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  • A committee has been formed to decide the fate of the former Texas National Guard Armory building, located on Grigsby across from Port Neches Riverfront Park. Photo courtesy Taylor Shelton

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July 18, 2012

Group to find uses for PN Armory

Mary Meaux The Port Arthur News

PORT NECHES — A group of 11 Port Neches residents have been tagged to help research possible uses for the former Texas National Guard Armory building.

The citizens are now part of the Port Neches Community Center Board, which was formed during a recent city council meeting.

Councilmember Julie Gauthier will chair the committee which also includes Tina Bradley, Kim Hall, Shawn Landry, Brett Reeves, Andrea Johnson, Kathy Levingston Lewis, Norman Reynolds, Debbie Plaia, Sharon Lemoine and Summer Thompson.

Committee members are now tasked with the job of what to do with the 14,300 square foot facility located on Grigsby near Port Neches Riverfront Park.

“The cost to renovate the facility in order to allow for suitable public use is estimated at $225,000,” City Manager Andrè Wimer said. “Additionally, local industry does not appear to have a significant need for the use of the armory for meeting/training purposes.”

In the past, industry used the facility on a periodic basis for various training purposes and council was hopeful industry express interest in the facility for those purposes as cost sharing factor.

Wimer said the group’s initial charge is to determine if there is a practical and cost effective use for facility.

Mayor Glenn Johnson, who organized the formation of the board, hopes to see a recommendation from the board regarding the facility.

“What should we do with it,” Johnson said during the meeting. “Manage it or bulldoze it. We don’t want it to become an albatross to the city.”

Another issue the committee will have to tackle is the operational cost versus how much money the facility would generate.

In late December 2010, the city opted to discontinue the public rental of the Wright Building, citing scheduling problems at the facility. The Wright Building is currently home to the Port Neches Senior Citizens Center. Prior to the decision to discontinue rentals, the facility was used for wedding receptions and parties.

In January, council discussed possible future uses for the building and what renovations would need to be done to renovate the facility for use as a meeting/events venue for both city sponsored and private activities.

mmeaux@panews.com

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