The Creative Coast’s blogspot is Savannah’s sounding board for local thinkers, innovators, wanderers and wonderers. Guest bloggers share their thoughts, opinions and creative noodling from all over the map. This week’s blog is from Suzanne Donovan, communications director for Step Up Savannah, a local not-for-profit organization bringing together business, community and goverment leaders to address poverty in our area. Read on for Suzanne’s insights on how Savannah is stepping up to the plate …

I hate ribbon cuttings. But the recent ceremonial opening of Savannah Gardens, our newest housing development on the east side of the city, made me want to stand up and cheer. Years of work by a multi-layered partnership among nonprofit developers, the City, banks, even the feds, produced a spanking-new $100 million neighborhood that will have 550 housing units when it’s finished in about four years.

But guess what: It’s not enough.

Savannah desperately needs more safe, decent housing that’s affordably priced. While we’re known for our important historic architecture, our housing costs are rising faster than inflation and way faster than wage growth. We’re one of Georgia’s most expensive places to live when you stack up our wages and costs of rent, mortgage, and utilities. The upshot? Our low-income working families are getting priced out.

The Creative Coast’s blogspot is Savannah’s sounding board for local thinkers, innovators, wanderers and wonderers. Guest bloggers share their thoughts, opinions and creative noodling from all over the map. This week’s guest blogger is Eric Johnson, SEDA board member and president of Hussey, Gay, Bell & DeYoung, a Savannah-based architectural and engineering firm.  Read on for an interesting perspective on moving from Savannah’s squares to a world platform…

A World Trade Center Savannah? At first, I was skeptical.

But I committed myself to working with fellow SEDA board members Tommy Hester, Steve Green, Scott Center, and Brooks Stillwell along with Steve Weathers, Brynn Grant and consultant Kevin Werntz to explore the potential. It took four months.

As we got started, it was our intent to develop an international business development platform specific to the greater Savannah region and make sure whatever we might do would strengthen the four core focus areas of SEDA’s 5-Year Strategic Plan — Business Attraction, Business Retention & Expansion, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and Competitive Positioning & Marketing, all of which exist for the purpose of creating jobs and attracting investment.

Our goals for the effort were to –

• Help established businesses expand internationally

The Creative Coast’s blogspot is Savannah’s sounding board for local thinkers, innovators, wanderers and wonderers. Guest bloggers share their thoughts, opinions and creative noodling from all over the map. This week’s guest blogger is Savannah’s City Manager, Rochelle Small-Toney.  Read on for positive insights on the future from one of our city’s leaders….

I am very proud to say that Savannah is the envy of municipal governments across the country. There are many reasons for this distinction, but primarily because of the breadth of what we offer our citizens and visitors: a diverse and creative population; varied, unique neighborhoods; a vibrant waterfront in view of one of the nation’s busiest international ports; and this country’s most beautiful, intact Historic District, which serves as home for a thriving Downtown core.

I am optimistic that our tourist economy will continue to rebound from the recession, and Downtown Savannah will thrive, helping businesses grow, creating jobs, and generating sales tax dollars that support the delivery of city services. According to 2009 estimates, 29% of Savannah’s property tax revenue came from Downtown. A market analysis conducted by the Savannah Development and Renewal Authority in late 2010 concluded that retail sales in Downtown Savannah generated an estimated $328 million. These estimates are an indication that our Downtown is healthy and of great importance to our community. We should do all that we can to support it, and create incentives to help it grow.

 The Creative Coast’s blogspot is Savannah’s sounding board for local thinkers, innovators, wanderers and wonderers. Guest bloggers share their thoughts, opinions and creative noodling from all over the map. This week’s guest blogger is Brynn Grant, Vice President of Competitive Positioning at Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA).  A conversation with Brynn always leaves one thinking bigger and further outside the sandbox.

It’s widely known that Savannah has been a center for commerce since its founding in 1733. By the late 1700s, it was considered one of the most important cities in the world for international business and trade. Today, Savannah is a location for several global companies, the world headquarters for Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation and the North American headquarters for JCB, particularly. It is home to the 4th largest port in the U.S., 42nd in the world, and recognized internationally as a destination for tourism.

How are we maximizing these assets for the greatest possible economic benefits? Who’s doing what? Is there a collaborative, comprehensive and proactive plan for our city, our county, or the region as a whole? If not, should there be? And then, what kind of structure, plan or approach will have the highest value and greatest possible return? As part of the competitive positioning directed by our 5-Year Strategic Plan, SEDA is asking these questions.