In the upcoming years, Pikesville will be facing a monumental introduction and improvement to the Pikesville Armory. While a few Pikesville locals are familiar with the deteriorating building right off of Reisterstown Road, most residents do not recognize what some pass by every day. That will not be the case in the next few years, because the Pikesville Armory Foundation and Maryland State Legislature have proposed a lengthy refurbishment of the building. The building will be a haven for the average Pikesville resident to dwell in, from teens to senior citizens!
Located across from Yesh Hummus & Grill, the Pikesville Armory was owned by the United States Military in the 1900s to store weapons and materials. Its 14-acre plot has been used for many functions over the years, including hosting meetings with prominent figures like Lyndon Johnson, Harry Truman, and John F. Kennedy. When the US Military declared it did not find the place essential, they hosted a private bid to see if anyone in the US Government wanted it, and when no one did, it was sold in an auction to the public.
Now, in 2023, Maryland State Legislature has successfully reacquired the Armory, transforming it into a Multiuse Community Center for Pikesvillians. Izzy Patoka, Baltimore’s County Councilman of the Second District is jubilant about the upcoming renovations and is positive it will become a hub for Pikesville. The sixty to a hundred-million-dollar renovation will be used to restore the main building and add proposed components ranging from a soccer and basketball court, to a pool, all the way to a library!
While completing the renovations and refurbishments will take an extended period, Councilman Patoka explained that the redevelopments are being done in stages with some parts of the Pikesville Armory to be finished as early as next year. The first phase has been partially completed, by reacquiring the land, but is still missing the land assembly, and hopefully a courtyard, estimated to take another year. After that, they need to redo the surrounding environment, add electricity, and even attempt to build meeting rooms for Maryland Legislature, known as Non-Commissioners Club (NCC). These additions may take an additional two to three years.. The second phase, the building phase, includes constructing an exterior courtyard, and taking the Pikesville Armory’s drill hall and renovating it into the main building (shown in the drawing attached). The renovations and refurbishments have the potential to add a lot to the Pikesville community.
