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Commission conditionally approves St. Mary on the Hill parish expansion after agreeing to document historically significant cottage
Summary
The commission granted conditional approval to demolish several buildings and construct new parish facilities at St. Mary on the Hill, provided the Scout Hut at 2500 McDow Street is documented with a photographic archival record per Georgia State Historic Preservation Office standards and specified landscaping is completed.
The Augusta Historic Preservation Commission unanimously granted conditional approval for a demolition and reconstruction project at St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church (1420 Montasano Avenue) after staff and Historic Augusta found the proposed additions appropriate for the site.
Todd Kennedy of planning and development summarized the petition (COA25‑79) submitted by Elizabeth McGee of TM Fletcher Scott Architects on behalf of the Catholic Diocese of Savannah. The project would demolish several nonessential structures and replace them with a parish life building, social hall and revised parking layout to address site grading and access. Staff explained the lot consolidation and the R1 zoning and noted earlier approvals (rezoning and special exception) authorizing expansion.
Historic Augusta recommended conditional approval but urged that the cottage at 2500 McDow Street (the Scout Hut), attributed to architect Martha Andrews, be documented by a photographic archival record following Georgia State Historic Preservation Office procedures before demolition. Staff also included a landscaping requirement near McDow and Arsenal avenues to meet the Augusta Tree Ordinance. Elizabeth McGee and church representatives explained that moving the Scout Hut was infeasible due to condition and site constraints and stressed the parish’s active ministries and parking needs.
The commission approved the project with the two staff‑recommended conditions: (1) landscaped area per plan in compliance with the Tree Ordinance and (2) photographic archival documentation of the Scout Hut in accordance with state archival record procedures. The applicant said documentation work has already begun and that the team will comply with the conditions.
The approval clears the way for permitting and the phased demolition/reconstruction described in the submitted site plans and elevations.
