Residents and visitors will see Somerville as an
arts destination, with a full roster of dance, theater and visual arts,
Debra McLaughlin explained as she gave a quick tour of Armory building
at 191 Highland Ave. A 7,000-square-foot performance space, a tidy art
gallery space featuring exposed brick and soft light filtering into the
windows and an airy cafe that will seat 50 were just a few of the
highlights.

"It's been a massive project with a lot of moving parts," said McLaughlin, the chair of the board of directors.

The
final piece of the puzzle will fall into place once the center obtains
an entertainment license. The license hearing will take place Monday,
Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. at the Somerville Senior Center, 167 Holland Avenue.
McLaughlin encourages people to attend the meeting to learn about the
Armory's mission and to ask questions.

A benefit concert
featuring nationally known musicians will also be held at the
Somerville Theater on Jan. 24, at 8 p.m. Comedian Jimmy Tingle and
local "legends" Mission of Burma and The Neighborhoods, as well as
newcomers Faces on Film will lead the performance. Visit
http://www.artsatthearmory.com for more information.

With the
granting of the license, the center can officially open the cafe and
performance hall. The actors for the center's first performance,
Coriolanus, can start rehearsing.

While great community
centers exist in other parts of the region, the Armory is one of the
largest-boasting 34,000 square feet-to afford a great variety of
cultural activities, McLaughlin said. The performance hall, which seats
395 people, will offer theater, dance and music productions. The four
first-floor gallery spaces will allow visual artists to show their
work. There's also plenty of room for after-school programs and adult
art classes.

The Armory staff will unveil the programs in
stages. The first priority is getting the hall opened, McLaughlin said.
The second will be creating after school and summer arts programs for
elementary, middle and high school students. The Armory will pilot a
February school vacation arts program. (Visit
http://www.artsatthearmory.com for upcoming information).

The
Armory hopes to offer a summer institute for teenagers called Be SmART.
They will offer tracks in photography, film, music and "art
entrepreneurs," to show young people that careers in art exist. Staff
is putting the faculty together. Armory staff have also talked to the
Somerville public schools about other possibilities, McLaughlin said.

The
Armory also applied for funding to act as an economic development
catalyst in the cultural sector to work with local partners, including
local artists, the Somerville Museum, Vernon Street Studios, and
restaurants. Together, they can promote Highland Avenue as an arts
destination.

"Davis and Union Squares are recognized for their
artistic endeavors," McLaughlin said. "We are right in the middle.
We're trying to see what we can do to be a good neighbor, literally, as
well as economically and culturally."

Once the Armory is up
and running in full gear-by this summer or fall-it will also foster an
active volunteer community. They will need ushers for its performances,
gallery assistants, open studio staff and box office assistants, among
others.

The center will also put together an advisory board
comprised of three neighbors, a representative from the Somerville Arts
Council, the Armory, and an Alderman to address ongoing issues, which
include compliance with the 41 conditions (governing various issues
around hours, noise, etc), McLaughlin said.

The Armory,
designed by Boston architect George A. Moore, was constructed in 1903
for the Somerville Light Infantry of the Massachusetts Volunteer
Militia. Over the years, the National Guard and the State Police
occupied the space. In April 2004, Joseph and Nabil Sater, owners of
the Middle East club in Central Square bought the decaying property
from the state for $2.6 million.