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SOURCE: Baltimore Fishbowl / by Ed Gunts
Jan. 22 groundbreaking ceremony to mark start of Pikesville Armory’s $100M transformation to hub for recreation, sports, arts, veterans’ activities, more
The Pikesville Armory Foundation, new owners of the 14-acre Pikesville Armory, will break ground this month to kick off a $100 million transformation of the historic military site to a regional hub for recreation, sports, the arts, veterans’ activities, and more.
The non-profit foundation, in partnership with Seawall and Onyx Development, have scheduled a groundbreaking ceremony for Jan. 22 at 11 a.m. on the armory grounds, 610 Reisterstown Road in Baltimore County.
Maryland’s Board of Public Works voted last August to make the armory property available for a multi-faceted redevelopment project that would be a catalyst for the revitalization of the Reisterstown Road corridor and beyond.
The groundbreaking ceremony will include remarks from Gov. Wes Moore, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, federal officials, project leaders, and supporters. The development team will also release renderings showing how the multi-year redevelopment will unfold.
‘Critical investment’
Plans call for the renovation and adaptive reuse of the main armory building with basketball courts, performance and maker spaces, and cafe and community areas, among other uses.
Other structures will be renovated and preserved for use as veterans’ and educational spaces. More than 10 acres of green space will include sports fields, walking paths, event space and state-of-the-art play areas, with public art and historical monuments throughout the grounds.
“I applaud the Pikesville Armory Foundation for moving in partnership with Maryland leaders to transform a local landmark into a community anchor,” Moore said in a statement. “This ambitious project will bring Marylanders together, drive growth, inspire engagement and support our veterans. I’m proud to support this critical investment in Baltimore and stand with all of the community leaders who have helped make it possible.”
“Transforming the Pikesville Armory property into a modern, multi-use space – while honoring its rich and storied history – is sure to create a vibrant social center and community hub for residents of all ages in Baltimore County,” Olszewski said in a statement. “We thank the Pikesville Armory Foundation for its diligent advocacy and our county, state and federal partners for their support for this important regional project.”
Built in 1903
The Pikesville Armory was built in 1903 as part of the expansion of the National Guard program and has been in continuous military and community use since then. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
In 2017, the site was the subject of Governor’s Commission study to identify new uses for the property. The resulting plan called for “a multi-use venue for recreation, arts, and other community programming,” and led to the formation of the nonprofit Pikesville Armory Foundation.
Working with a development team led by Onyx and Seawall, the foundation will oversee the redevelopment process, including an ongoing community engagement effort. Ziger/Snead Architects is the lead architect, and Unknown Studio is the landscape architect.
The first phase of the redevelopment process will begin in April 2024 with construction to renovate and restore the Non Commissioned Officers (NCO) Club building, a project that will take about 12 months.
The second phase, encompassing the main Armory building and acres of green space, will kick off in early 2026, with construction taking approximately two years. Planning is underway for additional phases.
“We are thrilled to witness this major step in bringing our community’s vision to life,” said Shelley Morhaim, president of the board of the Pikesville Armory Foundation, in a statement.
“The Armory project began six years ago with citizen input that has brought us here today. The redeveloped Armory will create inter-generational opportunities and benefits for the entire northwest Baltimore County and Baltimore City region. We’re at the beginning of an exciting journey, and we welcome everyone’s continued support and ideas.”
