by Bea Peterson
At the Hoosick Town Board meeting on Monday, March 14, Town Supervisor Keith Cipperly announced that the National Guard housed in the Armory on Church Street is moving out of the building. The Supervisor was told the guardsmen that report in Hoosick will now report to Gloversville and Leeds.
According to Eric Durr, Director of Public Affairs, Division of Military and Naval Affairs, the National Guard is reorganizing its infantry forces. He explained that the Guard in Hoosick Falls is part of the 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry. “The 69th in New York City is much larger than the 108th in upstate New York. The two units are being realigned to make them an equal size.” Since there is only a platoon of guardsmen in Hoosick Falls, they are being reassigned. Durr expects the reorganization to be done by the end of April. However, he doesn’t believe the National Guard will be completely out of the armory by then. Durr added that the reorganized 108th will be deployed to Afghanistan in 2012.
Durr pointed out that most of these old armories were built before cars. Members of the National Guard had to be able to walk or get convenient public transportation to the headquarters. Now, said Durr, it is not unusual to expect guardsmen to drive 50 miles to their training location. Durr also said there are far fewer National Guard troops today than in the past. He said in New York State they have been at 100 percent for the last three years and that is 10,500 troops. Years ago the NYS Guard had 18,000 troops.
Durr said when the Guard is completely out of the building the Division of Military Affairs will notify the Office of General Services in Albany that they no longer have a military use for the building. The Office of General Services, he said, is basically, the State landlord. He emphasized that the Guard will eventually surplus the building, but they are not ready to do that yet.
Durr said all the memorabilia in the Armory relating to the unit will be taken to the NYS Military Museum in Saratoga Springs where it will be inventoried and stored. However, Durr said, it is possible that some of the photographs of local people from the past that are presently in the Armory can be digitally duplicated and copies given to the Historical Society.
Surplus-ed
When the building is officially surplus-ed, three things can happen said Heather Groll of the Office of General Services. One, the building can be conveyed to the local municipality for $1, if it is put to community recreational use. Two, it can be sold at public auction. Three, a non-municipal organization can apply to purchase it and request special legislation for the building to be used for public purposes.
Everything was up in the air at the Board meeting Monday evening. Supervisor Cipperly said he had been told the building costs $25,000 a year to heat and needs about $25,000 in repairs. The Supervisor added that as soon as he knew anything more, he would let the public know.
There certainly is much to consider. When the Armory is surplus-ed, where will the Town offices and the Court go? The Armory has the largest hall in Town for public functions. Where will they be held in the future? Will the Armory become another empty building blighting the Village landscape? Perhaps the Town should consider a feasibility study on uses for the building before it becomes surplus and requires immediate action.
