Augusta leaders look at future of unused city properties
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Augusta commissioners were in a back and forth trying to figure out what to do with city-owned properties that are not living up to their potential.
For example, the Boathouse down at the Riverwalk or the historic fire station on Central Avenue.
Ideas ranged from completely tearing the boathouse down to turning the fire station into a museum.
Overall, it’s about making sure there’s no wasted space while maintaining valuable city real estate.
Commissioners don’t want to let these properties go to private owners before they can find a new life for them.
“We talked about this last year, and I feel like we’re talking, but we’re not walking,” said District 3 Commissioner Catherine Smith-McKnight.
McKnight says Central Avenue’s engine company Number Seven and the Boat House are better off being sold to new owners, rather than being further ignored.
“If they’ve got the money to do it, then we ought to allow it. We ought to instead of letting a building sit there and rot,” she said.
The fire station has been inactive since 2015, and some commissioners suggested turning it into a fire museum or new housing.
Commissioners turned it over to Augusta Fire Chief Antonio Burden who says its historical significance is important.
“I’m told that it is one of the first in the United States to house motorized fire engines. So it’s very interesting,” he said.
Burden also states there’s progress for a new fire station coming to Gordon Highway.
Another item, the Boathouse, which District 6 Commissioner Ben Hasan already tried to get $800,000 approved to revamp, but was denied.
Mayor Hardie Davis says at this point, that’s too expensive for a facility that only pulls in about $1,200 per rental.
“I’ve been adamant about it. It needs to be torn down. It needs to be torn down and a city-constructed facility built,” he said.
In the end, commissioners voted on nothing.
District 10 Commissioner John Clarke said: “We’ll talk something to death and won’t do anything with it, and we’ll come back around and talk it to death again. So, we need to make up our mind one way or the other.”
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