Soldiers
& Sailors Memorial Building
Melrose is home to one of
the most distinctive performance centers on the North Shore. The gray
granite building, located at 590 Main Street, is adjacent to the Central
Fire Station and City Hall. Its construction was watched with much
interest, and favorable comments were made on the simple yet dignified
interior and exterior of the building. The building was dedicated on
Dec. 14, 1912 in patriotic remembrance of the brave soldiers and sailors
of the Civil War.
Memorial Hall offers a splendid setting for social,
artistic, cultural, and political events. With a seating capacity of
800, the main auditorium houses a stage measuring 30' x 40', dressing
rooms, and a public address system. A grand organ, dedicated in 1919 as
a memorial to the World War I veterans, and similar in construction and
musical expression to an organ in the Municipal Building in Portland,
Maine, is located at the rear of the stage.
The Grand Army of the Republic Hall (GAR) is located in the upstairs
portion of the building. It has a seating capacity of 60 to 100 and is
adjacent to a full commercial kitchen facility. Mr. John Slayton, who
donated the building to the City and was chairman of the building
committee in 1912, was highly praise by the City and its citizens for
his work that resulted in the completion of the building.
A resurgence of appreciation in the building initiated community
interest in restoring this valuable asset. The Melrose Veterans Group
and the Melrose Symphony Orchestra call the Memorial Building their
home; many other community groups use the building for annual events and
fund-raisers. With continued local and state support, Melrose hopes to
fully restore this beautiful building.
The resurgence of interest in Memorial Hall resulted in the development
of a Master Plan in 1995, which set the stage for a series of
restoration projects. The Master Plan identified over $4 million worth
of improvements necessary to make the building weather-tight, restore
important historical features and improve the building's functionality.
Three phases of restoration work began in 1996. Memorial Hall was made
handicapped accessible with the installation of an elevator, new
entrance doors, accessible bathroom facilities, and improved ramps and
railings; the building was outfitted with a new roof and copper
flashing; and the flagpoles atop the building, which have long been an
important symbol of the building's significance as a war memorial, were
restored and the flags illuminated.
A fourth phase of work, completed in June 2000, represents a major
effort to make the building weather-tight. The masonry joints were
re-pointed to prevent water infiltration into the building, and windows
and doors were restored. This project also included several components
that improved the look and serviceability of the building: the granite
facade was thoroughly cleaned and the rest rooms were built out to fully
accommodate a building of this size.
Over $1.4 million dollars has been invested in Memorial Hall.
Approximately half a million dollars has come from grant funding through
the Massachusetts Historical Commission, the state agency responsible
for historic preservation; the remainder has been funded through the
City's Capital Improvement Program. These efforts have paid dividends in
terms of making the building more accessible to the public and ensuring
the building's preservation as a community treasure long into the
future. They also serve as a catalyst for raising funds for additional
restoration work needed to accomplish all of the goals outlined in the
Master Plan.
In 2008, the Memorial Hall HVAC Project was completed, which involved
the installation of air conditioning and the conversion to a hot water
heating system powered by natural gas. The intent of this project was to
enhance the comfort level in the building, improve building operations,
and promote energy efficiency. The new HVAC system includes separate
heating and cooling zones for the main auditorium and the GAR Hall,
which will save energy and reduce operation costs. The completion of
this project allows the City to operate Memorial Hall year-round for the
first time in the building’s history.
Memorial Hall is managed by a full-time operations manager and is
overseen by the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building Board of
Trustees. Appointed by the Mayor, the board membership includes at least
two veterans. Memorial Hall offers free parking in the City Hall parking
lot, located at the rear of the building.
Whether it is a musical performance, theater group, business meeting,
dance recital, concert, tradeshow, fundraiser or wedding, please call
(781) 979-4185 for rental information and scheduling.
We look forward to hearing from you and hosting your event. |
