SCAD purchases vacant office building near Forsyth Park

May 20, 2026 – The Savannah College of Art and Design recently purchased a building in Savannah’s Victorian Historic District just south of Forsyth Park along the busy Bull Street and Henry Street corridors for about $2.45 million, according to sales records.

The acquisition of the site at 1211 Bull St. comes after the Historic Preservation Commission’s approval on April 28 of the demolition of the vacant office building at the location. A report prepared by Ethos Preservation concluded that the building is a non-contributing structure and qualifies for demolition because it was likely built as a gas station around 1934, after the district’s 1870-1923 period of significance. The building has since lost nearly all historic character through major renovations in the 1970s and 2000s, including the addition of stucco, expansion of the footprint and construction of a second story, according to the report.

The building is next to a former fire station at 6 West Henry St. that SCAD recently purchased for more than $3 million, as previously reported.

SCAD already has a presence along the busy corridor. Both the fire station and the office building are located across Henry Street from SCAD’s School of Fashion building at 9 West Henry, and down a block from Eckburg Hall, where fashion and accessory design are housed. A SCAD-owned diner, where Strange Bird operates, is also on Henry street one block to the east.

According to a statement issued by SCAD on Wednesday, the university is determining the future plans for both properties.

“We look forward to reactivating this important area of Savannah, just as we have done with Number 9, our property located at 9 West Henry Street,” the statement said.

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