At a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Mayor Rick Abel unveiled the renovated Athens armory, now a community coworking and event venue that will host memberships, rentals and a 250-seat performance and conference space.

The project preserves the armory's military history while adapting the building for everyday community use. "The groundbreaking was two years ago," Mayor Rick Abel said, and the building has "completely been retransformed into a community space" that also offers shared workspaces for people working remotely.

The renovation will include a Hall of Honor to recognize Ohio National Guard members who served, an exhibit curated with help from the Southeast Ohio History Center and consultation with the Ohio National Guard historian. Speakers said the Hall of Honor is supported by a grant from the state legislature; no dollar amounts were specified.

City officials and partners described the building's long military legacy. One speaker said the armory has served soldiers for about 111 years and hosted events ranging from dances and boxing matches to dog shows and rummage sales. The mayor said that history and those stories were a motivating factor for preservation.

The Athens County Foundation will serve as an anchor tenant, and a nonprofit will manage the facility, including memberships for offices and desk space, bookings for meetings, and event rentals. City staff cited the building's potential to host small conferences, receptions and performances in the roughly 250-seat range.

Officials described a complex capital stack that combined state, federal and local funding sources and required matching funds and compliance with multiple funders' requirements. Mayor Abel said the project relied in part on American Rescue Plan funds provided through the state; exact funding amounts and the full list of grants or grants totals were not specified in the remarks.

City officials credited a team of staff and elected officials for delivering the project on time despite funding and administrative challenges. The mayor singled out Service Safety Director Andy Stone and Deputy Service Safety Director Andrew Czycki for their roles in coordinating requirements and contracts.

The performance and conference space will be named the Logaville Great Hall in memory of Paul Logue, the former city planner who advocated for repurposing the armory; Logue's role in earlier planning was repeatedly noted by speakers.

Organizers said the space is intended to be flexible: community events, performances and meetings that once took place in the armory could return under the new design. Speakers encouraged residents to visit the facility to see the renovation and the exhibits honoring veterans.

Provenance: Transcript excerpts supporting this report begin with mayoral remarks at 00:56 and continue through final comments at 13:14.