The old jail on Walton Way has finished its life as a lock up facility and could have a bright life in the future as a movie set; however, due to the short-sightedness of the former Augusta-Richmond County Commission, the building will soon meet the wrecking ball. We at The Augusta Press feel that is a travesty.
This week, onlookers can see movie star Mel Gibson filming a movie on Broad Street. Meanwhile, just across town, commissioners are gearing up to demolish the very structure that brought people such as Gibson to Augusta in the first place.
MORE: Mel Gibson in Augusta for Filming
In the early 2000s, the building developed a serious leak in the basement due to shoddy plumbing, and the moisture eventually created a serious mold problem. Employees with allergy issues had to work in a portable building outside.
Finally, the building was retired. Even in its mothballed state, the building was controversial. Superior Court Chief Judge Carl Brown is in hot water with the Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission over his attempts to save the building and use it as a juvenile court facility.
The building has, in recent years, attracted the attention of the national film industry as a movie set.
It is ironic to see a building that once sucked taxpayer money suddenly becoming an asset to the local economy.
[adrotate banner=”29″]
The building could continue on as a film set. Jennifer Bowen of Film Augusta says she is constantly receiving inquiries from movie producers all over the country.
However, the Augusta Commission, in their infinite wisdom, would prefer to see the building demolished rather than embrace its potential. Not only do commissioners want taxpayers to pay for the demolition, they want to build a $6 million dollar juvenile court facility in its place.
The old jail in Douglasville, Ga., was used for approximately 700 movies and tv shows before the city decided to demolish it. By that time, the Douglasville jail had outlived its usefulness as a film set. After 700 or so films, the sets became recognizable, leaving filmmakers no choice but to scout for new locations. Further, Douglasville had different reasons for demolition. First, the Douglasville jail was in far worse shape than the Augusta jail. The city also had a developer offer a sweetheart deal to create a mixed-use development if the city would demolish the jail and create an amphitheater and green space in its place.
Augusta has seen no such offers made on its jail property. Realistically, the building footprint and land around it is too small for an expansive project such as the one in Douglasville. It is also in one of the least desirable areas in the county for development.
After the county spends $1.5 million to tear the jail down, the property left will be worth far less than the cost of demolition.
This leaves Augusta’s old jail as one of the only real viable alternatives if the producers want to film in Georgia. The Gwinnett County jail has been used for filming, but much of the filming uses the jail for outdoor and facade filming because that jail continues to house inmates.
The old jail in Augusta also offers a unique twist in that it can be used for more than just cell block shootings. The building has been filmed as a court set, office set and even mockup classrooms.
[adrotate banner=”19″]
There is also the economic impact of the jail as a movie set. Big budget films bring their own crews to town who stay in local hotels and patronize restaurants and bars and other local businesses. Meanwhile, independent films do the same but also hire local people as production assistants, grips and set designers which are actually good paying jobs even if temporary.
Local production companies have sprung up to meet the demand for workers and have weathered the pandemic because there was so much availability being offered once shooting was able to commence safely.
Moreover, the Augusta Convention and Visitors bureau has its own Film Augusta office that is dedicated to enticing filmmakers to consider Augusta as a location. So, the infrastructure to turn Augusta into a prime filming location is already in place.
Many years ago, the community launched an effort to save the Butt Bridge from the same fate, and the initiative worked. It is time for the same campaign to happen to save the jail.
The commission could take up the matter again, especially because several new members have joined the commission since the demolition vote. They might look at the matter with more of an open mind.
MORE: Demolition of the Old Jail Is A Done Deal
Those that say the commission must demolish the building because voters approved SPLOST simply do not know how SPLOST works. The commission can at any time reprogram those earmarked funds if it saves the taxpayers money. Perhaps it is time to negotiate reprograming the $1.5 million set aside for demolition of the jail and come up with a deal that gets the support from the entire commission.
The old jail may be truly the ugliest modern building in Augusta, but it has potential that the train depot site on 5th Street and other city-owned property don’t. Let’s get the commission to start negotiation so that the old jail can be saved.
[adrotate banner=”50″]
