Illinois State Armory – Springfield IL

Description

“This is a dual-purpose building which houses three companies of the Illinois National Guard and provides much-needed office space for the State government. The site is an entire square, approximately 350 by 350 feet, opposite the State Capitol group of buildings, and the armory and office building occupies half of the area. The central heating plant for the capitol group occupies part of the other half, and as future requirements necessitate expansion of the armory and office building, the heating plant will will be removed elsewhere.

The new building is 5 stories and a basement in height and approximately 189 by 299 feet in plan. In the basement is a large exhibition hall, a rifle range, an ordnance shop, quartermaster stores, and miscellaneous storage space. The drill hall, 118 by 169 feet, is on the first floor. It has a stage, 45 by 110 feet, and with the balconies which seat 3,000, can accommodate 6,500 persons when used as an auditorium. On this floor is also office space for the National Guard, as well as club rooms, committee rooms, a banquet hall, and a kitchen. The second, third, fourth, and fifth floors on the street sides around the drill hall, provide 13,000 square feet of office space for use of the State government.

The construction is fireproof, of structural steel and reinforced concrete. The exterior walls are limestone. The building was completed in October 1937 at a construction cost of $1,254,460 and a project cost of $1,259,618.”