A.C Armory Becomes Sports Center, Pa. Armories for Sale

Out of use armories in two states are getting second lives in different ways.

Officials have converted the Atlantic City Armory into an indoor sports complex.

The state spent nearly $3 million turning the 83-year-old main hall into a center that offers indoor track, soccer and volleyball to schools, youth leagues and athletic organizations.

The conversion is part of a New Jersey Attorney General's Office initiative aimed at reducing crime and improving public safety through community redevelopment.

Eleven former Pennsylvania National Guard armories and a former firing range are being put up for sale.

The Legislature passed the authorizing legislation unanimously and Gov. Tom Corbett's office said Tuesday he plans to sign it.

Up for sale are armories in the counties of Blair, Centre, Columbia, Elk, Franklin, Huntingdon, Lackawanna, Lancaster, McKean and Northumberland, as well as a weekend training site in Elk County used mainly for target practice.

The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs says the armories, built between 1904 and 1938, were once the heart of their communities but have been replaced by newer facilities.

The armories are listed on the National Register of Historical Places. Prospective buyers will pay a discounted price in exchange for preserving the exterior facades of the buildings for 25 years.
 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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