A massive renovation of the city government’s downtown campus hit another snag this week when the Historic Preservation Commission declined to approve several components, including the demolition of an annex building at a historic former synagogue.
The demolition of a former synagogue annex was declined by the Historic Preservation Commission due to the site’s historical value.
Chairman Jim Anderson said the commission received the application only a few days ago and voted 5-0 Thursday not to approve it.
“For a major project like this, we just needed a whole lot more information than we had to make a decision,” Anderson said.
The application packet calls for the demolition of the synagogue annex to make way for expanded parking on the complex’s front side, which is moving from Greene Street to Telfair Street. The former synagogue has housed the city Planning Department for decades.
“I feel like they do have some historical value; we just wanted more time to evaluate it,” Anderson said.
Augusta Chronicle archives show a synagogue being erected in the 500 block of Telfair in 1870, but the annex, which resembles the synagogue and has housed the city IT Department since it was formed, was added at a later date.
via Historic concerns stall downtown government construction project | The Augusta Chronicle.
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