Plans for new National Guard armory move forward

David L. Dye, The Herald, Sharon, Pa.
·1 min read

Nov. 11—HERMITAGE — Plans are marching forward for a new Army National Guard armory, which could be coming to Hermitage by late 2025.

Hermitage Planning Commission approved the major land development plan for a new armory, or National Guard Readiness Center, Monday.

The plan calls for the construction of a 34,454-square-foot, single-story main building and a 2,493-square-foot accessory building at 4485 E. State St., according to city documents.

Following the vote of approval by the planning commission, the plan will be put to a vote by the Hermitage Board of Commissioners later this month, city Director of Planning and Development Jeremy Coxe said.

A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs said the planned National Guard Readiness Center would provide an updated space for soldiers to train.

The planned readiness center will be about 2 miles from the existing armory at 740 N. Hermitage Road, Hermitage, which is between Hickory High School and the Hermitage municipal building. The new site is on the north side of East State Street between North Keel Ridge Road and Coolidge Drive. It is mostly farm fields now.

Pending all approvals, construction will begin in the spring of 2024, with a completion date of October 2025, the spokesperson said.

Information was unavailable regarding the ultimate fate of the existing armory.

Coxe said the planned readiness center received a special exception from the Hermitage Zoning Hearing Board earlier this year, since the new center would be in an area zoned "Suburban Residential 2."

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