City Awarded $1.3 Million CDBG CARES Act Grant for Complete Renovation of Augusta Savage Arts and Community Center Cafetorium

November 21, 2022 - With grant funding awarded and a design and build contract approved, the City of Green Cove Springs will soon start work to revitalize the last building on the Augusta Savage Arts and Community Center Complex.

Originally the cafetorium building of Dunbar High School campus, the City planned to renovate the interior as part of the community center complex since it owned the building in 2006. The biggest hurdle was finding enough funding for it to meet today's building safety codes. That opportunity came when the City applied for the Community Development Block Grant CARES Act funding in March 2021, and was awarded $1,397,600 in September 2022.

"The City Council, staff and the community have long-awaited this last piece of the puzzle in revitalizing the Augusta Savage Arts and Community Center Complex. It will be wonderful to see the entire campus open and available to serve the citizens of Green Cove Springs," said Assistant City Manager Mike Null.

Once completed, the renovations will create an open auditorium space for Coronavirus testing and vaccination, as well as a community event space when testing and vaccinations aren't conducted. Renovation work includes rebuilding the kitchen as a commercial kitchen for food preparation and distribution during emergencies, rebuilding the auditorium stage, new auditorium flooring, and new plumbing, electrical wiring, and HVAC systems.

Funding Contract with the state for Cafetorium renovations was approved by City Council on November 15, 2022. City estimates that the work will take 24 months to complete.