La Plata, MD – The Charles County Commissioners have three options for what to do with the Maryland National Guard Armory building in La Plata, Department of Planning and Growth Management Director Peter Aluotto said Tuesday, April 21.
The building, which Charles County swapped with the National Guard for a new location in 2012, has a historic designation and dates back to 1956.
“It is among properties eligible for the National Register of Historic Places,” Aluotto said. “We have to determine if anything requires restoration.”
Aluotto noted that the property encompasses three acres, including a building of 21-25,000 square feet with an additional 4,800 square feet of garage space. He explained that the property is currently zoned residential and the county would have to go through the Town of La Plata if rezoning was considered.
“The building is not in very good shape,” he stated, adding that it “has potential for a variety of different uses.”
He said factors that would have to be addressed include lead-based paint and asbestos.
“Walls, ceiling and floors upgrades for ADA [Americans with Disability Act] compliance,” Aluotto added. “Structural repairs, cosmetic things, a new electric system, a sprinkler system—most of these to accommodate new codes.”
He noted that the building was constructed when environmental law and issues weren’t as important as they are today.
“Spills might have to be remediated,” he said.
He said the first option the county could consider would be for minimal use, allowing the garage to perhaps be used for additional parking for the town of La Plata, a measure which would cost around $50,000.
Option 2, he said, would permit limited use with modifications and would require inpections which could cost the county $250,000.
Option 3 would call for a full renovation and redesign.
“While that would take care of the entire laundry list of problems, it would cost around $2.5 million,” he said.
Charles County Commissioner Vice President Ken Robinson [D – District 1] asked when the county would be in possession of the building for future use.
“Their lease expires in December,” Aluotto said. “They will move sooner than that. We want to make sure we can get rid of the lead paint and asbestos.”
“We should we get it rezoned first before we do anything else,” Commissioner Bobby Rucci [D – District 4] said.
“We would have to investigate,” Aluotto responded. “If we knew what we wanted to do with it, it would be easier.”
“Option 1 and 2 would not be impacted by zoning,” Charles County Commissioner President Peter Murphy [D] asserted.
“It would still have to be remediated before we can even use the property,” Aluotto said.
Contact Joseph Norris at joe.norris@thebaynet.com