What's in store for the old armory? County finally ready to make use of the gifted building

Vicki Hyatt, The Mountaineer, Waynesville, N.C.
·4 min read

Mar. 27—CLYDE — Six years after being turned over to Haywood County, the old National Guard armory is almost ready to take on new roles as a permanent EMS base, a learning center, emergency shelter and possibly a recreation site.

Haywood County commissioners got their first look at the building Monday, where all but a bit of painting was complete.

Living quarters have been set up for the Emergency Management Services crews that will staff the location full-time, year-round. A serving kitchen has been remodeled slightly so meals can be reheated for up to 130 individuals who may need emergency shelter due to weather conditions or other disaster.

The expansive basement provides an ideal place where pets can be sheltered, something that has been a problem at temporary locations used in the past.

For recreation, a former drill hall holds endless possibilities, from indoor pickle ball to basketball, said Tim Sisk, the county's maintenance director.

Sisk said he could see the county's recreation department relocated in one or more of the offices within the building, working to expand recreation options there.

The commissioners were impressed with the sturdiness of the building and how much of the original structure could be used without modification.

"There's no telling how much this would have cost if we would have had to build it new," said Commissioner Tommy Long. "At $500 a square foot, this would be an $11.5 million building."

"It's probably $600 to $700 a square foot with all the concrete and brick in here," added Commission Vice Chairman Brandon Rogers.

A long journey

After 40 years of operation in Haywood, the 211th Military Police was combined with a Henderson County National Guard unit in 2018. While the building was constructed in 1977 with state funds, provisions in the property deed stipulated it would be given to the county if it was no longer needed.

Since the building is in the middle of the Haywood Community College campus, college leaders offered to buy the building and five acres that it sits on. The commissioners at the time rebuffed the idea, but opened the door to a partnership should the college need parts of the building for certain uses such as basic law enforcement training.

The building renovation wasn't as easy as first expected. Because the building had been used as an indoor firing range during its National Guard days, there was a massive amount of lead inside that needed to be removed. The costly fix brought the project to a standstill for a time, until federal COVID funding offered a way to complete the renovation. The county spent $80,334 on the renovation, a bit beyond the $75,000 required match on the resulting federal grant, and in return, got a grant for $706,000.

New possibilities

Having a permanent site for the Clyde Emergency Medical Services base is a major advantage, said County Commission Chairman Kevin Ensley.

"That will cut two minutes off the average response time," Ensley said. "It's right in the middle of the county, which means we can get to the four-lane highways across the county."

The paramedic unit operating out of the facility will be dispatched to most interstate accidents, said Zack Koonce, Haywood County emergency management coordinator. If there are more calls than can be covered, other units will be dispatched along Interstate 40 as needed.

After the tour, Ensley said he was impressed with the storage place it offered, and began to wonder whether it could be used for other county offices, as well.

"I feel like we're blessed to get the building because it's solidly built and presents so many opportunities," he said.

Commissioner Terry Ramey was impressed with all the storage space available in the basement area and had several ideas of how that could be put to use.

Commissioner Jennifer Best said she was particularly happy that the Clyde EMS unit would have a permanent home.

"Since I've been on the board it seems like they've moved five times," she said.

Part of the delay in getting the building into service could be traced to both COVID and later Tropical Storm Fred, both of which took attention away from day-to-day duties, Sisk said.

"This project represents a significant investment in our community's safety and well-being, providing essential infrastructure to support emergency response efforts," said Haywood County Manager Bryant Morehead.