Armory's fate in limbo
Jun 30, 2008 at 12:01 AM Jun 30, 2008 at 1:24 AM
If Charles Dickens were writing about the Illinois State Armory, he might call it "A Tale of Two Buildings." Historic preservationists say it is worthy of saving. But a recent tour of the building reveals just how much work will be needed to bring the inside of the structure, built in 1936, up to modern standards.
If Charles Dickens were writing about the Illinois State Armory, he might call it "A Tale of Two Buildings."
The outside of the Armory, which takes up all of Second Street from Adams Street to Monroe Street, is a classic example of either Art Deco or Art Moderne/Neo-Classic architecture, depending on your interpretation. Historic preservationists say it is worthy of saving.
But a recent tour of the building reveals just how much work will be needed to bring the inside of the structure, built in 1936, up to modern standards. Plumbing, wiring, air quality and handicapped accessibility are all inadequate, paint is peeling in many areas, and the building is wracked by other cosmetic problems. You can't even drink the water.
Behind a locked door in the Armory basement is a grid of high-voltage electrical equipment that could easily be a prop from a 1930s era "Frankenstein" film. Legend has it that the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago expressed interest in obtaining the grid for a display of historic electric apparatus.
That story could not be verified, but the electrical system in the building certainly is substandard for modern offices that rely on computers and other electrical equipment.
"The system is too small and too old for the load," said Col. Greg Muller, state police deputy director for the division of administration, "When we occupied the building, it was running at over 90 percent capacity. It's not supposed to run at that capacity every day."
Essentially, every part of the electrical system needs replacement, he said.
The basement also contains a huge pump with pipes branching off it that once connected to fire hoses in upper floors of the building. Muller said the Springfield Fire Department asked the state to shut off the system years ago because the feeder pipes were corroded and untrustworthy.
In fact, most plumbing in the building has been shut off because it leaks. There is no hot water service outside of a couple of restrooms where stand-alone heaters were installed. Drinking water comes into the building via bottles, not pipes.
"None of the water in the building is potable because of pipes in the building," Muller said. "We've had inch and a half pipe that we cut off to be replaced, and you can't see through it because of all the corrosion."
Heating and air conditioning is adequate, Muller said, although many south-facing offices have window air conditioners in them for better cooling.
Ventilation in the building is a problem. Or rather, Muller said, "There is none. There's no way to really circulate air throughout the building or to turn over the air with a certain frequency. It was never designed into the building."
That lack of air circulation, along with a leaking roof that has since been repaired, helped promote mold growth in parts of the Armory. The effects, though, are still evident in water-stained ceiling tiles and peeling wall paint.
That includes the "Weeping Wall," sarcastically named because of the water that leached through it. Upper floors in the office towers still have a musty smell in them.
"This is much better than it had been," Muller said.
The middle of the Armory is dominated by a gymnasium/auditorium that over the decades played host to hundreds of public events, ranging from City Tournament basketball games to rock concerts to gubernatorial inaugurations and appearances by innumerable public figures.
Offices are clustered in six floors on both the north and south sides of the building. To get from one side to another, workers had three choices: go to the first floor and walk across the gymnasium floor, go to the basement and walk across or weave through mechanical equipment located above the top office floor. Most used the gymnasium route.
A trip to the first floor is also the only way handicapped workers could use a restroom. They are the only ones that are handicapped accessible. The others are in stairwells, a half flight of stairs up or down from the office floors.
"I think all but two restrooms in the building are not ADA compliant, which is fine until you renovate the building," Muller said. "Once you renovate the building, you have to meet all ADA codes."
Altogether, it adds up to a lot of money to make the building into usable office space. Just how much will be determined eventually by the state Capital Development Board. Even when that assessment is complete, no work is likely to be done unless the state can find a tenant for the space, Hofer said.
"There's no point in doing restoration until you know how it will be used," Hofer said.
Preservationists want to see the building saved because of its architecture.
"It's a great example of civic public architecture of that time," said Edward Russo of Sangamon Researchers, a historical research company. "It's a very under-appreciated architecture."
"It's a real time marker for that period of the Depression and just before," agreed Jerry Jacobson, who's been involved in numerous preservation projects in Springfield. "It's up to the state if the building is worth preserving.
"If the state can't afford to rehab it, the state should seek other entities that might be in a position to do that. Many things should be done before a decision is made to remove this architectural asset from the city."
Russo likened the Armory to old Orpheum Theater in Springfield. No one thought you could do much with an old movie theater, Russo said, but since it was torn down, all people have talked about is how big a loss it was. Russo hopes the state doesn't rush into a bad decision with the Armory.
"The state has no problem doing nothing in many cases," Russo said. "You can warehouse buildings without great expense. It's not like the state is paying property tax on it."