Bristol Armory Project Gets Boost

The work to rehab the iconic Bristol Marine Armory got a major boost this week, as U.S. Sen. Jack Reed announced an $861,000 federal grant to help the project.

Gathering with local and state officials at the Bristol waterfront on Sept. 9, Reed noted the cooperation between the town and the state Department of Environmental Management to secure the funds.

"Turning the Naval Reserve Armory into a municipal maritime center will ensure that visitors and local boaters have access to high-quality facilities,” Reed said in a statement.

Reed also credited the work by students of Roger Williams University to conduct a study of how the Armory can be used and determine that a boaters' visitor center could generate more than $700,000 in the local economy.

When combined with state money approved in a 2012 referendum, the federal funds bring the grant total to more than $1.7 million for repairs and updates to the Armory.