Savannah Moves Forward on Safe Streets, History Initiatives, and MLK Arena Demolition

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The City of Savannah is making progress on several key initiatives, including a $9.9 million safe streets project for the 37th Street corridor, a new history preservation effort called "StoryRoots: Mapping Savannah's History", and the demolition of the Martin Luther King Jr. Arena. The city held public engagement sessions to gather feedback on the 37th Street project and is now moving forward with conceptual layouts. The StoryRoots initiative aims to capture Savannah's history through resident memories and submissions. Demolition work on the MLK Arena is set to begin this month, with full removal expected to take about 13 months.

Why it matters

These initiatives demonstrate Savannah's commitment to improving public safety, preserving its rich history, and redeveloping key landmarks. The 37th Street corridor improvements will enhance walkability and bike safety in the area. The StoryRoots project will help document and share Savannah's unique stories. And the MLK Arena demolition is a major step in the city's plans to redevelop the civic center site.

The details

For the 37th Street corridor project, the city held public engagement sessions in November 2025 to gather feedback from residents on preferred safety improvements. Based on that input, the city is now moving forward with conceptual layouts for the project. The city is also collecting traffic and roadway data to assess how the improvements can be implemented safely and effectively. A design consultant will be hired to help advance the initiative. Savannah's new "StoryRoots: Mapping Savannah's History" initiative aims to capture the city's history through resident-submitted photos, documents, and written memories of significant locations. The city will use the collected insights to build an interactive online map and guide further efforts to preserve and share Savannah's rich history. For the MLK Arena demolition, early project work will include interior preparation like asbestos and lead abatement, as well as relocation of the Johnny Mercer Theatre's kitchen and concession areas. The most notable impact to residents will be partial closure of the civic center parking lot, with construction crews accessing the site via Liberty Street. Visible demolition of the arena structure is expected to begin in late spring 2026, with full removal taking about 13 months.

• In November 2025, the city held public engagement sessions to gather feedback on the 37th Street corridor project.
• In January 2026, the city provided an update on the next steps for the 37th Street corridor project.
• In late February 2026, deconstruction activities of the MLK Arena are expected to begin.
• In late spring 2026, visible demolition of the MLK Arena structure is expected to begin.
• The full removal of the MLK Arena is expected to take about 13 months.

What’s next

The city is planning to hire a design consultant to help move the 37th Street corridor improvement initiative forward. Visible demolition of the MLK Arena structure is expected to begin in late spring 2026, with full removal taking about 13 months.