Joplin City Council will hear a proposal to save Memorial Hall when it meets 6 p.m. Monday.
The proposal, which calls for a public-private partnership, is being submitted by Friends of Memorial Hall, a group that includes Lori Haun, Downtown Joplin Alliance executive director, former Mayor and City Councilmember Melodee Colbert Kean, Sharon Beshore, president of the Missouri Arts Council, Clifford Wert, president and CFO of Connect2Culture, Jeff Neal, a contractor and developer, Luke Gibson, commercial real estate broker, Todd Patterson, CEO of Patterson Collaborative, and Robert Harrington, retired director of facilities who was responsible for construction projects at Missouri Southern State University and St. John's Regional Medical Center.
The Friends of Memorial Hall proposal says the building can be saved at a lower cost than previously stated and offers a plan to bring in the money that combines several sources of funding, including state and federal grants and using the money the City Council has approved for demolishing the building and making a veterans park on the site.
The proposal includes letters of support from Post 13 American Legion, Connect2Culture, Cornell Complex, Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Joplin Alliance and Joplin Commons.
From the proposal:The Friends of Memorial Hall propose a public-private partnership for the revitalization of the Hall.
As a public building and a community asset, a shared responsibility for Memorial Hall will ensure the greatest success.
Through numerous community surveys conducted by City of Joplin consultants, it is clear that the Joplin community and its veterans wish for Memorial Hall to remain as a shared civic space and community hub.
Future programming for Memorial Hall should support and compliment the Cornell Complex, creating a long envisioned synergy between the facilities. Mutual support and collaboration will prove to be the key to the success of both endeavors.
Instead of spending $5-8 million to demolish a structure that has stood as a pillar to the sacrifice of our
veterans and a hub of civic activity for over 100 yrs, let’s envision repurposing that same investment
towards creating a thriving, revenue-generating community asset that benefits all our community for
generations to come. This is not just a building; this is an opportunity—a chance to preserve a historical landmark, while building a community-driven, future-focused hub for activities, workforce development, entertainment, enrichment, and economic growth.
To ensure success, we ask for the following:
-Council support of continued development of public-private partnership--This partnership will create a shared vision and shared responsibility for the rehabilitation and overall success of the facility.
Reallocation of Demolition Funds – Instead of erasing history, invest the proposed $5-8M demolition budget to jumpstart this project and leverage additional grants, sponsorships, and revenue streams.
City Infrastructure Support – Assistance with items such as site utilities and any zoning adjustments to make the space fully operational.
For generations this building has stood as a witness to our city’s evolution and growth as well as a recognition of our veterans. This is an opportunity to include it as a vital part of the future instead of a forgotten “used to be” of the past? This is more than just preservation—it’s transformation.
I need to honor the sacrifice of our veterans by going to the circus! Save the Hall!
ReplyDeleteIt is sad that we destroyed the front parking lot/land to build another art center in Joplin, the Harry M. Cornell Arts & Entertainment Complex - to give multi-millionaires tax deductions, yet forget about the Veterans - who served and died to give all of these people the opportunities to even have a pot to piss in. How little sense and smarts do we have - we owe so much to Veterans, but continual fail to Support and Realize or Remember their Contributions - but like so many Liberals - who easily forget about the Veterans, the Military, the National Guard, and the Police - because they feel they have Operated on Duty and the Laws of the Land they are considered Third Class Citizens because of what they did to uphold the Laws of the Land and are always under constant scrutiny and made to feel less than the Heros they are.
ReplyDeleteHarry M. Cornell, Jr., a Joplin resident, committed a lead gift of $5 million to fund the Arts & Entertainment Complex. This was a significant part of the over $19 million raised in total, which also included contributions from the state, the city of Joplin - for the Land, and other private donors.
Why did it take so long for Memorial Hall in Joplin, Missouri, to get put on the National Register of Historic Places, having been placed on the list in 2021. This listing is an official recognition of the building's historical significance.
So - why do we want to Tear it Down - - More History to be Removed or Torn Down from America - because we have Liberals that their feelings are being hurt - so our History is being wiped out - so Confederate Statues, Colonialism, Racism, every "Ism" there is - everyone is getting their Feelings hurt - - so we just Tear it down from our History -
You do know your president gave oral sex to Bill Clinton right? Liberal!!!!
Delete8:20 why must everything you and several other commenters always include political views when none are needed. This article does not have any bearing on a political agenda or viewpoint. Do you just have an over whelming need to blurt out non stop nonsense? Also, just so you’re aware for future reference, that most of these “confederate statues” were built and erected in the mid 1950’s to 1960’s. Nothing historical about them, just erected to try and demoralize people who were seeking equal voting rights. It really is a good idea to know your history before speaking/writing false information.
DeleteI am glad to see some backing from citizens to save the Hall. I hope an agreement can be reached. I do not trust our city government to be truthful or honest to public concerns of money spending/wasting. If a plan is agreed upon, let’s hope the city follows through.
ReplyDelete12:24PM, No are talking about the New Monica Lewinsky Ball Room they are building at the White House - they are matching the color of her Blue Dress - for the wall paint.
ReplyDeleteOr - The visitor logs indicate that Epstein visited the White House during the Clinton Administration at least 17 times between 1993 and 1995. During these visits, he met with a presidential aide, Mark Middleton, who reportedly facilitated Epstein's access - Or the 17 times that Clinton Flew on Epstein's Plane - maybe one day you leftist liberals will be able to read and understand the Truth and Facts.
And the magic questions is why didn't Obama, in office for 8-years and Biden, in office for 4-years - that's 12-years and not one (1) piece of information, email, text, or anything ever came out about Epstein - because all of the associations to the Democrats and the Hollywood Elitest? THINK ABOUT THAT YOU BUNCH OF LIBERAL LEFTIST - - - WHY NO INFORMATION RELEASED DURING THEIR 12-YEARS IN OFFICE???
7:42 try for once to stay on topic of the article instead of ranting and raving about your political fetish’s. Is this the only place that you can weave your nonsense? Turn off the nonstop Fox News and get a life outside of your own illogical echo fantasy.
ReplyDelete12:14 - Same Old - Same Old. The Leftist Liberal Democrats are always wanting to forget what they have done and said - so we need to constantly remind them -
ReplyDeleteAnd the magic questions is why didn't Obama, in office for 8-years and Biden, in office for 4-years - that's 12-years and not one (1) piece of information, email, text, or anything ever came out about Epstein - because all of the associations to the Democrats and the Hollywood Elitest? THINK ABOUT THAT - - - WHY NO INFORMATION RELEASED DURING THEIR 12-YEARS IN OFFICE - Because of Bill and Hillary Clinton???
9:03 you do realize that Epstein was arrested by the federal government in 2019 for prostitution trafficking and the president at the time was Donald Trump not president Obama or Biden. The same year he committed suicide. Did president Obama have a time travel machine to go in to the future to become aware of Epstein’s crimes?
ReplyDeleteEpstein was arrested in Florida for state crimes in 2006 for a single state charge of felony soliciting prostitution. He was prosecuted by Alexander Acosta who later went to work in Trump’s first term. The governor of Florida was Jeb Bush and then Charlie Crist. The president at the time of Epstein’s arrest in Florida was Bush. Acosta decided to prosecute the case through the state instead of doing a federal felony which the grand jury had recommended. Basically Epstein was free after pleading guilty to 2 in counts of a state felony, with weekend visits to the county jail. Maxwell was prosecuted during president Biden’s term and the court documents were locked up through her appeals process. Trump is who ran for office and declared that he would release all the Epstein files, who also moved Maxwell to country club facility. He later decided not to release them after Bondi told him is name was listed numerous times throughout these files. Stand by Trump all you want but don’t blame other presidents for a failure of follow through that only Trump could do and then decided not to. Try getting your news sources from multiple sites or just google the information. It’s all there for anyone who is curious instead of repeating false information.