Sitting at the west end of Savannah’s Riverwalk, Riverworks at Eastern Wharf reflects the charm of the historic city, while introducing a new era of luxury, waterfront living. This five-story mixed-use complex is one of several projects within the Eastern Wharf development, a 54-acre community that offers residential units, shopping, restaurants, parks, corporate office space, and more. Totaling more than 755,500 SF, the scale and scope of the Riverworks project demanded rigorous planning in preconstruction and a highly collaborative operations team. To meet the needs of the client in both quality and performance, the Choate team relied on detailed schedule, phasing, and logistics plans to effectively navigate each stage of construction.

Luxurious Living and River Views

Riverworks, a gem of the Hostess City of the South, brings the best in comfort, leisure, and class. The studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments include premium finishes, such as granite countertops and tiled showers, whirlpool stainless steel appliances, 10’ to 12’ ceilings throughout, balconies with Savannah River or city views, and chef-inspired kitchens with custom cabinetry.

On the third floor, an elevated, resort-style pool deck overlooks the River and offers a poolside kitchen and entertainment area. Just inside, the River Lounge brings residents a cool place to socialize, play games, and entertain their guests. The complex also includes a 24/7 fitness center, pet spa, dog run, outdoor movie screen, and the Garden Lounge with a coffee bar and co-working space.

Hold the Budget

To accurately price Riverworks prior to design completion, a multi-faceted project that includes a five-story parking deck, more than 300 luxury apartments, and 30,000 SF of retail space, Choate’s preconstruction team consulted their extensive multi-family experience to deliver a budget that would hold through the entire design phase.

In addition to forecasting escalations in material, labor, and equipment, the project team looked beyond the conceptual drawings to uncover hidden costs they’ve encountered on previous projects, protecting the client from surprises down the road by providing a comprehensive look at cost expectations. From the initial drawings to construction design, Choate’s initial estimate was steadfast—never spiking and 100% reliable.

Expertise in Phasing Construction

One key request made by the client was to deliver the project in phases, allowing some apartment units to go to market before construction was completed. Choate’s preconstruction team created a three-phased schedule that delivered 116 units in phase one, 84 units in phase two, and 104 units in phase three. By the completion of phase two, roughly 50% of all residential units were leased and ready for occupation.

Logistics, Logistics, Logistics

The mark of an excellent operations team is their ability to produce creative solutions that work. During construction of Riverworks, Choate’s operations team tackled critical issues such as working around a high-pressured gas line and navigating supply chain obstacles. Full transparency, critical thinking, and constant communication were the hallmarks of the Riverworks operations team.