Starland District
But, because they had stars, all the Star-Belly Sneetches
would brag, “We’re the best kind of Sneetch on the beaches.”
Dr. Seuss
Dr. Seuss, in The Sneetches and Other Stories, describes how the opportunistic capitalist Sylvester McMonkey McBean uses a Star-On Machine to attach green stars to the bellies of un-starred Sneetches.
The Seussian bird/duck/platypus Sneetches all want to be in the cool club of star-bellies, and Mr. McBean facilitates their transformation. But once the tipping point occurs and too many Sneetches have star-bellies, the original Sneetches want theirs removed and McBean reverses his operation and creates a Star-Off machine.
McBean rakes cash until the Sneetches lose track of what it means to be elite - whether it’s star-on or star-off. Once the Sneetches are sufficiently broke they realize the preposterousness of it all, drop all pretense, and become friends.
In 1999, taking a page from McBean, two earnest Savannah College of Art & Design students, John Deaderick and Greg Jacobs, had a vision for Savannah’s Starland Dairy, which was in danger of being demolished.
Their idea was to transform the old dairy, and area around it, into a new cultural and arts community. They bought the dairy in 2001, renamed the area Starland District, and used the dairy’s red star as their logo.
They created a map of what the district could be, and used it to raise money from locals - eventually buying 20 more properties.
They created their own version of a Star-On machine - a place for artists. With time they bought, rented, and borrowed buildings to create studios for over forty creatives.
Others decided they too wanted part of the Starland District and new condos, shops, and a dog park were created.
But their efforts hit the skids with the Great Financial Crisis - business stalled and stakeholders wanted their stars off.
Embers of Starland District’s creative energy remained and new capital found the area. Now over 250 homes have been renovated and the district stretched to 60 blocks.
New McBeans have entered the market, proposing apartments, lofts, and Class A offices.
Time will tell if all the proposed new development happens. But meanwhile, the district’s centerpiece, Starland Yard - in all its quirky DIY glory - is bustling with happy Sneetches.
All pretense is gone, and Starland Yard attracts all - drag queens, guys on stilts, and turkey leg-eaters.
Cheers to those creating Star-On and Star-Off machines, without them we wouldn’t have places like the Starland District.
Thank you for reading Asphalt Jungle - if you’re passionate about transformative real estate development, apply to join AUTOMATIC - a gathering for real estate developers interested in making wonderful places and the innovative retail & hospitality brands, designers, contractors, and capital providers that bring those places to life.
AUTOMATIC is coming to TEXAS
Join us in Houston on May 7 & 8th and hang with innovators like:
Superica
Tootsies
Scarlet Capital
Barcelona Wine Bar
Radom Capital
Alamo Drafthouse
Flower Child
Yonder Yoga
Heim BBQ
Sorelle Capital
El Carlos
Culinary Dropout
Triten Real Estate Partners
Dunmoor
Hot Joy
Uchi
Little Death
HomeState
Three Littles
Deal Co.
Ojo de Agua
Local Foods
Hamsa
O’Connor Capital
Dish Society
Brookfield
The Rustic
Asana Partners
Saint Arnold
Crescent Communities
Loro
Pop Mart
Many more
“AUTOMATIC is the snowball before the avalanche - it’s good shit”
Nico Marin, Pinewood Social
**follow along on LinkedIn , Twitter (X) and Instagram