"I'm wondering," said Evelyn Moore, who lives across from the Armory in the Jeanne Jugan Residence run by the Little Sisters of the Poor, "is it normal for an 84-year-old woman to be this excited about her future?" Moore is not the only one excited about the transformation of the Armory from a storage space to a multi-use arts center over the last four years.

"It's amazing the transformation it's gone through," Ward 5 Alderman Sean O'Donovan 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.

"They seem to be very close to where they want to be as far as moving forward for the certificate of occupancy," O'Donovan said. The Armory needs to meet 41 conditions made by the Zoning Board of Appeals before it can receive a permanent certificate of occupancy. "The 41 conditions have become our bible," said Debra McLaughlin,member of the Armory's board of directors. McLaughlin emphasized the Armory's focus on the four pillars – visual arts, theater, dance and music – which abutting cities Medford, Cambridge and Boston already have. "We're very excited that there was a vision to turn a historic building into a community arts center and it's slowly but surely becoming a reality," McLaughlin said.

Under a temporary certificate of occupancy, the Armory houses the offices and workspaces of seven tenants, including the Actors' Shakespeare Project, Arts at the Armory, Case AVP Photography, Hi-N-Dry Music Studio, the Mark Sandman Music Project, Moving Celebrations, and the University of the Middle East Project. The tenants aim towards the community, with after school programs for children and discounts for students and seniors.

"If there's anybody who can anchor a community, it's Joseph," said Andrew Mazzone, who represents Hi-N-Dry Music Studio and the Mark Sandman Music Project. "He did this for the community not for any particular group."

Apart from new office space, the Armory's renovations include two live-work spaces for artists and a 1,200-square-foot cafe, which can also be used to entertain crowds up to 50.

The crown jewel of the project is a transformation of the Armory's drill hall into a 7,000-square-foot performance space. What was a basketball court four years ago, now features a mezzanine overlooking a floor that can fit 395 people during "at capacity" events 10 times per month and 325 at other times. Under the 41 conditions, performances would last no later than 11 p.m., unless agreed upon by the Board of Aldermen.

Although McLaughlin said the performances wouldn't be loud, they took additional precautions by hiring MJ Audio, who has helped soundproof the space and provided technology that keeps the sound inside. "The intention was never to come into a neighborhood and disturb the neighborhood," Joseph Sater said. "If the intention is to have a nightclub, I won't have that in a residential area. For the money I spent I could have had it anywhere I wanted."

At a community meeting last Wednesday, neighbors expressed lingering concerns about the Armory, including parking, rear floodlights shining into their homes, neglectful landscaping and the noise. "From the get go, it's been a concern of the neighborhood that it does not turn into a function hall," said John L. Sullivan, the self-described "tribunal leader" of the neighborhood. "If it works within the neighborhood, we understand the impact of having it there, but we need to make sure that we are entitled to our peace and tranquility."

Although the floodlights and landscaping have been fixed, some neighbors argued the parking situation is terrible even without the Armory fully operational. McLaughlin said the Armory is renegotiating a lease for overflow parking with Cambridge Health Alliance, but noted the need for community members to use alternative transportation when attending the Armory. The 88 and the 90 buses pass by the Armory on Highland Avenue,and one of the 41 conditions is to install bicycle racks.

"I think this is unprecedented that the neighbors are being given so much control," said George Landers, of the Inspectional Services Department. "I have never seen anything like this in my time down at ISD. They are just reaching out for this to work."

Another of the conditions is to create a Neighborhood Advisory Committee comprised of Alderman O'Donovan, representatives from the Armory and three neighbors. Nominations for these positions are now being accepted and are available on the Armory's website. "It's going to be a great thing, in my opinion, when all the conditions are satisfied, for not only the arts community, but for the seniors, the children and the people from the high school," O'Donovan said.