Real estate website lists Savannah Mall up for auction

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - The Savannah Mall is for sale, according to the real estate website Ten-X.

According to the post, the online auction begins Aug. 8 and runs through Aug. 11.

Right now, the starting rate is at $2.5 million.

City of Savannah Alderman Kurtis Purtee confirmed the Savannah Mall is up for auction.

“I’m extremely anxious to make that reality. I think our folks deserve it. For the long time, the southside has been ignored a lot of dollars in funding has gone other places. This is a time to get back to our community to revitalize an area of working class families,” said Alderman Purtee.

That’s a frustration shared by many residents on the southside who showed up for a townhall meeting to discuss a number of issues from lack of streetlights, road infrastructure and crime.

Several people expressed they want issues in their neighborhoods fixed before more development like a community center.

“It was more of an intriguing thought process to see how fed up our people are of not having the basic services they need. People in my opinion are just fed up. We’re tired of crime, we’re tired of not having basic adequate safety features where kids can go out in the neighborhood and play and people can feel safe in their neighborhood.”

Alderman Purtee says the discussion for the mall to be turned into a city center is part of a master plan for the southside to address many of those concerns expressed over the years.

He’s thinking housing, restaurants, green space, a community center and more activities for youth.

“It’s an awesome opportunity, especially with it being in a federal opportunity zone the gateway of Savannah. When folks come into Savannah and cross that forest river bridge, they should be able to look to the left and see something that defines the southside of Savannah.”

The city is not actively pursuing this right now. It’s a proposal from Alderman Purtee and he hopes they can get on the same page.

WTOC spoke with someone who rents space inside the mall and they say, as of Thursday, they haven’t been notified of the mall being up for auction online.

See the listing here.

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