This Colonial Revival style barracks building was constructed in 1910 as part of Fort Screven, now listed in the National Register of Historic Places. In 1938, the barracks was expanded to accommodate 124 men by enclosing the front porch. Once federal lands, the Town of Tybee Island sold most of the property within the fort to private individuals in the mid-1950s. This property was underutilized during this period and sat mostly vacant and used for storage.
Purchased in 2017 for rehabilitation into a multi-family residence, Josh Ward AIA, principal for Ward Architecture + Preservation developed plans that established 7 units and restored the historic building including the original porch and its features based on extensive research with the Tybee Island Historical Society and federal fort buildings.
State and federal historic tax credits and a property tax freeze were used to help finance the construction. Documentation and applications for these incentives were prepared by Sarah Ward, preservation principal for Ward Architecture + Preservation. Through design development and construction, she ensured that preservation standards would be met.
The project received the 2021 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award from the Historic Savannah Foundation and the 2020 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award from the Tybee Island Historical Society.