However, there other concerns that relate to our historic district, ie. traffic, population explosion, crime and the type of new citizen whose interests might well, and are already beginning to, conflict with our more laid back life style, That would be tragic.

Savannah just celebrated St Patrick's Day and over 400,000 swelled our population.  Weather was glorious, attendees were mainly jocular and an atmosphere akin to jovial, Americana and Saturday Pictoral Scenes comes to mind.  It was right out of a Rockwell Poster.

Making matters worse, I am  told greedy capitalists are fighting the Historic Board because a particular building has been erected that does not conform to various restrictions and if allowed to stand, Savannah will lose it's historic documents and status.

My wife is native born and I am a southerner by birth from a contiguous state and understand change is inevitable but not always positive. Five hundred year old mossy trees take quite a while to grow, brick paved streets can be dangerous but also charming.  Homes, that are hundreds of year's old but internally are being upgraded and modernized, are something to behold and being bound by lovely picturesque water ways, cruising freighters, private motor boats and commercial trawler types restricts the amount of vacant land.  

Several years ago, we were able to restrict cruise ships docking and belching thousands of tourists flooding our streets and that created conflict between residents and commercialism.  Most tourists do not spend large sums because we offer no tax free items, go to the Caribbean for that.  Most spend their money on "chotchga's, ie t shirts, and booze and the city must pay for increased police and drug incidences etc.

The flood of mal-contents from the north to the south is already leaving its footprint  and Florida has begun choking from the traffic and other burdens.

Savannah is unique.  Books are written about our ambiance, we are a mecca for the movie industry (over 70 films have been made in Savannah.) Contiguous to our town is a lot of history, old Civil War forts, our own sandy "red neck" Rivera called Tybee, shrimping/charter boats.

We have education, theater, culture, military bases, music, book, film and couturier festivals galore and down town living that is increasingly sophisticated, well maintained and restaurants that have national reputations (some you have to stoop to enter.). Our weather is mild save for a few months, our flora strikingly colorful, hospitals and medical care improving and parks and recreation.  Want to play golf , pickle ball or tennis we have among the best.  We even have a unique baseball season that has gained national attention because of creative marketing, antiquing and a lot of local owned stores as a result of proprietor graduates from SCAD, the nation's largest art college. 

Our population is also heavily foreign - English, Irish, Greek, African, increasing numbers of Asians and we have every religious nomination in the catalogue. We get along well though we also have the scars of segregation.

Finally, we are the first planned city, built according to that plan, ie. squares designed  by Gen. Oglethorpe.

I could go on but you should now have the picture so why screw with EDEN?

For once, remember we survived Sherman why let Ayn Rand and Atlas win.