The Tomochichi Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Savannah (originally constructed as the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse) is located on a prominent site within the city’s National Historic Landmark District. The building occupies an entire city block bounded by Bull, York, Whitaker, and State Streets, adjacent to Wright Square.
The Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse was built primarily to house the Savannah post office, which was previously located in the U.S. Custom House. In 1894, excavations began at this site which itself was notable in Savannah’s history as the former location of a courthouse where John Wesley, founder of Methodism, preached in 1736 and 1737.
Designed in the Second Renaissance Revival style, the original portion of the building is constructed entirely of white Georgia marble, and features the typical Italianate tripartite facade divisions characteristic of the style.
By July 30, 1899, all departments of the post office were in the new government building. It also housed the U.S. Courts, the U.S. Engineers, and the U.S. Weather Bureau. The building was enlarged between 1930 and 1932, when it was extended north to encompass the remainder of the block. Today, the building serves as offices for the U.S. District Court and Court-related functions.
In 2005, Congress renamed the federal courthouse after Yamacraw Indian Chief Tomochichi. According to House Report 2523, “Tomochichi was born around the year 1650 into the Creek Indian tribe town of Coweta. He was raised as a Creek warrior, and became well respected within his village for his good judgment and wisdom. Even at a young age, he was consulted on various matters of politics and law. In 1728, he established the town of Yamacraw located on the Savannah River. In 1733, Tomochichi encountered English settlers led by General James Edward Oglethorpe, who arrived at what was to become the new colony of Georgia. Tomochichi befriended Oglethorpe and assisted him in not only the creation of a new English colony to be named Savannah, but also in the colony’s relations with neighboring Creek tribes. In 1734, Tomochichi accompanied Oglethorpe to England to approve a treaty between the Creek Nation and the English. The friendship between Tomochichi and Oglethorpe aided in the peaceful coexistence between the Creek and the English during the period prior to the founding of the United States. Tomochichi died in 1739, and was buried in what is now known as Wright Square in Savannah, Georgia.”
In 2016, Congress appropriated funds for modernizing the historic Tomochichi Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Savannah, Georgia, to meet the U.S. Judiciary’s current and long-term needs for security, accessibility and operational efficiency.
Project Work History
Construction began in Fall 2021. On April 11, 2023, a section of the 3rd Floor collapsed. The stabilization and debris removal related to the floor collapse was completed in October 2023. The original scope of the renovation project also resumed in October 2023. Tower work resumed in November 2023. Rebuilding the damaged structure began in January 2024.
Project Schedule
GSA worked with the construction contractor to develop a revised schedule as a result of the partial floor collapse that occurred in April 2023.
- The project is scheduled to be completed in Summer 2026.
- Following the completion of construction, the Court and U.S. Marshals Service will prepare the space for occupancy and move into the building, which will take several months.
- The Tomochichi Courthouse is anticipated to be operational in late 2026 or early 2027.
Road closures and lane shifts currently in place and planned include:
- The southbound lane of Bull Street, on the west side of Wright Square, between State and York Street is closed for the duration of the project.
- The 00 block of West York Street south side through-lane shifts through the parking lane to provide a safe area for courthouse scaffold construction, deliveries, and material hoisting.
- York Street closures are expected to end in March 2025 at the conclusion of the tower work.
- York Street lane closures will be temporarily lifted from the evening of December 20, 2024, through January 5, 2025.
- The project work site will be temporarily closed at the end of the year (December 20, 2024, at 6:00 pm), allowing for York Street to be temporarily fully opened.
- When the project work site is reopened on January 6, 2025 (at 6:00 am), the York Street lane closures will be reinstated through the completion of the Tower work in March 2025.
- A complete closure of Whitaker Street between south of State Street and north of York Street will be required in order to install and connect underground utilities.
- Whitaker Street closure will start on Monday, January 20, 2025, at 6:00 am and re-open on Friday February 14, 2025 at 6:00 pm.
(Note that this closure will be temporarily lifted and will not interfere with the Savannah Book Festival which runs from February 6 - 9, 2025.) - State Street and York Street will both remain open in their current state (with York Street lane closure) during the Whitaker Street closure.
- A complete closure of York Street between Whitaker and Bull Streets will be required in order to permanently remove the Tower scaffolding.
- The York Street closure will last for approximately two weeks with a start date TBD. The closure will begin sometime after the Whitaker Street closure reopening on February 14, 2025.
- The closure start date will be announced in advance when finalized.
- York Street will be permanently reopened with no parking lane restrictions no later than 6:00 pm March 12, 2025, before St. Patrick’s Day.
Project details:
- Total estimated project costs: $90,909,618 (design, construction, and related expenses).
- Project delivery method: Construction Manager as Constructor (CMc).
- Architect of record: Liollio/Hartman-Cox.
- Completed project milestones:
- Preliminary design announcement: January 2020.
- Final design delivery: March 2022.
- Construction start: September 2021.
- Awarded contracts
- Jacobs Engineering (Construction Manager as Agent) – Awarded December 2017.
- Liollio/Hartman-Cox (Architect/Engineer) – Awarded December 2019.
- Brasfield & Gorrie (Construction Manager as Constructor) – Awarded February 2021.
News releases
Media Inquiries
Cathy Rineer-Garber
Public Affairs Officer
cathleen.garber@gsa.gov
404-314-8540
U.S. General Services Administration
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