Plans are in motion to repurpose Foley's former National Guard armory into a multifunctional space for recreation facilities and city offices.
During a session on Monday, March 4, the Foley City …
This item is available in full to subscribers.
Please log in to continue |
Plans are in motion to repurpose Foley's former National Guard armory into a multifunctional space for recreation facilities and city offices.
During a session on Monday, March 4, the Foley City Council voted to allocate funding for the design development and construction plans for the armory, situated behind City Hall.
Mayor Ralph Hellmich expressed enthusiasm for the initiative, noting that this move marks the beginning of the city's efforts to convert the armory into municipal spaces, with a particular focus on recreation.
"Our armory design group was approved by the council," Hellmich said. "So we’ll be moving for the expansion of our rec services."
David Thompson, Foley's Executive Director of Leisure Services, emphasized that advancing with the project's design phase is the logical next step.
"What we're asking you to do is move forward with the actual design of it," Thompson told council members.
The approved funding includes fees for the architecture firm tasked with the project and allocations for potential contingencies.
While the city has crafted a general conceptual plan for the building, this new phase will allow Foley officials to delve into the finer design details, preparing for the onset of construction.
"The conceptual plan is really a 1,000-foot plan," Thompson said. "This is when they get into the weeds so we'll know a little more as they do that."
Regarding the project timeline, Thompson noted that progress will hinge on the discoveries made during the design phase.
"It's just going to depend on how quickly they're able to work through the design process and how much work they need to do," Thompson said.
The armory, which commenced operations in 1969, previously housed the Foley contingent of the Alabama Army National Guard until the unit relocated to a new facility near the Foley Beach Express in 2023.
In a mutually beneficial arrangement, the city provided the land for the new armory's construction, and in return, the National Guard ceded the former armory site to the city.
