Armory to Be Converted to Science Education Unit
The long-dormant Armory Building in Exposition Park will soon see new life, thanks to a $10-million federal grant.
The building has been closed to the public since 1990 because of earthquake safety concerns. The grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will pay most of the cost of seismic retrofitting, the first step in a $46-million renovation.
Once completed, the armory will house the Science Museum School--a neighborhood elementary school with a science and math focus--and the Science Education Resource Center, for use by the state’s teachers. The project is a joint venture of the California Science Center, USC and the Los Angeles Unified School District.
The Armory Building was built in 1913 as a National Guard facility and later absorbed by the Museum of Science and Industry--now the California Science Center. It was closed 10 years ago after a state inspector deemed the building unsafe. The grant was announced on Tuesday.
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