In 2024 the former Greenfield Armory was sold by the local Rotary club as members deal with changing times while continuing to serve the local community.

A brief history of the former Greenfield Armory

The former Greenfield Armory, also known as the Ralph W. Phillips Community Recreation and Civic Center, served the needs of the community for many years under the ownership of the Greenfield Jaycees, and later, the Rotary Club of Greenfield, Ohio.
In the late 1960s or early 1970s, a group of young men founded the Greenfield Jaycee Club and did many good works during their time as Jaycees. One of their most successful projects was the acquisition of the Greenfield Armory from the State of Ohio. The armory, located at 156 Jefferson St., was built in 1927 and was no longer needed for military purposes, and thus the state sold or gifted the property to the Jaycee organization, and it became a community center for parties, athletic events, and even housed the Head Start preschool program. 

Everything was fine until the core group of the Jaycees became aware that they would soon “age out” of membership. At that time the Jaycees was an organization for young people between the ages of 18 and 36, and most of the members of the Greenfield chapter were about the same age. As they neared the age when they could no longer be Jaycees – and lacked an influx of younger members to keep the chapter going – the decision was made to sell the armory to the Greenfield Rotary Club for $1. 
This seemed a prudent decision, as several of the Jaycees at that time were also members of the Rotary club. One of them, David Moon, ran the armory without fanfare for many years. 

Another local resident who was instrumental in the success of the armory was attorney Ralph W. Phillips, who prepared legal documents for the transfer of property and helped set up a board of directors. In September 1998, the Greenfield Rotary Club re-named the facility as the Ralph W. Phillips Community Recreation and Civic Center in recognition of the work done by Phillips through the years. 

As the decades rolled on, the Phillips Center continued to be a sought-after location for parties, basketball leagues, groups wishing to play volleyball, and various parties and receptions. The McClain High School All Night Party took place there for many years, and as the new millennium was about to ring in, a dressy New Year’s Eve party on December 31, 1999 brought Greenfield into the 21st century. 

Changing social patterns and increased maintenance needs for the venerable building put a strain on the Rotary club’s finances, as roof leaks, HVAC repairs and other problems demanded attention. For years the club had a symbiotic relationship with the Greenfield Head Start program to help offset some of the costs of maintaining the building. When the Head Start program moved to the Jefferson Street Business Center, the Phillips Center became something of a “money pit” as ongoing issues required the time, attention and resources of the Rotary club. 

Further complicating club operations was the fact that many of the members who joined Rotary in the 1980s or ‘90s had become older. Unlike their Jaycee counterparts, Greenfield Rotarians are grateful that they do not have an age limit or mandatory service limit. However, physical limitations and changing life priorities did spark conversations about the future of the club. In the 2020’s some Rotarians began suggesting changes should be made, such as relinquishing sponsorship of the Greene Countrie Towne Festival and possibly selling the Phillips Center. 

And so 2022 marked the final year of the Rotary-sponsored Greene Countrie Towne Festival. A group of younger people got organized and gave the community a new festival known as the Greenfield Music Festival that made its debut in 2023. 
​
In 2024 club members determined that it was time to sell the armory building. Potential buyers looked over the facility and several bids were received. On May 23, 2024 club members voted to sell the building to GR8 Investments LLC, run by an entrepreneur who owns several business in and near Greenfield. Soon afterwards, the deal was closed and Rotary is no longer in the property management business. 

Anyone interested in renting the armory should contact the new management, as the Greenfield Rotary Club no longer has any involvement in the operation of the facility.

Looking ahead to the future, Greenfield Rotarians continue to focus on doing good works to help the community, as well as joining forces with Rotary clubs around the world to make our planet safer and healthier.

​Greenfield Rotary will continue to support local projects, and plans to continue its annual Rotary Charity Auction in support of its philanthropic efforts.