South Portland residents left little doubt Monday that they think buying the armory was a bad investment for the city.

“Horrible.” “A money pit.” “Sell it.” Those were some of the blunt views city councilors heard during a public forum on the armory and the city’s proposal to renovate it as a future City Hall.

Residents filled the community center for the Council forum, the first time that residents had been invited to express their views on the building since its purchase in 2006. City Manager Jim Gailey opened the workshop with a description of the brick armory, which the city bought for $650,000.

Gailey said the city does not have numbers on how much it would cost to renovate the World War II-era building, or the extent of structural repairs required.

Only a couple of people expressed support for making the armory a new City Hall. Adam Selinsky urged the city to “bite the bullet” and fix up the armory. But, he added, the city should not increase taxes to get the work done.

Most of the other speakers offered sharp criticism of the purchase and concerns about turning the building into government offices.

Mark Mayone of Romano Road – which is off Evans Street – described the building’s location off Broadway as “the worst place” for a City Hall. “The traffic congestion already is horrendous.”

He urged the city not to invest more money in the building “without a vision… I think it’s time to focus on finances. I like the town hall in the village center, where you can walk safely to the areas where you need to go.”

Albert DiMillo Jr., who lives on Colchester Drive, criticized the City Council for buying the armory without knowing for certain what it would do with it.

“What kind of business spends $650,000 on a building without having a plan” to justify the cost? he asked. “This is the dumbest thing I ever heard,” DiMillo said. “You blew it when you bought this building… It was a bad idea.”

DiMillo strongly urged the city to sell the building, adding that in the current real estate market the property will fetch less than what the city paid. He said it is more likely to sell for $400,000, if that.

DiMillo described the existing City Hall on Cottage Road as “perfectly good.” He said the city’s main library – also considered for the armory – does not need to be relocated either and is fine where it is.

Leah Muliero, of B Street, an architect, spoke for the Knightville-Mill Creek Neighborhood Association. She strongly urged the city to think twice before renovating the armory.

“I am dismayed by its current state of disrepair,” said Muliero, who attended the recent open house at the armory.

Muliero described the building as a “money pit,” estimating that it likely would cost $5 million to renovate. “There is water infiltration. It needs a new roof. The masonry may be seriously compromised.”

She said the economic issues outweigh the aesthetic considerations for preserving and restoring the art deco-style warehouse building.

She suggested that police and fire continue to use the structure for storage and that the city should consider moving its emergency dispatch center, now located in a basement office, into the building.

She said her neighborhood group might be open to a zone change, from residential to commercial use, at the front of the building.

She also expressed support for the existing City Hall and its location.

“The current town hall is wonderful where it is,” Muliero added. “It has easy access. You can simply get there by walking off the street.”

At the end of the hour-long forum, Mayor Jim Soule told the crowd that the suggestions would be considered as the city undertakes its strategic planning process.

“This has been good stuff,” he said.

Judging by the turnout, Soule added that the Council realizes that the armory is a “hot button issue” for residents.

“We will reflect on what you said,” Soule added. “You will be part of the process.”

Approximately 45 people attended the first public hearing on the South Portland armory Monday. Many of the residents criticized the city’s decision to purchase the dilapidated building and urged city councilors not to renovate the building for city offices.