Kiah Hall (Savannah Georgia) is one of the original 1856 components of the country's only intact antebellum railroad complex. Savannah College of Art & Design is housed in an 1853 brick structure that was once a railway depot for the Central of Georgia Railway.

Originally conceived as a major trade post for Savannah, the railroad complex was occupied by Union troops at the close of the Civil War. 

In the early 20th century, the area surrounding much of the Central of Georgia Railroad buildings emerged as an important African American commercial district and cultural hub, and remained so through the mid-20th century. 

Despite its prime location and significant pedigree, the complex was beset by five decades of neglect, and by the late 20th century, the depot and its precious Savannah gray brick lay in ruins. 

Yet, a wealth of natural beauty and possibility remained, sparking SCAD's commitment to its students and to the Savannah community at large.

Imagine a parcel of land deep enough to hold the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Louvre. At one end was the old Gray Building, in the Palladian style, six immense Doric columns holding the pediment. It was named Kiah Hall, in honor of educator, artist, civil rights activist, and SCAD trustee Virginia Kiah.

 As always, students were brought in to study the restoration process, how to conserve interior ceilings, how to peel back each layer of paint to expose the same bitumen black used to paint the locomotives.

https://www.scadmoa.org/about

https://metropolismag.com/viewpoints/the-remarkable-story-of-the-scad-museum-of-art/