The Abernathy Arts Center was donated to Sandy Springs in September 2021. The transfer was completed last week on June 6, and the city council is now exploring art-related uses for the site in the future. The council is also deliberating on whether to demolish the buildings on the plot or renovate them.
At a recent council meeting, Councilmember John Paulson said:
“I guess before we spend millions of dollars here, we need to get a better understanding of what it is we’re going to use this facility for.”
The arts center is made up of an annex building as well as three other buildings that were constructed during World War II. The city council hired architects to take a look at the buildings and found that renovating one of the older ones would be prohibitively expensive. The problem with that particular building is that the classrooms are too small and there is not enough parking space available. Graphic design could be used to visualize proposed changes in cases like this and identify any issues.
Some residents are against the idea of tearing down the old stone buildings and feel that the buildings are an iconic part of Sandy Springs. They argue the best way forward would be to use the newer building to run arts programs immediately while seeking the funds needed to renovate the older stone buildings.