Savannah Culinary Institute @ 7 West Bay Street

7 West Bay Street building, "under construction" banner

With support from the Savannah Technical College Foundation, the College has purchased 7 West Bay Street as the new downtown location for an expansion of its Culinary Arts program.

This purchase was one of the top five strategic priorities for the Foundation’s capital campaign that raised $7.2 million. The Foundation is raising $4 million to renovate, equip and furnish the building. Renovation has begun with demolition of all interior spaces.

With only 3,000-square-feet of classroom, lab and cooking space, Savannah Tech has had extremely limited resources at the Savannah campus. The kitchen operates 16 hours a day Monday through Thursday, plus four hours on Friday. Four years ago, the College designated one classroom on the Savannah Campus as sugar and chocolate lab, allowing additional space beyond the kitchen to be dedicated to culinary arts instruction. With the success of the Baking & Pastry Arts program, classes are full, and the College is unable to offer enough sections to meet demands.

The expansion will more than double the available instructional space for Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts. Senior level (second year) students will take classes and work in the bakery and restaurant. Entry-level (first year) students will continue to take courses in the teaching kitchen and classrooms at the College’s campus on White Bluff.

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