Plugged In
Rooftop solar panels help power the new Georgia Power office.
New office opens in Savannah
Georgia Power’s new customer service center in Savannah offers historic appeal while meeting the needs of today’s customers.
The building, located at 28 Abercorn St., opened Monday, Jan. 24. The new site, which also houses the company’s Coastal Region operations, is located on Reynolds Square, one of the six original squares in historic Savannah.
“We were so fortunate to find this building,” said Cathy Hill, Coastal Region vice president. “This sends the appropriate message to the Savannah community, and to our customers, that we are here for them.”
The building, which was built in 1920 and originally housed an automobile factory, is one of the most energy-efficient buildings in the country. Georgia Power has been renovating the two-story, 11,400-square-foot structure since purchasing it for $2.6 million in November 2009. Most recently, it housed a real estate company.
Georgia Power followed the U.S. Green Building Council's standards in renovating and decorating the building. It is hoped that the building will receive a Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) platinum rating, making it the first in Georgia to achieve that status. It uses rooftop solar panels to heat water and provide some power to the facility.
The new building was officially christened Wednesday, as Hill, Georgia Power President CEO and President Paul Bowers, and some local Savannah officials appeared at the official ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“This is a statement to show that our presence is going to be here for the long term,” said Bowers. “This is a beautiful location, and it shows that we have a vision for the future in terms of energy efficiency.”
The executive offices moved from the company's longtime headquarters on East Bay Street on Jan. 22. That building is for sale.
The new customer service building is larger than the previous one on Broughton Street, and features a drive-through window for customer convenience.
Cynthia Wallace, a customer service representative, said she welcomes the move and is enjoying her new work surroundings.
“I love it, and the customers seem to really like it,” she said. “We have so much more space than we did in the old building.”
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