Big day in town

Armory gets state grant; Harmar bridge officially opens

By Sam Shawver, sshawver@mariettatimes.com
Ceremonies marked milestones for two of Marietta’s historic attractions Monday afternoon as the Armory Square project received some major state funding, and the Historic Harmar Bridge was officially reopened to pedestrians.

“We’re really pleased to be part of this project,” Fred Deel with the Governor’s Office on Appalachia, said before presenting Mayor Michael Mullen with a $250,000 check on the steps of the 93-year-old armory on Front Street Monday.

Gov. Ted Strickland is trying to overcome economic challenges throughout Ohio by attempting to develop regional cooperation, Deel said.

“And I think this is an excellent example of regional groups working together,” Deel said of city, county, state and private sector efforts to restore the facility.

Mullen said it was “an auspicious occasion for our good old armory.

“Some people have worked a lifetime on this project; others only four or five years, but it has been a labor of love for both,” he said, referring to efforts by groups like the Citizens Armory Preservation Society and Friends of the Armory to develop the property into a multi-use facility for the community.

Deel noted support from Ohio Rep. Jennifer Garrison, D-Marietta, Ohio Sen. Joy Padgett, R-Coshocton, and other state legislators, in addition to U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson and U.S. senators George Voinovich and Sherrod Brown, helped secure the funding.

Garrison also announced she and Padgett had placed another $200,000 for the armory project in the state capital budget bill introduced in the Ohio General Assembly on Monday.

“There could be many changes in the bill before it is enacted, but that money has been included,” Garrison said.

Mullen said if the capital budget funding goes through in addition to the $250,000 from the office on Appalachia, the total grant funding dedicated to the armory project would be $1.85 million, and the renovation could begin.

“I would like to be on these steps a year from now, cutting the ribbon for this project,” he said.

Kelly Blazosky, executive director for the Marietta/Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau, said her agency is ready to become one of the armory’s tenants when the renovation is complete.

“Our board is already working on what our needs will be in the building, so that we can submit them during the design phase,” she said.

In addition to the CVB, WASCO Inc. will have a presence in the restored armory as its management agency.

Bridge officially opens

Also on Monday, the Historic Harmar Bridge was officially opened to pedestrian traffic after being closed for eight months.

“This was done with a little bit of money and a whole lot of sweat from Ironworkers Local 787 and Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 168,” Mullen said.

Thanks to union volunteers and material and equipment donations from local businesses, including Pioneer Pipe Inc. and Leasco Equipment Services, the project to stabilize the span, estimated to cost more than $80,000, was done at very little cost.

Deel, whose agency helped obtain design funding for the bridge upgrade, also praised the union workers, and handed the ribbon-cutting scissors to Bill Hutchinson with the local Ironworkers union.

“For a small investment a tremendous project has been done,” Deel said.

Hutchinson said approximately 50 people worked a total of six to seven days over the last two weeks, welding plates onto the structure to reinforce the bridge.

Although Monday was the “official” reopening of the span, pedestrians were already crossing the bridge after the volunteers completed their work late Saturday afternoon.

Chuck Swaney, president of the Harmar Merchants Association, said there was an increase in the number of people passing through Harmar Village as soon as the bridge opened.



“It was almost immediate, people were crossing like the bridge had never been closed,” he said.



“The closing had more of a dramatic impact on Harmar than I had thought,” Swaney added. “But now we’re looking forward to a good summer season.”