IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
Riverside has secured $2.5 million in federal funds that it will use to help upgrade the National Guard Armory at Fairmount Park.
Built in 1959, the 12,000-square-foot armory occupies 4.7 acres near the 60 Freeway and has approximately 32,000 square feet of parking, according to a statement on the city’s website.
Transforming the armory into a “vibrant public space” is essential to rejuvenating the north side of Fairmount Park and a major part of Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson’s “Put the River Back in Riverside” campaign.
“The Santa Ana River is Riverside’s great untapped natural beauty,” Lock Dawson said in the statement. “And as a major entry point for our city, Fairmount Park provides an opportunity for our residents and visitors to explore the river and all its natural beauty.”
The federal funding was arranged by Rep, Mark Takano, D-Riverside.
The $2.5 million grant from Community Project Funding will help pay to clean possible contaminated soil and stabilize buildings, among other projects. The city wants to convert the 65-year-old structure into a multi-use arts and recreation building, according to the statement.
