At Thursday’s meeting, the Planning Commission will vote on whether or not to allow the 100-year old Saye building to be demolished.
Athens First United Methodist Church purchased the building, located at 110 W. Hancock, in 2004 with the intent on using it, but after spending years studying its condition, found that it would cost millions to restore and renovate the space. In 2018, they applied for a permit to demolish the building and replace it with a parking lot. At the same time, the Athens-Clarke County government put all demolitions on hold while they created the W. Downtown Historic District. This has led to a years-long legal battle over the property that ended in mediation this past November.
According to the mediation agreement, the Church will not only be able to demolish the building and replace it with surface parking but also to remove that plot of land from the Historic District. Tommy Valentine, Executive Director for Historic Athens, is very concerned, “Whatever gets built there can look however it wants, it can not reflect the rest of the district despite the fact that that very plot is in the national register as part of our historic downtown.”
Still, the fate of the Saye is not a given. Despite the settlement, the plans still have to move through the formal process in place. In January, the Historic Preservation Commission voted to deny the application to remove the Saye from the Historic District. Thursday, the Planning Commission will review the Church’s demolition application. The Athens-Clarke County Commission will have the final say.
In the meantime, a group has come forward with intent to buy the Saye building. “They have offered 2 million dollars to take charge of the building and preserve it.” says Tommy Valentine, “It’s a great offer by a good group of people that would know how to turn that building into something that matters.”
The Planning Commission meeting is Thursday, Feb 6 at at 120 W. Dougherty St.. in Athens.
