Savannah is Alive and Well!

Savannah is Alive and Well!
By Howard Spiva

New York and the rest of the world loves Savannah, and like any beautiful lady, she responds best to those who love her.

The 12th Most Trendy Spot in the World~New York Times

The Atlanta Journal, Forbes, CNN Money, Family Fun magazine and The New Your Times praise Savannah as: 'Beautiful, One of the top places to live and work; One of the hottest Cities for Business;One of the best areas to start and grow a business;Best places to Retire; Top 10 Cities to Visit.'

It seems like everyone is in love with Savannah! College Students; Investors; Military; Shipping Companies; Importer/Exporters; Fortune 500 Companies; International businesses; Manufacturers; National Realtors Association; and America's largest demographic group - The Baby Boomers. Perhaps it is because Savannah's climate allows for year-round outdoor activity. For example, there are 60 golf courses and 15 recreational centers.

People who enjoy the outdoors love Savannah. Especially, people who love the water. Savannah is surrounded by both salt water and freshwater where people enjoy boating, fishing, crabbing, water skiing, kayaking, and swimming on its 420 miles of navigable waters set within 87,000 scenic acres of tidal marshlands. If you like to deep sea fish, watch for dolphins, explore the many protected barrier Islands or just relax on the beach come to Savannah!

Why do college students love Savannah? Our 14 area colleges and universities provide a diverse and talented group of over 43,000 students. The schools they attend include South College, Savannah Technical College and Memorial Health University, as well as Armstrong State University founded in 1935. Savannah State founded in 1890 is the oldest historically black college in Georgia. Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is the largest art and design college in the nation. SCAD hosts more than 50,000 visitors a year and its students come here from all 50 states and over 80 countries!

Real Estate investors love Savannah. Many around the country believe that our real estate market is still undervalued compared to almost every major city in America. With an excellent economic base, Savannah's real estate is a great investment if you just follow the four basic rules of investing which have been true since the beginning of time. (1) Buy low ~ sell high; (2) Location, (3) location and (4) Location. Well, you can still buy low here and Savannah has plenty of wonderful locations!

The National Association of Realtors love Savannah because of our low cost of living. Savannah's home and rental prices are more affordable than most cities like Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Jacksonville, San Francisco, Seattle, Virginia Beach and Washington DC.

The boomers love Savannah! America's largest age group are moving and retiring here. Seventy six (76) million boomers control 70% of America's net worth and wealth and many are coming to Savannah. By 2030, the 'boomers' will populate our six coastal counties and the boarding four inland counties raising our population by 50% to over 840,000 people, according to a Georgia Tech report commissioned by the Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center.

Savannah, 'She's Wonderful, she's Marvelous; She's Fabulous, she's Beautiful!' These lyrics borrowed from the Herman’s Hermits 1965 hit, 'Leaning on a Lamp Post' could have easily been written about America's love of Savannah.

Why do I believe so strongly that people love Savannah? Just take a ride downtown and look around! Savannah is one of the most beautiful and charming cities in the nation, with one of the fastest-growing economies.

As a city we are rich with a variety of cultural influences including English, Irish, Scottish, African, Asian, German, Italian and Greeks.

Our business base is also diverse and strong. The trade Center and tourism brings millions of visitors to Savannah each year, who spend close to $1.8 billion. And it will only get better with the planned extension of River Street and the Savannah River Landing which alone is an $800-million project.

Two hundred and forty six (246) manufactures do business in Savannah including world famous JCB (construction equipment) and Gulfstream Aerospace (private luxury jets). Savannah businesses offer a range of products from companies like Georgia-Pacific, Great Dane Trailers, Derst Bakery, and International Paper. Savannah has 18 International firms and nearly 20 Fortune 500 Companies.

Tourist love our town! Over six million a year flock to Savannah's 52 acre Historic District which makes it one of the largest in the nation. Savannah features beautiful buildings and restored homes with superior architecture.

We have two military bases in the area that employ over 42,000 people plus they bring 36,000 military dependants and federal funds of over $2 billion.

Georgia Ports have thirteen major distributors and the longest contiguous docks in the US. Our ports are the 2nd largest on the Gulf and east coasts and 4th largest in the nation; serving over 70% of the US population and they are continually expanding.

Savannah International Airport is home to seven major airlines and is a major stop on Amtrak's Atlantic Coast route.

Employers love Savannah! Eleven counties surrounding Savannah provide employers a labor pool of over 300,000 people with a burgeoning manufacturing industry and ports exploding with growth.

Savannah is historic yet on the cutting edge on technology. Savannah has a superior network infrastructure with 33,000 miles of fiber optic cable and 100 square miles of wireless broadband coverage.

You can't easily define Savannah. The downtown is an urban forest with twenty two historic squares and live oak trees draped in Spanish moss. Nearby Tybee Island has three miles of sandy beaches.

The city has numerous art Galleries, 120 yearly festivals, including the ever popular and world famous St Patrick's Day Parade. River Street, City Market, Hutchenson Island, Forsyth Park, Fort Pulaski, Bethesda, Bonaventure Cemetery, Wormslow Historic Cite, Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum, Telfair Museum of Art, Oatland Island Educational Center, Mrs. Wilkes Boarding House restaurant, Johnny Harris restaurant, Carey Hilliard's restaurant, the historic and haunting Pirates House, The Boar's Head, Paula Dean's 'Lady and Sons' restaurant, The Pink House restaurant, Elizabeth on 37th Street and The Crab Shack. There's something for everyone!

Savannah is where true Southern hospitality awaits everyone.....what more could you want?!

Howard Spiva is a Savannah personal injury trial lawyer (www.spivalaw.com). He is a real estate broker, investor and professional seminar speaker. He is certified for Instructing continuing education classes by the Georgia Real Estate Board. Howard is also the host of The “NEVER SETTLE FOR LESS” Show on WTKS 1290 am Radio. (www.neversettleforless.net). NSL is a motivational and self-improvement “call in” talk show, where the topics are intended to make you ...healthy, wealthy and wise.