The state of Illinois now has the authority to transfer the Lawrenceville Armory to the city, thanks to legislation sponsored by State Senator Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) that was signed into law on June 30th.
“This building is a symbol of the service and sacrifices of the brave heroes who trained there to defend our country,” said Senator Rose. “When the city expressed interest in taking over the facility, I was honored to work to make this happen in the Senate, so that this building can continue to serve the people of Lawrenceville into the future.”
“The City of Lawrenceville is looking forward to transitioning the Armory to a recreational facility that will benefit all of our citizens,” said Lawrenceville Mayor David Courtney. “We are grateful to Senator Rose for his leadership in making this possible.”
The Illinois National Guard Armory, dedicated in October of 1939, served as a training facility for members of the national guard. In 2022, the local guard unit was transferred to Joliet as part of a consolidation process.
Thanks to several maintenance and renovation projects over the last 25 years, the structure is in good shape, including a new roof and HVAC upgrades. Because of the building’s condition, the city of Lawrenceville expressed interest in taking it over.
Rose began representing Lawrenceville as part of the redrawn 51st Senate District. When he learned of the city’s interest in acquiring the building, he made a commitment to work to make a transfer happen.
House Bill 1920 allows the Department of Military Affairs to transfer the armory property to the City of Lawrenceville.
The legislation was signed into law on June 30th.