Students from Savannah State University’s Civil Engineering Technology program toured 132 E. Broughton Street last week, learning all about this exciting historic renovation and the structural considerations associated with transforming the former 1960s bank into a luxurious art-deco destination.

132 E. Broughton Street, located in the heart of Downtown Savannah’s Landmark Historic District, was originally constructed in 1960 as the headquarters for the First Federal Savings and Loan. The Art Deco building is now undergoing extensive renovations to convert the 6-story office building into a 46-key boutique hotel. This adaptive reuse project will transform the basement and first floor into dining and support spaces, including a speakeasy-style bar in the basement for pedestrians and hotel guests. The remaining five floors will include hotel rooms with a pool and bar on the rooftop.

The students who attended Choate’s tour of 132 E. Broughton Street are studying the subjects of Civil Engineering Materials, Construction Estimating and Management, Soil Mechanics and Foundations, Structural Design, and Environmental Engineering as part of their Spring 2024 coursework.

It is an honor to have the opportunity to connect with the bright young minds who will soon join the construction industry, sharing knowledge and helping grow their skillsets through real-life experiences and examples. To get to know these students and provide the most customized and impactful site tour, the project team spoke with Dr. Antonio Velazquez, Ph.D, Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering Technology at SSU. Here’s what he shared:

In your opinion, what value can be gained by visiting an active construction site as a student?

“Fundamentally, these types of real-life experiences provide a perfect complement to support their education in the Civil Engineering Technology field. They provide networking opportunities, advance the profession, reach out for summer internships, and encourage students to study and pursue Civil Engineering subdisciplines. These visits help to develop leadership, improve student resumes and professional development, and help mature to their professional status more rapidly. They improve academic performance, community involvement, liaison industry with academia, and help to recruit new talents.”

What majors/careers (generally speaking) are your students pursuing?

“Broadly speaking, students are pursuing general branches of Civil Engineering, including structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, environmental engineering, transportation engineering, water resources engineering, construction engineering, and construction management, among others.”

The Choate team is so grateful to SSU, Dr. Velazquez, and these students for taking the time out of their busy schedules to visit the site of this exciting historic renovation project.

If you’re interested in a career in construction and want to find out more on what Choate is all about, please visit www.choateco.com/careers/!