FOLEY — A building that housed the Foley contingent of the Alabama National Guard will have a new use as a municipal facility under plans being considered by city officials.

The city of Foley acquired the building on East Jessamine Avenue after the National Guard moved to a new facility on Industrial Parkway east of the Foley Beach Express.

Mayor Ralph Hellmich said city officials are considering possible uses for the former armory building. He said one potential use could be for recreation activities.

“The city of Foley has taken possession of the armory behind City Hall,” Hellmich said. “It is now a city building and it will be repurposed. We're working very closely.”

He said one possible use for some of the open interior space could be for a basketball or pickleball court for the Parks and Recreation Department.

Foley officials said some of the space could also be used for temporary offices as the city expands.

City officials are also in the process of acquiring the two artillery pieces in front of the old armory building. While the guns were inactivated when they were put in place, the pieces have remained the property of the U.S. Army.

The city plans to place the guns near the veterans’ memorial at Max Griffin Park.

The old armory building was dedicated in 1970. In 2012, the U.S. Army announced plans to replace the facility with a new armory. Foley City Council voted at that time to give the Army 30 acres of municipal property off the Foley Beach Express in exchange for the old armory building and property when the new facility opened.

In January 2023, the Foley guard unit moved into a new 30,540-square foot facility that was built at a cost of $13.4 million.

In addition to being the home of the Foley-based C-Company of the 173rd Infantry Regiment, the new facility is also designed to serve as a staging area for services after disasters such as hurricanes.