Meet the new tenants in the Augusta building designed by legendary architect I.M. Pei

A uniquely-shaped and positioned downtown Augusta building designed by renowned architect I.M. Pei is becoming the area's newest small business incubator.

Construction for Accelerate Augusta will begin officially on Aug. 13 in a ceremony at 600 Broad St., where the landscaped Broad Street median begins at Sixth.

"Accelerate Augusta is poised to become a cornerstone for small business development, providing a dynamic space for entrepreneurs to thrive," Augusta Tech said in an Aug. 9 statement.

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Augusta Tech announced its partnership in December 2023 with the Downtown Development Authority of Augusta to launch the region's newest small business incubator and microenterprise center.

The oddly angular, 6,776-square-foot building was completed in 1976 as part of a sweeping downtown redesign envisioned by Pei. The Chinese-American architect, who died in 2019, also designed Cleveland's Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame, Boston's John Hancock Tower and the Louvre Pyramid in Paris.

The Metro Augusta Chamber of Commerce vacated 600 Broad in 2010 and transferred its ownership to the city of Augusta. After the city tried to auction the property in 2012, the Augusta Regional Collaborative began leasing the building from the city to house business startups and local arts organizations.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Meet the new tenants in the Augusta building designed by legendary architect I.M. Pei