On a busy corner in downtown Savannah, a 1961 bank has reopened its doors with a very different purpose. Municipal Grand is now a 44 room hotel that keeps its mid-century identity front and center while welcoming locals and visitors into a new kind of city experience. Designed by AAmp Studio, the transformation preserves what made the building distinctive and carefully layers in warmth, texture, and social energy.
A Modernist Landmark Preserved
Municipal Grand occupies the former First Federal Savings and Loan Association building, a six story modernist structure completed by local architects Levy and Kiley. Its grey granite walls, white concrete framing, and blue mosaic tile established a strong architectural presence.
As a protected landmark, the building required a light touch. AAmp Studio worked alongside preservation specialists to reveal and restore original elements rather than replace them, ensuring the original structure remains clearly legible.
New interventions were designed to sit beside the original architecture without imitation. Hard edges are softened with warmer tones, tactile materials, and curved forms that introduce contrast while respecting the building’s rectilinear bones.
Opening the Building Back to the Street
The relationship between the building and the street was one of the first areas to change. What was once an austere entrance beneath an existing canopy is now moderated by lighting, seating, and planters…