A new 165-room hotel is being designed for Savannah's historic downtown riverfront.

Plans by Ohio-based company RockBridge Capital call for a seven-story building on the west end of River Street, the city's popular promenade of restaurants, bars and souvenir shops along the Savannah River.

The Savannah Morning News reports that an abandoned 1962 building will have to be demolished to make way for the new hotel, which would cover an entire city block and include two levels of parking and retail space.

Before construction can begin, plans for the hotel must be approved by Savannah's Historic Review Board. Some members say the hotel would be too tall to comply with historic district guidelines.

Architects say they plan to present revisions next month.

Tags: architecture, Savannah, Ohio, GPB News, River Street, RockBridge Capital, Savannah Historic Review Board