Save the Historic Chestertown MD Armory from Demolition

URGENT! The 1931 historic Chestertown Maryland Armory is under threat of demolition.

If you are a resident of Chestertown or Kent County, Maryland; a supporter of historic preservation; or want to honor the memory of WWII veterans who sacrificed for the freedoms we now enjoy, then we need your support to stand with us to preserve and repurpose the landmark Chestertown Armory.

If you are a local resident, the repurposing of the armory will provide economic vitality. Armories throughout the nation have been successfully reused providing economic stimulus. An architect’s design study for the owner has shown us that the armory can be reused as part of a new boutique hotel for Chestertown.

On May 1, 2024, the Chestertown Historic District Commission (HDC) voted to demolish the historic Chestertown Armory, saving only the front façade. No proof was offered to the HDC to substantiate this is architecturally, structurally, or financially feasible. But by keeping the entire building, there is no doubt.

The Armory has an illustrious history. It was the training site for the Maryland National Guard unit of medics who stormed the beaches of Normandy in the D-day invasion, June 1944. Many medals and honors were given to these brave men. It also served as a community gathering space for many years, hosting parties, sporting events, charities and even music concerts - including James Brown and many other famous Motown bands of the 1950s and 60s on the Chitlin' Circuit, helping to open segregation lines.

The Chestertown Armory is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is important enough to have been highlighted as “Under Threat” in the Winter 2024 edition of Preservation Magazine, the flagship publication of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Washington College, the owner, claims that the building is contaminated with mold and wicks water from the ground and therefore cannot be rehabilitated. They plan to tear down this historic armory and build a boutique hotel in its place. There are plenty of U.S armories that have been successfully repurposed for boutique hotels – why not here in Chestertown?

Washington College claims “economic hardship” as to why the building cannot be renovated. But they have not proven it using required proofs of the historic guidelines.

They say they are willing to spend $20 million for a new hotel. Studies have shown that repurposing saves money compared to new construction. The hospitality industry lauds using historic buildings for hotels – it is a proven hot ticket.

Several independent experts have agreed that the building can be rehabilitated and would be a great facility for an adaptive reuse, including as a boutique hotel. Repurposing is also a “Green” solution – it saves on embodied carbon and keeps debris out of landfills.

We are appealing the Historic District Commission’s demolition decision to the Circuit Court of Kent County, Maryland because the HDC did not follow their own ordinances and guidelines when voting to approve demolition. Our experts believe that the mold in the building can be permanently removed without it coming back and wicking ground water is a myth. We also believe that the college and its investors did not meet the standards proving economic hardship.

To appeal the decision, we have hired an attorney who is hard at work. We need to raise $20K for legal and subject matter expert fees.

There are multiple concerned citizens in Chestertown that have given of their time and money to date toward this effort. But we cannot do it alone! Now we need your donations and support to make our legal appeal successful!

We believe that the Chestertown Armory can be saved and repurposed as the College’s planned boutique hotel. We believe its reuse will result in a project that is more appealing, further enhancing the economic benefits. Please consider taking a stand with us. Help us, and preservation efforts everywhere, by turning back this demolition plan and furthering Chestertown’s reputation for preserving historic structures.

If you would like more information about our efforts or to contact us, check out our Facebook page here or our website here.

Thanks,

Barbara Jorgenson, Tom Kocubinski, and Steve Mitchell