Buckner Center Renovation

The historic Post Recreation Center, one of the early McClellan buildings, designed and constructed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, has recently undergone a two-million dollar rehabilitation effort as a regional venue for the arts. Three separate buildings compose the 32,000 square foot 1936 structure. The buildings are linked by an arcade of arches facing the ceremonial parade ground on Buckner Drive. As the Buckner Arts & Exhibit Center, the buildings provide a 244-seat theatre, an exhibit hall/ballroom for over 600, studio/workshops for arts and crafts and a cafe/lounge with full service kitchen.

Zannie Theatre has been upgraded with state-of-the-art sound, lighting, acoustics and theatre equipment by Savannah consultants. Tom Hammill Associates of Birmingham restored the classic art deco seating.

The Exhibit Hall/Ballroom has a clearspan solid maple floor area of 6,300 square feet for banquets, meetings, receptions, exhibitions and varied performance events. Studio/Workshops are located on the lower level which originally housed a bowling alley. The Center intends to attract artisans and craftspeople in drama, music, dance, painting, ceramics, photography and the associated arts to conduct one- and two-week workshops for all ages; such workshops are popular throughout the world. The triad is completed by a Cafe/Lounge with timbered ceiling, stone fireplace, slate flooring and a picturesque loggia and terrace for outdoor activities. The Terra Cafe is open for lunch and dinner and Saturday Brunch.

“Preservation of the important historic architecture is my primary goal,” according to owner/architect Julian Jenkins, “and I am dead set on making the Buckner Arts & Exhibit Center a major venue for the arts in this region of the country.”

Visit the Buckner Center website