Garbutt Construction Company has been hard at work on the new Prep School Annex on Georgia Military College’s Milledgeville campus, and construction is finally complete. The finished result was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, August 1, 2019. Garbutt Construction Company worked alongside Fry Design Group to construct the Prep School Annex, a 24,000 sf addition to the historic Jenkins Hall. Although the Prep School Annex is fitted with modern amenities, it blends seamlessly with the historic buildings on the hill, an important aspect to the design and intention for the addition. The Annex serves the growing population of 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders at GMC Preparatory School. Housed within are administrative space, a reading room, computer lab, and visual arts room. The Bull Dog Café, the cafeteria for Jenkins Hall students and staff, can also be found here and features indoor and outdoor dining. The building is outfitted with Texas granite flooring which is a low maintenance product with a high impact. It is a no-wax solid vinyl tile flooring that is ergonomically designed to maximize user comfort.
Handcrafted tables and countertops found throughout the Annex hold special significance. They are made from a historic chestnut oak tree that was removed from the site to make way for the new building. This oak tree was one of ten originally planted in 1920 in remembrance of the men from Baldwin County who never returned home from World War I. Garbutt Superintendent, Donnie Beasley reflected on the project, stating he was “proud to work with GMC on this project because they are so mindful of history.” Charlie Garbutt, CEO, took further action to memorialize this sacrificed tree by planting an acorn from it which sprouted a new tree that was presented to Georgia Military College.
This addition to the historic GMC campus is a space that will impart foundational tactics on its young students that they will carry with them while serving as a reminder of the institution’s history.
