November 7, 2018
Soldiers Memorial reborn
Around Town
By Brenda Mahr. Pg. 2 Florissant to host Veterans’ Day Parade Nov. 11 . Pg.4 St. Ferdinand Thanksgiving Dinner returns for another year. Pg.4
Special Section VETERANS DAY. Pg.7
Features
The Soldiers Memorial which officially opened on Memorial Day in 1938, was temporarily closed in 2016 until now for a $30 million revitalization project.
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The Soldiers Memorial Military Museum in downtown St. Louis, reopens after a $30 million revitalization project By Charlotte Beard This year has been the year of major reopenings for museums. The St. Louis Arch Park with its renovations and debut of the Gateway Arch museum on July 3 has been followed by the reopening of a building that was first dedicated by President Franklin Roosevelt on Oct. 4, 1936. The Soldiers Memorial Military Museum located at 1315 Chestnut St. in downtown St. Louis, reopened on Nov. 3. The opening day was followed by daily special events that are running now through Nov. 12. The Soldiers Memorial which officially opened on Memorial Day in 1938, was temporarily closed in 2016 until now for a $30 million revitalization project. Mark
Sundlov, Soldiers Memorial Director shared that the funds came from private donations. Along with revitalization to the memorial, there were also some adjustments made to the property ownership and administrative aspects. Sundlov shared, “In 2015 the Missouri Historical Society met with the city and the donor. They came to an agreement where the city still owns the land, the building and historical collections, but the Missouri Historical Society is now responsible for all aspects of the operation of the building and management of collections.” This agreement is also inclusive of all utilities and the wages of two employees
who are dedicated to the functioning of the Soldiers Memorial for which the city of St. Louis is responsible. Donor funds cover the responsibilities of the Missouri Historical Society. No tax dollars are being used. The revitalization project included some major face-lifts for the building. “The lower level previously was city offices and city storage space,” stated Sundlov. “It served a dual purpose. Besides a lot of preservation and restoration aspects, for as remodeling, the lower level was the most significant in the building. We turned that lower level space, about 4,000 sq. ft, into a See ‘SOLDIERS’ page 7
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