AUGUSTA, Ga. – Residents of Augusta’s Sand Hills neighborhood have taken a significant step toward revitalizing a key piece of the community’s history. At a meeting held Monday evening, community members reached a consensus to transform the long-vacant Weed School property into 40 affordable housing units, along with space for retail and community services.

The decision reflects a shift from earlier proposals, which focused solely on developing 44 senior apartment units. The updated plan aims to serve a broader segment of the community while preserving the legacy of the Weed School—a historic institution that once played a vital role in local education.

District 1 Commissioner Jordan Johnson, who represents the Sand Hills area, praised the process and outcome of the meeting.

“This neighborhood has been extremely clear that they wanted something in this neighborhood that spoke to the future,” Johnson said. “That preserved their history, but they wanted something nice.”

Johnson noted that city officials stepped out of the meeting room to allow residents to have an open and private dialogue about their vision for the site. That approach, he said, ensured the decision was driven entirely by the community.

Dr. Audrey Jones Wood, a lifelong Sand Hills resident and former Weed School student, expressed her satisfaction with the direction of the project.

“I’m very much pleased with what has taken place here tonight, and I’m looking forward to the project moving forward and Sand Hills beginning to