On Wednesday, March 16 at 2:00 p.m., Macon-Bibb County, the UGA Cooperative Extension, and Historic Macon will officially open the renovated and revitalized Robert Train Building (715 Oglethorpe Street) with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.

It will now house the services and programs offered by the local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, which includes 4-H, gardening & landscaping workshops, consultations and soil testing, cooking and nutrition demonstrations, financial literacy classes, and more. 

“The Robert Train Building is in a much more visible location that is more inviting to the public. These are great improvements over our previous location,” says Karol Kelly, County Extension Coordinator. “We’re now within walking distance of several neighborhoods. With the green space, teaching kitchen, and auditorium, we’ll be able to offer new hands-on educational opportunities and services to more people.”

“The opening of the Robert Train Building could not have come at a better time as we make huge strides in the revitalization of the entire Beall’s Hill neighborhood,” says Ethiel Garlington, Executive Director of Historic Macon. “Generations of Macon residents have memories of activities here in the building, and with it re-opening and with the neighborhood again growing, future generations will begin creating their own memories.” 

The building was listed on Historic Macon’s Fading Five List, and renovation was funded with voter-approved Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds dedicated to fighting blight. Renovations included exterior and interior painting, a new elevator, a security system, furniture and fixtures, and new roofing, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. Oher funding sources included grants from the Downtown Challenge, Georgia Power, UGA’s Center for Urban Agriculture, the Burton Foundation, and private donors