06/01/2026
Our next Preservation Award winner stands out for excellence in rehabilitation - the Municipal Grand! This project focused on the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of the 1961 First Federal Savings & Loan Association Headquarters, designed by Savannah architects Levy & Kiley. Originally constructed as a mid-century modern banking institution, the six-story building later served for decades as the Broughton Municipal Building before being transformed into a 44-key boutique hotel.
The project was completed in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and utilized both state and federal historic Tax Credits.. The building was unanimously approved for listing in the Georgia Register of Historic Places and recommended for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The team included owners Midnight Auteur, architects Lynch Associates Architects, PC, contractor Choate Construction Company, interior designer AAmp, Tharpe Engineering Group, Method Engineering Group, Coastal Civil Engineering, Ward Architecture and Preservation, lighting Consultant AE Design, and acoustical consultant D.L. Adams Associates.
After decades of municipal use, much of the building’s original mid-century character had been obscured by later alterations. Vinyl flooring covered terrazzo, tile was concealed, and the formerly open banking floors were subdivided. The interior work emphasized removal of non-historic alterations to restore original lobby, mezzanine, and finishes. Original blue tile, terrazzo floors, polished terrazzo wall panels, wood veneer wall panels, storefront vestibules, planters, and pendant fixtures were all character defining features that were restored. Historic teller stations were salvaged and reintegrated into the new lobby. Glass guardrails were introduced to meet code while allowing the original stainless steel railing to remain visually prominent. The original vault was preserved and former basement mechanical areas were adapted into a speakeasy bar. The upper floors, which historically consisted of open office layouts with limited historic fabric remaining, were reconfigured for guestrooms.
Exterior alterations were intentionally limited. Former mechanical spaces were converted into guestrooms and aluminum storefront windows were replaced within historic openings. A rooftop pool was added but coordinated so it would not be visible from public rights-of-way. The polished concrete cladding, concrete brise-soleil frames, and ceramic tile were restored. Original canopy lights were re-lamped and storefront glazing along Broughton Street was restored where previous alterations had removed glass for an ATM. Salvaged blue mosaic tiles from the City Hall restoration were used for in-kind repairs throughout the building.
Municipal Grand demonstrates that mid-century modern architecture in Savannah can be rehabilitated with the same rigor and care afforded to earlier historic resources. Through adherence to preservation standards, use of historic tax incentives, and restrained intervention, the project returns a significant civic landmark to active use while preserving an important chapter in the city’s architectural history.
