Despite its plaint and utilitarian exterior, Astorians knew they had something special in a former military building containing a large open interior free of support columns space with a domed lamella ceiling. Now, it's a center of the community.
Can-do Astoria, a town of less than 10,000 people at the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon, has accomplished civic feats that cities of over a million have been unable to accomplish. These include building a three-mile trolley line along its riverfront, recovering and restoring a 100-year-old river-crossing ferry, and restoring and putting back in use a vintage WWII-era armory building.
This article is about the armory. It had become a tattered warehouse for Astoria's Maritime Museum, but in its heyday, it was the social and entertainment hub for military personnel stationed in Astoria. Astorians have become accustomed to taking on out-sized projects—given the city's small population. With the help of Craft 3, a community development financial institution (CDFI), they acquired and restored the armory. Now it serves as a community center for the town, hosting 175 events per year. Michele Reeves, a Pacific Northwest "urban strategist" specializing in revitalizing commercial districts, toured the building. Her photos and observations can be found in full at UrbDeZine.
Read the full story: Oh the Stories They Could Tell…Astoria Armory Edition
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