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Residents, preservationists urge commissioners to keep Say Building in Western Downtown Historic District; petition tops 600 signatures
Summary
Dozens of speakers and a petition asked the commission to deny a removal of the Say Building from the Western Downtown Historic District, arguing a $7 million rehabilitation plan and a willing preservation buyer exist and that approval to remove the property would set a harmful precedent.
Dozens of residents, preservationists and local business owners asked the Athens‑Clarke County Commission on March 18 to deny a proposed removal of the Say Building from the Western Downtown Historic District and to pursue alternatives to demolition.
Denise Sunta of Historic Athens read an open letter and presented a petition she said had nearly 700 signatures urging the commission not to approve a deal that would allow demolition. Sunta said mediation had produced an offer but that the available deal did “not fully respect the process, history, and significance involved.” She and other speakers argued a $7 million rehabilitation proposal and a qualified buyer were available and that demolition to make a surface parking area would run counter to downtown preservation objectives.
Gwen O’Looney, a longtime preservation advocate, told commissioners the Western Downtown Historic District was established after years of public input and study and that removing the building would erode that work. Preservation advocates said the district was adopted with strong local participation and that the Say Building’s loss would harm downtown economic and cultural vitality.
Several speakers — including a preservation professional who said he would consider an offer to buy and restore the building — argued historic renovation would better serve the public interest than demolition and short‑term surface parking for the church. Scott Nesbitt presented a policy argument that the commission’s comprehensive plan encourages dense downtown uses and discourages surface parking; he urged commissioners to apply the plan’s downtown policy as written.
Speakers also recounted the procedural history: the Western Downtown Historic District designation was upheld at multiple review levels, and opponents of removal said legal maneuvering to avoid historic protections risks setting a precedent. Commissioners removed the item from the consent agenda and placed it on the discussion docket for further consideration; county staff noted the matter is involved in mediation and potential litigation, and the county attorney advised commissioners that specific legal questions should be handled in executive session if needed.
No final vote on the removal was recorded in the March 18 transcript. Preservation groups said they have an offer in hand for rehabilitation and asked the commission to explore that option rather than approving demolition or removal from the district.
