Situated between two new buildings, FirstCaribbean International Bank and Wendy’s downtown, is the old Savoy Building.
This two-story, once-thriving shopping complex has housed multiple businesses, including dress stores, flower shops, phone and game shops, to name a few.
Once a popular downtown stop-off, it has now become an eyesore, bringing down the look of the main street of Freeport, which houses some of the island’s most important businesses as well as the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA), to which it sits opposite.
As the building department of the GBPA works to beautify the island, a key must for any chance of renaissance for the island, it is our hope that this building is on the list for demolition or urgent renovations.
Ian Rolle, president of the GBPA, noted in an April 2022 statement, “The GBPA is also painfully aware of the need to demolish the derelict structures around the City of Freeport.
“Recognizing the legal inabilities at present to cause the expedient demolition of structures, the organization set out several years ago to amend the building and sanitary bye-laws, which would enable the GBPA to execute demolitions in a timely manner and recoup the cost for doing so.”
We hope that he and his executives are working to make these amendments happen, as these laws seem to be yet another factor that’s holding our island back.
