Macon’s Red Cross is on the move, but this time it’s not to help with a disaster

For 75 years, the American Red Cross has owned the huge, brick mansion on Holt Avenue near its intersection with Vineville Avenue.

But that’s about to change.

The Central Midwest Georgia chapter of the American Red Cross is planning to sell the building and move to 6080 Lakeside Commons Drive, just off the Bass Road interchange with Interstate 75, said Connie Hensler, executive director of the chapter.

“We’ve been in here a very long time,” Hensler said. “It’s a beautiful, historic building. ... We’re sad to be leaving this building, but excited about the possibilities where we’re going.”

Several things converged so that selling the building made sense.

“Across the country for the past couple of years, we’ve really looked at real estate and where offices are located and what makes sense,” she said. “And real estate is a pretty substantial part of our operating budget. So really, to make sure we’re being the best stewards of our donor dollar, that’s one of the things we’ve looked at.”

Also, because the building at 195 Holt Ave. was built in 1908, “it doesn’t really suit the way we work today with technology,” she said. In addition, the 8,088-square-foot building doesn’t have an elevator, all the space isn’t being utilized and it can be challenging to have a good meeting space since the building, for the most part, remains as it was built as a home.

The Realtor handling the sale, Stephanie Folsom with Coldwell Banker Commercial Eberhardt & Barry, was out of the office this week and could not be reached to comment about the selling price and Hensler said she wasn’t sure about the exact price.

“We will be leasing the new space,” Hensler said. “The decision to rent or purchase space is made at the national level, based on cost efficiency and the best use of our donor dollars. Our national office manages the operating budget for real estate nationwide.”

The Red Cross chapter will be moving into about 4,500 square feet of space at Lakeside Commons.

“It has more usable space,” than the current building, Hensler said. “It’s one floor ... and there is good parking. ... A lot of our clients, we go and deliver our services where they are, but for the people who come to us, it’s very accessible.”

It plans to move in April, although a definite date has not been set yet. The colorful mural in the Holt Avenue foyer is going into the new space.

There will be no changes in the classes offered, such as CPA classes, or in other services the Red Cross renders, except for the location, she said.

Last year, the state’s Red Cross provided disaster assistance for 15,596 families; taught First Aid/CPR/AED and preparedness classes to 53,348 people; provided emergency casework services for 24,514 members of the military; installed 13,390 free smoke alarms in homes that needed them and collected 201,437 units of blood, according to a news release.

The Georgia Red Cross has occupied the existing Holt Avenue building since 1945, a year after buying it. The Holt family was the first to own the property, according to the history of the building provided by the chapter. It then was bought by Dr. Thomas N. Baker, and the grand, three-story, red brick home with 28 rooms was built. Just before World War II, the property was turned over to the National Guard to use as an armory and headquarters.

By 1943, the property was bought for $10,000 by W.C. Scott and William A. Snow to be used as a mortuary. But several neighbors objected and sued to prevent the funeral home. After the neighbors won the suit the following year, the property was sold to the Red Cross for $18,000.

This story was originally published January 25, 2019 at 3:35 PM.