Ohio National Guard brings $32M readiness center to Lima

News Top Stories Facebook X Pinterest WhatsApp LIMA — Ground was ceremoniously broken Monday on Lima’s northern edge for an armory that, when completed, will serve as a new training center for two Ohio National Guard units. The 53,000-square-foot, $32 million facility, to be known as the Lima Readiness Center, is being constructed along Bluelick Road immediately north of the Allen-Oakwood Correctional Institution and will combine existing Guard complexes in Lima and Piqua into an updated classroom training site. Lima’s current National Guard armory on South Collett Street is nearly a century old, according to Major Gen. Matthew Woodruff, a cabinet-level appointee as Ohio’s Adjutant General and commander of the Ohio National Guard. Woodruff said during Monday’s groundbreaking ceremonies the construction of a new state-of-the-art facility “matches the community here in Lima because if you’re familiar with Allen County and the Lima area, you know this is a blue-collar, hard-working task. To be able to put an investment into the community is really important.” Woodruff said the state is excited to have an expanded presence in Lima. “When this facility opens in the next two years, the current facility in Lima will be 100 years old,” he said. “To be able to break ground and move into a new training center means a lot to our service members. I mean, think about when your parents go to drop a soldier off to this new facility. It just gives the right impression.” The new armory, located on a 40-acre tract of land, will provide space for training, administration and logistical functions for two Ohio Army National Guard units: Company B, 837th Engineer Battalion, based in Lima, and the 1487th Transportation Company, currently located in Piqua. “We consider Lima part of our team, part of our family,” Woodruff said. “The connection that will be made between this armory and Lima, between the 1487, Bravo 837 and Lima, will be strong.” The new readiness center is designed by American Structurepoint Inc. of Indianapolis and constructed by ACI Construction Co. Inc. (formerly Alvada Construction Co. Inc.) of Findlay. The federal-state partnership project will have a total cost of approximately $32 million, with 75% of the funding coming from the federal government and 25% from the state. Lima councilor Tony Wilkerson, who spoke briefly at Monday’s ceremony, thanked Woodruff for contributing to the “growth and prosperity” Lima is currently experiencing. “I think what the National Guard brings is that same mindset, that same mentality that the citizens of the Lima area and Allen County community, so we’re really excited about this opportunity,” the adjutant general said. Also on hand for the ground-breaking ceremonies was state Sen. Susan Manchester, R-Waynesfield. Reach J Swygart at 567-242-0464 Featured Local Savings