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Project Location: 7 E. Jones St.   Savannah, GA

Client:         Private

Type of Services: Historic Preservation Rehabilitation

Date Completed:  2009

      7 East Jones Street                                    Savannah, Georgia
        
Built in 1850, only three families have owned this Greek Revival, 5400 square foot, residence. Throughout its lifetime, it has undergone some evolutionary changes. In 1908, the Greek Revival stoop was replaced with a Victorian era design that can be seen in the 1912 photograph below. During the 1940s, it was converted to eight apartments, and in the 1970s, the stoop was altered again as was the two-story side porch.

When the current owner retained Lominack Kolman Smith Architects’ services in 2008, the house was still divided into 8 apartments and had the 1970s stoop. It also showed many other signs of inappropriate alterations. We were charged with reuniting its interior into a single family residence and restoring its exterior.

Located in the heart of Savannah’s National Landmark Historic District, a design review is required by the Historic District Board of Review prior to completing any construction. Therefore, we began this project by fully documenting the exterior, interior, and the site with as-built drawings and photographs. We then created drawings that restored the stoop and the two-story side porch to its 1912 appearance, redesigned the garden wall in a more sensitive manner, and selected exterior colors that were likely used historically. We also designed a landscape plan, a new entrance and garage doors for the original carriage house, and assisted with floor plan designs for the four-story interior.

The design was approved by the Historic District Board of Review with flying colors. The board noted that our designs were historically accurate while attractive in today’s modern Savannah. Our firm regularly applies for approval from this board and our designs are not only approved, but complimented with just as much regularity.

The final result of this project is a combination of features from its 1890 and 1912 appearances, and subtle modern changes that reflect its owners.

301 West Broughton Street, Suite 301, Savannah, Georgia 31401
phone 912.232.5561  fax 912.232.5562   lks@lksarchitects.com