Somerville has long been a city brimming with artists, but not until now have they had the arts facility that brothers Joseph and Nabil Sater have been working on for years. The pair, who have kept Central Square's Middle East a rock-and-roll destination for more than three decades, obviously know the importance of culture, and their Arts at the Armory (191 Highland Avenue, Somerville) is an outlet for community involvement on a grand scale. After two and a half years of construction, it's slated to open this fall; the historic building, which began life as a National Guard Armory in 1903, has been transformed but its original shell remains intact. The three-story space will be occupied by a gallery, a recording/teaching studio, a café, a multi-purpose performance hall, and living/work spaces. The Mark Sandman Music Education Fund and ARTSomerville will have offices here, as will Center for Arts at the Armory, which is running the facility and organizing after-school arts programs. Arts at the Armory is expected to create new jobs for musicians and artists, and set younger generations on the right track. That rocks.
