One of the many historic buildings that were severely damaged by the June 1, 2011 Springfield tornado was the former Springfield State Armory on Howard Street. Also known as the Howard Street Armory, it was built in 1895 to the designs of Robert Wait and Amos Porter Cutting, Boston-based partners who designed many of the state armories throughout Massachusetts. In more recent years, the Armory served as the South End Community Center. The tornado destroyed the rear drill shed, but the castle-like head house, which faces Howard Street, survived. Now an endangered historic resource, preservationists are hoping the Romanesque Revival structure will be restored. UPDATE: In 2014, the Armory was acquired by MGM Springfield, which demolished the rear section and restored the building’s stone exterior. It now part of the MGM Springfield Casino complex, housing ROAR Comedy Club.