Demolition of the historic Saye building is underway, bringing a years-long legal battle between the Athens-Clarke County Government and Athens first United Methodist Church to a close.
Sounds of falling debris has been a constant this week on Hancock Avenue as excavators have been at work slowly demolishing the 100-year old Saye Building.
Resident Bob Fernandez was out earlier this week taking photos of the process. He’s lived in Athens since 1979. He says he’s seen a lot of change in that time, “Because it’s incremental, it still feels like the same town to me. It’s like, you just adjust to the little changes, one at a time, over…what is it? 45 years?”
The litigation surrounding the Saye was dismissed earlier this month after Athens First United Methodist Church, who owns the property, reached a settlement with the Athens Clarke County Government, paving the way for demolition to begin.
The Church plans to temporarily replace the Saye building with a parking lot while they consider future development for the lot.
