Transitions: Saved—Court of Ordinary and Children of Israel Synagogue
In each Transitions section of Preservation magazine, we highlight places of local and national importance that have recently been restored, are currently threatened, have been saved from demolition or neglect, or have been lost. Here's one from Fall 2015.
At a June 2, 2015 meeting, Augusta, Georgia, city commissioners voted to save the 1860 Court of Ordinary building and the 1870 Children of Israel Synagogue, located next to each other on Telfair Street, from demolition. The buildings will be redeveloped into a museum celebrating and archiving Augusta’s Jewish history.
Historic Augusta, Inc., the city’s local preservation organization, is assuming responsibility for the buildings pending a lease from the city that will eventually evolve into ownership. Selective demolition of the non-historic additions was completed this past summer. The museum is scheduled to be up and running within the next five years.
“They’ve had the typical drop-down ceilings, panel walls, glued-down carpet—all the nasty things they do to historic buildings,” says Erick Montgomery of Historic Augusta, Inc.
photo by: Historic Augusta. Inc.
