In its heyday, the Fort Homer Hesterly Armory was the place where the public came to see icons such as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Tribune photo by JULIE BUSCH

West Tampa - Today it sits vacant, awaiting the promise of a new life, possibly as home to a hotel, shops and cafes.

In its heyday, though, it served both as military installation and the center of the city's entertainment scene.

The Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, with its art deco design, is celebrated for its practicality, endurance and versatility.

Since it was dedicated Dec. 8, 1941, the day after Pearl Harbor, it has been home to the Florida National Guard. It is also where the public got to see famous musicians, boxers, wrestlers and national heroes, including Elvis Presley, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and President Kennedy.

"You got to remember that is all the city had along with the social clubs," said city Councilman Charlie Miranda, whose West Tampa district includes the 10-acre armory property, 522 N. Howard Ave. "That was the only large hall available. That was the daddy of them all."

Tampa resident Ann Porter was there on the night of Nov. 19, 1961, when King spoke to a packed house. Porter walked to the armory from her Highland Avenue home with two girlfriends.

She also attended armory socials and dances, including the Bellman Waiters Ball, where women and men wore their best. She went to wrestling matches with her father.

"This is where you met all your friends and associates," said Porter, 70, a retired Hillsborough County administrator. "You would see people who you hadn't seen in years."

Clark Gunn joined the National Guard in January 1947 as a way to make some extra cash. He earned $40 a month while studying business administration at the University of Tampa.

He later got an administrative position at the armory and lived in an apartment on the property with his wife and children from 1951 to 1956. The rent was about $35 a month.

Gunn also was an usher at armory functions, including a Nat King Cole concert and Presley's performance on July 31, 1955. He would eat dinner with his family and then walk across the property to work a show.

A Place To Share War Stories

The armory was a place for servicemen to bond, said Gunn, chief executive officer of Gunn Printing and Lithography in Tampa. World War II veterans who remained active in the Guard returned to the armory to share their war stories.

"It was an important part of my life," said Gunn, 79, of Homosassa. "That is when I started trying to become a man."

The armory site used to be a public park. In 1922, the city of Tampa and Hillsborough County donated the land to the Florida National Guard.

Construction of the armory began in 1938 and was completed in 1941. The federal government, under the Work Projects Administration, contributed $361,880.

The armory was named for Col. Homer W. Hesterly, commanding officer of the 116th Field Artillery Battalion from 1934 to 1954 and an active voice in getting it built.

Now a local historic landmark, the armory building has been home or headquarters to the 116th Field Artillery Regiment and the 51st Infantry Division, among others. It was the headquarters of the 53rd Infantry Brigade from the late 1960s to 2004, when the brigade moved to Pinellas Park.

Stationed on the armory property today are Company B Maintenance of the 53rd Support Battalion Army National Guard and full-time staff of the Forward Maintenance Shop. Both units repair vehicles, generators, electronics and other equipment.

$93 Million Development Deal

In July, the National Guard signed a contract with developer Heritage Square at the Armory, which plans an estimated $93 million project that includes a hotel, farmers market, restaurants, cafes and a museum.

The armory building, with its concrete blocks "covered by smooth stucco," must remain intact, and the developer must move the remaining Guard staff to a new location.

A rezoning hearing before the Tampa City Council is set for Jan. 10. The council also must decide whether to relinquish a reverter clause that would return most of the property to the city if it isn't used for government or military purposes.

When Tom Feagin joined the Guard in 1950, Korea was a hot topic.

Guardsmen trained for three hours every week, along with some weekends. They once marched from the armory to Rocky Point.

"We had a no-nonsense general and he expected his officers and men to be no-nonsense as well," said Feagin, 77, of San Antonio.

The armory "was a gathering place for the training of our citizen soldier," he said. "Second, it offered the community a place to gather for entertainment events.

"It was one of the first of the major entertainment vehicles."

Researcher Diane Grey contributed to this report. Reporter Jose Patino Girona can be reached at (813) 835-2110 or jpatino @tampatrib.com.