Pikesville’s vacant but historic Maryland National Guard Armory, located at 610 Reisterstown Rd., may soon be a candidate for redevelopment and revitalization.
On Tuesday, Sept. 5, Gov. Larry Hogan established a 16-member commission to determine the best way to make use of the 114-year-old military storage facility, which sits on 14 acres next to the Pikesville Plaza building. The commission, created by executive order, will submit its recommendations to the governor’s office.
The armory property has been declared superfluous by the Maryland Military Department.
Sen. Bobby Zirkin (D-11th) will chair the commission, which will also include representatives from such community and neighborhood associations as the 1000 Friends of Pikesville group, the Pikesville Chamber of Commerce, members of the Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Pikesville Recreation Council.
“I am pleased to establish the Commission on the Future of the Pikesville Armory today,” said Hogan. “I am confident that this group, led by Senator Zirkin, will find an innovative and exciting use for the Armory that will add immeasurable value to the surrounding area and the entire Pikesville community.”
The Pikesville Armory, as it’s best known, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 and has been the scene of myriad cultural, athletic, social, commercial and political gatherings. It is the second oldest armory in the state. Gen. George S. Patton is said to have attended polo matches there prior to World War II.
In a statement, Zirkin suggested that the facility could be repurposed for arts and recreational activities.
“I am looking forward to working with the entire community on this exciting project,” he said. “I am certain that we will emerge with a product that is exciting to the community.”
The commission’s recommendations are due no later than Oct. 1, 2018.
Read the complete story at Baltimore Fishbowl.
Top photo: The Pikesville Armory in 2009. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons.)
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