The Daily Oklahoman is reporting that the Oklahoma National Guard is closing nearly 60 of its armories around the state as a way to consolidate its training.
Normally, this would spark the proverbial weeping and gnashing of teeth. However, many of those armory buildings are being offered to municipalities, which can reuse them in other vital ways for the community.
The Oklahoman cited the city of Chandler and its historic armory as a model of reuse:
The historic armory in Chandler, closed years ago, could serve as a model for how communities can use the buildings, Chandler City Manager James Melson said.
The front part of the building has been turned into a Route 66 Interpretive Center and gift shop, promoting the history of the old highway and Chandler’s place in it.
The drill hall has been renovated and a new roof added.
“We can use it as not necessarily a convention center, but a meeting place where large groups can use that for meetings and banquets and weddings,” Melson said.
“It’s just a real drawing card for us. We plan to market it and put in our travel brochures.”
Chandler’s armory is really something. Its stone walls, erected in the 1930s, are at least a foot thick, and the massive building reportedly can withstand an F5 tornado.