On Saturday, a stately building on Pennsylvania Avenue SE that had fallen into disrepair was given a second lease on life, as members of the community gathered to celebrate its re-opening after significant and long overdue renovations.

That building, which was born as the Old Naval Hospital in 1864, is now formally the Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital, a new community center only blocks away from Eastern Market.

Post-renovation — plans for which dated back over a decade — the historic building will provide office space for community organizations and programs ranging from Spanish classes to art exhibits. Additionally, a carriage house on the building’s grounds will be used for a café/restaurant.

The cost of the renovations was roughly $10 million.