The Triangle

Issue date: 4/18/08 Section: News

Drexel University President Constantine Papadakis and Adjutant General Jessica Wright sign Drexel's 50-year lease to the Philadelphia Armory April 15. The agreement was made about 10 years after talks initially began.

After more than 10 years of planning, the University has signed a 50-year lease of the Philadelphia Armory, located in the heart of Drexel's University City campus.

The Armory, which is under the control of the National Guard, has served as drill hall for the ROTC for years, and will now be recreated as a basketball arena and convocation center.

The lease was signed April 15 by Adjutant General Jessica Wright and Drexel University President Constantine Papadakis.

According to Papadakis, the idea of using the Armory came about 10 years ago on a visit to Fort Bragg with the ROTC cadets.

"The idea formulated that we should consolidate ROTC units the way the army was consolidating military bases," Papadakis said.

The project of leasing the Armory has been in the works since 1998, when Drexel and the National Guard first began discussing the option of Drexel using the Armory as part of "Operation Partnership," which has allowed the National Guard, ROTC and Drexel to work together.

According to Papadakis, the process was slowed down because the ROTC needed to find an alternate location.

Drexel is currently working with the National Guard and has been helping with the archiving process, as well as helping to replace utilities and ensuring the general upkeep remains sufficient, according to Tobey Oxholm, Drexel's executive vice president and chief of staff.

Drexel has been a "preferred user" at the Armory to this point, but now has a 50-year lease, with two 20-year renewals following after, Oxholm said.

"Of course, if all hell breaks loose they can take it back for use by the army," Oxholm said. "After all, this is the Philadelphia Armory, and it will always be the Philadelphia Armory."

The renovation will begin once sufficient funds are raised through a variety of fundraisers, as well as procurement of donors who, Oxholm said, will be able to display their names in the arena itself.

According to Papadakis, the entire process is projected to take place over about a five-year span.

Continued...

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