Savannah Waterworks poster
1
THE SAVANNAH WATERWORKS BUILDING HISTORY CURRENT CONDITIONS SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD Bricks crumble around the archway on the south entrance, but many surrounding terra cotta details remain in good condition. Machinery used to raise the roof for ventila- tion purposes is still intact. The height of the large smokestack has been reduced and ivy is growing into the brick- work. The large tin roof has several holes, and the trusses holding up the roof are rusting. Romanesque tower is no longer accessible due to a collapsed roof and staircase, the win- dows have been bricked in. Some of the terra cotta details above the windows are falling off and are being held in place by wood or steel beams. construction BIDS FROM all over eastern united states NEW YORK Holly Manufacturing Co. Pumping Engines Rensselaer Manufacturing Co. Valves & Water Gates MARYLAND Robertson & Weaver Water Conduit GEORGIA (Local) W.F. Chaplin Building construction Subfloor Martin Cooley Laying pipes John McGrath Drayage of pipes John Rourke & Son Boilers ILLNOIS Thomas T. Johnson Design/Engineering TENNESSEE W.H. Converse Roof ALABAMA Howard Harrison Iron Co. Pipes FLORIDA E.F. Joyce boring wells Designed by Thomas T. Johnson, built in 1893 Replaced the outdated waterworks on the Savannah River and supplied drinking water to Savannah’s growing population Supplied entire city’s drinking water supply between 1893-1908 Could not keep up with water demands of the city, closed permanently in 1940. Designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style. Identifying features include: • Romanesque tower • Romanesque arches • Arched windows • Brick, granite trim, and Mascarons of men and lions Arcaded cornice with acanthus leaves Cattails and foliage in window arches Interior frieze with foliage and myth- ological water-creatures sculptural terra cotta details: CARVER HEIGHTS city of savannah vs population density avg. houshold income single-mother households population without high school education population living below poverty level avg. value of detached houses 3,674 people per square mile $23,704 $36,760 19.5% 14.5% 52.1% 16.3% $95,861 $199,294 31.3% 28.9% 1,866 people per square mile Neighborhood today known as Carver Heights Low-income neighborhood Vernacular architecture - Houses built with inexpensive materials and placed on small lots Historically, people in this area worked for surrounding industries or commuted into Savannah for domestic work. Large, extended families would live in a single small house Area surveyed across the street from Waterworks: Stiles Avenue and Springfield Street -most homes built between 1915-1930 -several had been altered and didn’t maintain historic integrity House types seen: Architectural types seen in the neighborhood: • National style • Craftsman style (elements) • Prairie Style (elements) Shotgun Double Shotgun Pyramid Cottage Front Gable Bungalow Postcard, Georgia Historical Society, circa 1900 Photograph by Ellie Isaacs Google Maps imagery Google Maps imagery By 1908, the city’s water had to be supplemented with water from the Savannah River for the first time since the construc- tion of the new Waterworks. Seven new pumps were installed between 1918-1921 Used only for emergency water supply after 1921, then ceased operations in 1940. Still owned by the city water department, been used as a storage facility for over 70 years. The building currently “stands as an ironic monument to what was only a very brief cure to the city’s insatiable desire for fresh water.” - Marissa C. Gomez and Daves Rossell • Trash Cans, tires, utility vehicles are being stored in and around the buildings • The site that used to have landscaping and fountains now contains parking and 15 smaller noncontributing structures • Plants and shrubbery are growing out of cracks in the exterior walls of the building • Large tower no longer accessible due to collapsed ceiling and stairwell Many of the buildings original features are intact and the space has a lot of potential, but an adaptive reuse project would not be inexpensive or easy. Davis Allen HIPR 203 Prof. Keller March 13, 2014
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An informational poster to display historical research of the Savannah Waterworks building. Includes photographs, maps, and infographics.
Transcript of Savannah Waterworks poster
THE SAVANNAH WATERWORKS BUILDING HISTORY CURRENT CONDITIONS SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD
Bricks crumble around the archway on the
south entrance, but many surrounding terra
cotta details remain in good condition.
Machinery used to raise the roof for ventila-
tion purposes is still intact.
The height of the large smokestack has been
reduced and ivy is growing into the brick-
work.
The large tin roof has several holes, and the
trusses holding up the roof are rusting.
Romanesque tower is no longer accessible
due to a collapsed roof and staircase, the win-
dows have been bricked in.
Some of the terra cotta details above the
windows are falling off and are being held in
place by wood or steel beams.
construction BIDS FROM all over eastern united states
NEW YORKHolly Manufacturing Co.
Pumping Engines
Rensselaer Manufacturing Co.
Valves & Water Gates
MARYLANDRobertson & Weaver
Water Conduit
GEORGIA (Local)
W.F. Chaplin
Building construction
Subfloor
Martin Cooley
Laying pipes
John McGrath
Drayage of pipes
John Rourke & Son
Boilers
ILLNOISThomas T. Johnson
Design/Engineering
TENNESSEEW.H. Converse
Roof
ALABAMAHoward Harrison Iron Co.
Pipes
FLORIDAE.F. Joyce
boring wells
Designed by Thomas T. Johnson, built in 1893Replaced the outdated waterworks on the Savannah River and supplied drinking water to Savannah’s growing population
Supplied entire city’s drinking water supply between 1893-1908
Could not keep up with water demands of the city, closed permanently in 1940.
Designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style. Identifying features include:
• Romanesque tower
• Romanesque arches
• Arched windows
• Brick, granite trim, and
Mascarons of men and lions Arcaded cornice with acanthus leaves Cattails and foliage in window arches Interior frieze with foliage and myth-
ological water-creatures
sculptural terra cotta details:
CARVER HEIGHTS city of savannahvs
population density
avg. houshold income
single-mother households
population without high school education
population living below poverty level
avg. value of detached houses
3,674 people per square mile
$23,704 $36,760
19.5% 14.5%
52.1% 16.3%
$95,861 $199,294
31.3% 28.9%
1,866 people per square mile
Neighborhood today known as Carver HeightsLow-income neighborhood
Vernacular architecture - Houses built with inexpensive materials and placed on small lots
Historically, people in this area worked for surrounding industries or commuted into Savannah for domestic work.
Large, extended families would live in a single small house
Area surveyed across the street from Waterworks: Stiles Avenue and Springfield Street
-most homes built between 1915-1930 -several had been altered and didn’t maintain historic integrity
House types seen:
Architectural types seen in the neighborhood:
• National style
• Craftsman style (elements)
• Prairie Style (elements)
Shotgun Double Shotgun Pyramid Cottage Front Gable Bungalow
Postcard, Georgia Historical Society, circa 1900 Photograph by Ellie Isaacs Google Maps imagery Google Maps imagery
By 1908, the city’s water had to be supplemented with water from the Savannah River for the first time since the construc-
tion of the new Waterworks.
Seven new pumps were installed between 1918-1921Used only for emergency water supply after 1921, then ceased operations in 1940.
Still owned by the city water department, been used as a storage facility for over 70 years.
The building currently “stands as an ironic monument to what was only a very brief cure to the city’s insatiable desire for fresh water.” - Marissa C. Gomez and Daves Rossell
• Trash Cans, tires, utility vehicles are being stored in and around the buildings
• The site that used to have landscaping and fountains now contains parking and 15 smaller noncontributing structures
• Plants and shrubbery are growing out of cracks in the exterior walls of the building
• Large tower no longer accessible due to collapsed ceiling and stairwell
Many of the buildings original features are intact and the space has a lot of potential, but an adaptive reuse project would not
be inexpensive or easy.
Davis AllenHIPR 203
Prof. KellerMarch 13, 2014
