In quieter times, local armory serves range of community roles

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Silent yet resilient, Gresham’s grey National Guard armory sits stoically on Northeast Division Street. Cars whiz by, but the parking lot is nearly empty. The sign on the front door says to enter around back.

It’s easy to overlook or ignore, but during a large-scale emergency, the armory would be the U.S. government’s first-choice for a local operations hub, trauma bay or supply depot.

Renovations in 2010 retrofitted the concrete bunker’s flat roof, adding the more distinctive metal apex visible today. Besides upgrading the center’s locker room, arms vault, restrooms and gym, the $1.87 million repair job ensured the mid-20th century-era building would survive the proverbial “big one,” like the Cascadia Subduction Zone Event.

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