PIKESVILLE, Md. — A historic National Guard armory in Pikesville, which sat vacant for years, is undergoing a major transformation.
Pikesville’s historic armory, re-envisioned
Plans for the overhaul of the Reisterstown Road campus include a new senior center, park space, a new home for the Pikesville Farmer's Market, and a boost for local artists.
“Eight years ago," David Ginsburg, executive director of the Pikesville Armory Foundation, told WMAR-2 News, "we had a governor's commission, and all the leaders of Pikesville got together to determine, 'What do we do with the unique opportunity of 14 acres and 5 buildings becoming available in the middle of Pikesville?'"
“I was in this unit in the 1980s and 1990s," Ginsberg added, "so telling the history and preserving the buildings is very personal to me."
An impact study showed the project could bring significant economic activity to the community.
The Baltimore County study, released this February, showed the project would generate over $120 million in one-time economic output for construction and about $40 million each year.
Last August, the grounds' NCO club reopened after a major upgrade. It was the first step in the larger, phased approach to reshape the property.
“In mid-2028, we're going to have 14 acres of outdoor rec open. That's two full-size soccer and lacrosse fields, a 1-kilometer walking path, a one-acre ADA playground. Lots of parking, 300 parking spots, 4 lanes out to Milford Mill [road]. This place will be very accessible, easy to get to by public transportation or the metro, and a 500-person event field, all opening up in 2028,” Ginsburg said.
The new park space will be located behind the armory building, providing fields in the only part of the county that currently lacks non-school fields.
Ginsburg said there will be a particular focus on history education.
Years before the total completion of the redevelopment, the armory is already providing new uses for the community.
"Right now we have roughly every 2 weeks we have a large art event, and that's for several purposes. One, arts is an important concept of what we're doing here, but it's creating awareness and it's getting people used to coming to the armory and seeing things," Ginsburg said.
The 2nd phase, which incorporates the new fields, playground, event lawn, and parking, is expected to begin construction in the first quarter of next year.
"In 2028," Ginsberg added, "we'll start on phase three, which is the indoor rec. Those are basketball and pickleball courts, the community hub. And that's essentially what this project is. We're building a community for all."
