What's Happening with the Historic Bristol Marine Armory?

It's perhaps the first thing visitors see when they arrive on the Prudence Island Ferry — the iconic Bristol Marine Armory, perched just a few feet from the harbor with imposing turrets evoking Revolutionary War-era architecture.

The building's history seems to seep from every corner — although its age, too, is showing: plywood doors on bathroom stalls, aging woodwork around the windows, and protests from the squeaky staircases hint at better days gone past.

Currently, the Armory houses what could charitably be called a hodge-podge: a large gymnasium where local kids can shoot hoops; the Bristol Harbormaster's office; and the Bristol Harbor Commission.

Soon, though, the Armory could get a major facelift, thanks to a collaborative effort between the town and a group of students in the Mario J. Gabelli School of Business at Roger Williams University, who have been studying the potential of using the Armory as a main entry point to the town for arriving boaters and passengers.

In February, the students presented their initial report — a copy of which is attached to this article — to the Bristol Town Council.

After getting a good response from town officials, the students are continuing their research and work with the aim of presenting formal plans — including possible sources of grant funding for the project — within the next several months.

Last week, Bristol-Warren Patch interviewed a few of the students who are working on the Bristol Marine Armory Reuse Study — check out the accompanying video for more.

What do you think?

What would you like to see at the Marine Armory? Did one of the three options discussed in the video make more sense to you than the others — or do you have another idea?

Have your say in the comments section below.