A recent media story circulating in Greenville shared some old photographs of the construction of the Peace Center, Greenville’s highly successful performing arts center. For over 30 years, the Peace Center has been at the epicenter of Greenville’s cultural and economic transformation. The old photographs reminded us that the Peace Center was built on largely abandoned property along the sketchy edge of this small textile town beside a “river” that was less than inspiring to be near.
Today, CGD is excited to be a part of another performing arts center that is rising from the ground in Evans, Georgia (just outside of Augusta). Like Greenville three decades ago, Evans is a fast-growing center of business & industry, with an ever-increasing appetite for cultural offerings. Much like the recently published photos of the Peace Center in the late 1980’s, recent photos of the Columbia County Performing Arts Center offer a glimpse of what is to come.
Columbia County Performing Arts Center
It is no secret that the Columbia County officials were inspired by Greenville’s Peace Center and made many trips to see and observe the facility’s physical attributes. The Columbia County facility will seat approximately 2,000 patrons and provide state-of-the-art facilities for a wide variety of music and dramatic performances.
Observing these two distinct projects naturally encourages one to imagine Evans in another three decades, with the certain knowledge that a successful arts venue of this magnitude will inevitably be a boon to the local economy, sparking activity that will increase the quality of life for future generations.
CCPAC Orchestra Pit
Complex and challenging projects like these are what drive us at CGD. Seeing them in their infancy, as skeletons against a bright blue sky, inspires us to ponder how their physical presence may one day become a foundational part of a vibrant community.
Contributed by Principal David L. Dixon
