Bel Air Armory Marketplace Earns Maryland Preservation Award

BEL AIR, MD — Those who helped transform the Bel Air Reckord Armory from a National Guard facility into a community center and business incubator will be recognized this week by the Bel Air Board of Town Commissioners. The recognition comes after the town of Bel Air was honored by the Maryland Historical Trust at the 44th annual Maryland Preservation Awards.

The town of Bel Air received a Project Excellence Award for Community Impact during a Jan. 31 ceremony in Annapolis; the Armory Marketplace earned the town the honor.

"Following the adaptive reuse of an L-shaped bank of garages behind the 1915 Bel Air Armory, the town promotes these business incubator suites for new and emerging businesses, toward the goal of moving to a conventional Bel Air storefront," the Maryland Historical Trust said in a statement.

The Bel Air Armory Marketplace consists of rehabbed garage bays, behind the castle-like armory on Main Street, that have been converted into suites at discounted rates. Current tenants in the space are Caprichos Books, Ferrari Frame & Design, Harford Artists Gallery, Kore Bootcamps and Love Evolution Studio.

During the town meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 19, Bel Air's commissioners will recognize Frederick Ward Associates, Imark Builders Inc. and other team members who worked on the project, helping Bel Air to earn the Maryland Preservation Award.

"These awards honor and celebrate significant achievements to those who protect, promote, share and give continued life to the historic places that make Maryland a great place to live," Gov. Larry Hogan said in a statement about the 2019 Maryland Preservation Award recipients.

In 2018, nearby Havre de Grace won the Project Excellence Award for Community Impact for its renovation of the historic opera house on Union Avenue.

The Project Excellence Award is given to restoration or rehabilitation projects that incorporate "design, materials and workmanship" that reflect "superlative historic preservation standards."

SEE ALSO:

• Armory Marketplace Celebrates Completion With Ribbon Cutting
• Bel Air Receives $150K Grant for 'Armory Marketplace' Project
• Mural In Bel Air Dedicated To First Responders
• Bel Air Armory Celebrates 100 Years

Photo by Elizabeth Janney.