GMSHAY partnered with local developers to create the original master plan for the redevelopment of Savannah’s former Coastal Empire Fairgrounds—a 66-acre site at 4801 Meding Street, one of the city’s largest remaining undeveloped tracts. Designed around the principles of new urbanism and community wellness, the plan envisioned a vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood that would balance housing, recreation, and economic opportunity.

With a focus on equitable growth and healthy living, GMSHAY’s concept integrated nutritional access, intergenerational engagement, and walkable design as core priorities. The plan proposed a dynamic mix of uses—including youth sports facilities, senior and affordable housing, sound stages for film production, creative career centers, commercial shops, public parks, and preserved natural areas—all connected by pedestrian-friendly streets with generous green space and on-street parking.

Though GMSHAY’s involvement concluded after the master planning phase, the firm’s early vision helped lay the groundwork for the City of Savannah’s ongoing redevelopment efforts at the Fairgrounds—an initiative that continues to evolve as a transformational project for the Tatemville and Feiler Park communities.