City of Milford one step closer to owning Milford Armory

Photo by Maddy LauriaEarlier this year, Milford City Council agreed to purchase the Milford Armory, which was used by the Delaware National Guard until March 2013.

Milford city officials are just waiting for the governor’s signature before they can take over the Milford Armory and repurposed it for the city’s use. Earlier this year, Milford City Council agreed to purchase the Milford Armory, which was used by the Delaware National Guard until March 2013. To see the original article visit http://www.milfordbeacon.com/article/20140723/News/140729898. 

By Maddy Lauria
maddy.lauria@doverpost.com
@Milford_Maddy
Posted Jul. 23, 2014 @ 10:06 am

Milford, Del.

Milford city officials are just waiting for the governor’s signature before they can take over the Milford Armory and repurposed it for the city’s use.

“This will have a long-lasting effect on the city when you think of the multiple uses they might make of the buildings and the amount of land surrounding them,” state Sen. Gary Simpson (R-Milford) said in a press release that announced the passage of a General Assembly bill granting ownership of the 76-year-old building to the city. Simpson and state Rep. Harvey Kenton (R-Milford) co-sponsored the legislation, which passed unanimously in both chambers of the General Assembly on July 1.

The Milford Armory has been a state surplus building since the Delaware National Guard ceased using it after consolidating its operations in the spring of 2013. It sat dormant while legislators offered the property to various groups, including the Milford School District. Milford city officials agreed to purchase it for $1 in late May. While the armory comes with an attractive price tag, it’s sale also comes with three stipulations: it’s must be accepted in its current condition, it must be available for public use only and it first must be offered back to the state if the city ever wishes to sell it.

The two-story building, which sits on about four acres, is in good condition, according to Milford Mayor Bryan Shupe. “It’s a beautiful building,” he said. “The building is on one of our main roads, Walnut Street, and I think the neighbors will be happy to see that building with some sort of purpose instead of just sitting there vacant.”

The city cannot take final ownership of the property until Gov. Jack Markell signs the bill passed by the General Assembly, but Shupe said he does not expect that to be an issue. What remains to be determined, however, is what exactly will be done with the building once the city takes it over and how city officials will fund any repairs or renovations.

“It wasn’t put on this year’s budget, so we’re going to have to take a look and see what renovations, if any, we can do this year,” Shupe said.

Shupe said he plans to meet with officials from the city’s public works, parks and recreation and police departments to determine how the building will be used.The armory could be a good fit for storing large equipment or it could be converted into a police substation, or even a completely new police headquarters, he said.

City officials have been looking to relocate the current police department headquarters on Northeast Front Street for several years. In 2012, the city vote to put down a $50,000 deposit on a 14-acre property off Northeast Front Street identified for a future home of the police department.

Read more: http://www.milfordbeacon.com/article/20140723/News/140729898#ixzz38UtJs6Vi