Pikesville Armory completes first phase with spaces for meetings, events, offices

The first phase of redevelopment of the Pikesville Armory has been completed.

Developers marked the milestone last week with a grand opening for the renovated Noncommissioned Officers (NCO) Club building. 

The building includes meeting and event space for veterans and other community members, as well as office space for the Pikesville Armory Foundation and a regional office for Baltimore County’s Department of Recreation and Parks.

“This space gives a physical place to manifest our collective dream, [this is] an opportunity to safeguard the community and bring people together,” said Shelley Morhaim, president of the PAF Board of Directors, in a statement. “Today marks a milestone in the rebirth of the Pikesville Armory.”

The renovation is part of a $100 million redevelopment that will span multiple years. The overall project involves the creation of “an intergenerational community destination for sports, recreation, and the arts,” according to a news release.

“The restoration of the NCO Club is an important first milestone in the redevelopment of the Pikesville Armory—a historic Maryland institution,” said U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, in a statement. “I was proud to work with the Foundation, and my former colleagues—Senator Cardin, and Representatives Sarbanes and Ruppersberger—  to secure federal funds to combine the best of the Armory’s past with the community needs of the future. 

Van Hollen added, “As this redevelopment continues, I look forward to seeing the Armory’s legacy take shape as a hub for events, recreational programs, and other services that will benefit the local residents and economy.”

Developers, officials, and partners envision that the project will not only transform the armory site but reimagine Baltimore’s northwest corridor.

“This project is a catalyst for the revitalization of the Northwest corridor of Baltimore—and we invite everyone to be part of it,” said Beth Rheingold, a PAF board Member and CEO of the Greater Baltimore Chamber of Commerce, in a statement. Rheingold led the ribbon cutting ceremony. 

The Pikesville Armory Foundation, Seawall, and Onyx Development have been collaborating on the project since 2022, with construction on the NCO Club building beginning in April 2024. The NCO Club project team also included Ziger/Snead Architects, landscape architects Unknown Studio, and general contractor Wilhelm Builders.

“As the first phase of the broader redevelopment, the design of the NCO Club at the Pikesville Armory was an important opportunity to set the tone, both in spirit and substance, for what this historic campus will become,” said Doug Bothner, partner at Ziger|Snead Architects, in a statement.

Bothner continued, “We approached the design with deep respect for the legacy of the NCO Club (and the Armory as a whole), carefully restoring important historic architectural character, while introducing modern design elements and systems to create a new home for the Pikesville Armory Foundation, veterans, and public alike. This project represents an early win for the Armory Redevelopment and demonstrates what thoughtful reinvestment in civic architecture can achieve.”

Slated to begin in late 2026, the second phase of redevelopment will focus primarily on outdoor features, including athletic fields, walking paths, a playground, and public art and historical monuments throughout the armory’s grounds. 

In the meantime, the community is making good use of the armory site as a space for events. A monthly summer jazz concerts series took place at the armory in May, June and July. Then, earlier this month, the Taste of Northwest brought people together for an afternoon of food, fashion, and community connection.

Mark your calendar for the PopUp! festival, which will showcase large inflatable artwork. That fun will kick off with an opening block party Sept. 11; followed by more than two weeks of events and activities like an air-powered parade, health and wellness day, and band concert (among other festivities); and culminate in a closing block party Sept. 28.