The Landings: 50 Years And Going Strong

The islands along the 110-mile Georgia coast are a unique collection: some are barrier islands and some are oceanfront vacation destinations, while others are primarily wildlife refuges accessible only by boat. Among them and accessible via bridge is Skidaway Island, home to a residential and retirement community that has become one of the nation’s most successful and sustainable developments over the past 50 years—The Landings.

In 1969, Union Camp’s Braniger subsidiary hired the renowned Sasaki Associates land planning firm to create a new residential community master plan for The Landings. Sasaki’s plan was innovative for the time: a low overall density of just 1.2 homes per acre, with no hotels or resort condos; nearly one-third of the land set aside for common space, recreational amenities, roads that curve around environmentally sensitive areas, and shaded pedestrian paths that connect neighborhoods; strict tree-protection standards and natural buffers of up to 100

by JG Walker

feet along the tidal wetlands that surround the entire island; and buried utility lines that enhance the community’s visual ambiance.

The first homes were built at The Landings in 1972. Today, it’s a “hometown” community for just over 8,500 full-time residents and an acclaimed model for how to create a sustainable balance of human and natural habitats.

The Keys to Success

Richard Burke is a former Braniger CEO and has been a resident of The Landings for 44 years. “A major reason for the community’s initial success was the unwavering financial support of Union Camp through the up-and-down economic cycles of the ‘70s and ‘80s,” he says. “And while The Landings may have been originally envisioned as a retirement community, the younger families moving here have made it stronger and more diverse.”

The Landings community is multi-generational. Roughly 55% of the neighbors have relocated to The Landings from outside of the area. That demographic is predominantly made up of retirees, remote workers, and people who relocated for work. The other 45% are from around the Savannah area.

The Landings Association

In 1998, The Landings Association (TLA), a not-for-profit and debt-free homeowners association, fully took over as the developer’s job was complete. The TLA’s elected board of directors oversees the professional staff that manages the community’s common areas, roads, lagoons, athletic fields, playgrounds, security services, over 30 miles of nature trails, the two-acre community farm, and the two full-service marinas located at either end of the island. The Landings Company real estate firm also works under the umbrella of TLA.

The Landings Club

The Landings Golf and Athletic Club (TLC) is a separate and optional entity that includes about 75% of the residents as members. The private club offers racquet sports centers with 34 tennis and 19 pickleball courts, five clubhouses, eight dining options, five pools (two indoor), a 52,000-square-foot wellness center with state-of-the-art fitness facilities, and, of course, amazing golf courses.

Unique among all non-resort communities in America, The Landings features play on six 18-hole championship golf courses that are located on-site. Meandering through the maritime forests with sweeping views across the vast surrounding marshlands, each has earned Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary status. Created by acclaimed designers Tom Fazio, Willard Byrd, Arthur Hills, and Arnold Palmer, all have been completely refurbished at least once over the years and are being constantly upgraded to ensure quality year-round play. Getting a last-minute tee time is never a concern for TLC golf members.

“There really is no other community with as many amenities as beautifully designed and executed in the United States. Not to mention the clubs and active neighbor groups that are available,” says Landings resident George Coleman. “We’ve been here for seven years and have made some of the best friends of our lives. This really is where ‘new friends become best friends.’”

Beyond the Gates

While residents of The Landings’ seven distinctive neighborhoods have plenty of active-lifestyle choices within the community, everything else is conveniently located nearby. Just outside the main entrance is The Village, a commercial center that features a Publix grocery store, a pharmacy, restaurants, shops, and professional offices for medical, dental, veterinary, banking, and legal services. Also located on Skidaway Island are five churches, a public library, and two continuing-care facilities. Additional medical providers in the area include two top-rated hospitals, each with its own specialty services and cancer-treatment centers.

Just a 15-minute drive away is downtown Savannah, with all of its historic sites and gardens, fine-dining restaurants, retail shops, performingarts venues, and cultural attractions like the Telfair Museums. Also available is a year-round schedule of community events that celebrate music, films, books, wine, and food, plus the South’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day festival. In addition, the Savannah area has four college campuses with degree programs and a lifelong-learning center specially designed for students ages 55 and up.

A favorite day-trip destination for The Landings residents is the beaches and attractions on nearby Tybee Island. And located just on the other side of the downtown area is the SavannahHilton Head International Airport, which offers direct flights to major American cities and connections to the rest of the world via Atlanta.

The Landings in Savannah, GA, makes 50 years of age look incredible. The community works diligently to keep infrastructure sound, respect the surrounding nature, and ensure that the amenities are cared for and useful to the members, all while staying fiscally responsible. These are the keys to a healthy community. The residents of The Landings on Skidaway Island are proud of where they are today and eagerly looking forward to the next 50 years.