HUDSON – Walk around the main space inside the former Army National Guard Armory, and you can almost hear the shoes squeaking along the floor.
A near-century worth of dances, along with basketball, Town Meetings, local elections, military drills…
It’s quiet for now, but should plans fall into place, the Armory will come to life once again as an arts center.
Tom Desmond, founder and president of the Hudson Armory Project, conducted a tour of the facility on Aug. 28. He presented the project’s vision for the facility, starting with the gym.
Desmond said this could become a 400-seat, flexible space. How flexible? How about a flea market, a farmers market or other big one-day event? The current stage could be enlarged to create a bigger backstage.
In addition to the Cultural Alliance, the Armory could serve as the new home for the Hudson Historical Society and Symphony Pro Musica.
Steep stairs divide the three floors. Below the gym, the remnants of a kitchen and mess hall, along with a firing range and lots of storage space. Above it, the old men’s bathroom and a room that would make a good-looking dance studio.
“We want to maintain as much of the original design as possible,” said Desmond, showing the radiators and beveled glass, among other original details. Unfortunately, one of the other original details is asbestos in the walls and pipes.
The Armory was built in 1910; it included a two-lane bowling alley in the basement that was later converted into a firing range; showers; a mess hall; and a bar for non-commissioned officers.
After more than a century of use, the Armory was inactivated as a military facility; it was used by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for police and firefighter training.
In 2019, the Hudson Cultural Alliance spearheaded the move to turn the Armory into an arts and cultural center; it was approved by the Select Board and Town Meeting in 2020. In June 2021, the state Senate passed an amendment to its 2022 budget allocating $230,000 for the town to purchase the building.
In August 2022, the town officially acquired the building from the state, and the Cultural Alliance took over the lease of the property.
Reminders of its military past are everywhere – a stairwell stamped with Army values and murals honoring the old Yankee Division. There is a wall stamped with numbers – that was to keep track of the gas masks issued during nuclear prep drills.
There’s another mural above a fireplace, spaces stenciled here and there with military acronyms. Desmond said he would like to preserve some of the artwork.
Overall, the Armory is a big space with dreams to match.
“We’ve got a lot to work with,” said Desmond.
“There’s a lot going on, a lot of progress,” said Chuck Randall, HAP treasurer. “Fundraising will be one of the biggest initiatives.”
Upcoming events
The project recently wrapped up a summer concert and dance series, and it will kick off fall with dinner on the banks of the Assabet River.
The Dine and Gather around the Armory event is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 10, from 4 to 9 p.m. The event is close to selling out; to see if space is still available, visit www.hudsonarmoryproject.org/events/dine-gather-around-the-armory.
On Saturday, Sept. 16, the project will join other town organizations to Celebrate Hudson from 1 to 9 p.m. There will be a mural project from 1 to 5 p.m. – visitors are welcome to grab some paint and a brush and help fill in the details. There will also be live music, dance and aerial arts performances; a 50/50 raffle drawing at 5 p.m.; contests; and presentations by the Hudson Historical Society.
For information about the Hudson Armory Project, visit www.hudsonarmoryproject.org.
