ULI’s Vision for Memorial Park: More Space, Same Green Heart
The Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) recommendations for Memorial Park offer a clear path forward: expand community facilities, strengthen resilience, and preserve every inch of green space. A very brief summary is below, click the link above for the full report.
Preserve the Park’s Core
Memorial Park should remain Tybee’s central green gathering place. Future updates must balance recreation, civic uses, and climate resilience.
Do the Homework First
Island-wide Physical Assessment: Identify which current park uses could relocate to other City or partner-owned spaces.
Financial Resource Assessment: Map out realistic funding sources — from Chatham County, private donors, and potential institutional partners — and the costs of desired improvements.
Build for Resilience
Plan for sea level rise and stormwater management.
Add a designed stormwater feature with native plantings.
Relocate the fire station and integrate emergency shelter/storage into new multi-use buildings.
Improve Access & Usability
Create a formal, tree-lined Butler Avenue “front porch” with new buildings and landscaping.
Keep Jones Avenue’s western edge informal and green.
Redesign parking along Fourth, Fifth, and Jones; convert in-park lots into green space or building sites.
Add a multi-use pavilion for events and a reimagined, ADA-accessible playground.
More Space, No Loss of Green
ULI reinvisioned the use of space to demonstrate that total building space could increase from ~44,000 sq. ft. to ~147,000 sq. ft. without reducing green space by:
Concentrating buildings along Butler Avenue.
Replacing outdated structures with larger, more efficient ones (including two-story designs under 35’ height).
Moving parking to park edges.
Grouping functions to free land for recreation and stormwater features.
TIMA’s Future
With its lease ending in 2028, the Tybee Island Maritime Academy’s needs must be addressed through a structured, community-involved decision process. ULI took no position on relocating the school into the park.
Green Space Commitment
The central lawn stays intact for play, sports, and stormwater management. Mature trees will be preserved, with new plantings and shaded seating added.
Next Steps
First: Assess facilities and land, form a Community Task Force, continue public engagement, schedule improvements, decide fire station location, and strengthen YMCA/TIMA/library partnerships.
Next: Master plan the park with resilience measures, secure funding, and decide TIMA’s role.
Long term: Build a new fire station, implement resilience strategies, relocate debris fields off-island, and roll out phased improvements.