Savannah: A Precarious Balance

One of the great things about Savannah is the ease with which you can walk around town. Oglethorpe had a stroke of genius when he designed the grid of squares throughout downtown Savannah, although then it wasn't "downtown" Savannah, it was just Savannah. Also, Oglethorpe had no way of predicting cars and the type of road congestion we experience today, but the squares are perfect for slowing down traffic and allowing pedestrians the comfort of walking and the feeling they are not overwhelmed or blocked from the city by traffiic. By slowing down traffic while drivers slowly go around the squares this allows drivers and pedestrians to develop a courtesy system where crossing over from one block to the next is commonly understood -- most drivers will stop when they see someone standing to cross, and there is a lot of waving and nodding going on between drivers and pedestrians.

It also allows drivers the chance to slow down and take in all the beautiful landscaping of the squares and grand architecture which surrounds the squares. It works out very well and the pace is set to enjoy rather than to rush through. The slow pace and the scenic surroundings make Savannah a choice spot for vacationers. I can't find the article but recently Savannah made the top 10 in US cities as a vacation spot (Travel and Leisure magazine?) -- others included San Francisco and New York, so we are in pretty heady company.

Being a local, I enjoy the city on almost a daily basis (I live only five minutes from the heart of downtown). I watch Savannah as she changes and grows, hoping the growth will not change the unique character of the city. Savannah has a mysterious feel about it, a time-warp sense of going back to a different day and age, but it also has a modern touch that blends in with its history and old architecture. This precarious balance creates a tension that is palpable at times, and frustrating to some who misunderstand the historic aspect of the city and lingering mindset of an unhurried way of life.

Savannah is also becoming a city of art and rough-refinement, another mixture of raucousness and appreciation for beauty. The Savannah College of Art and Design is inself an influence of contrasts with green-haired, tattooed students particpating in SCAD's efforts to disseminate art and renovate old buildings into a present synergy greater than the new and old. Everywhere you look is the play of old and new creating something that struggles to transcend and "become". It's in the becoming that I find the reward of witnessing change and preservation work a compromise of community and uniqueness. It's difficult to describe, but it's fun to be a part of.