The price to preserve historic buildings is high, Vanderburgh County officials say, and such is the case for the renovations and upgrades to Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Officials cite progress, even though there isn’t a lot to see yet. Phase one of renovations — with a $6 million price tag — has involved heating, air, security, and electrical upgrades and repairs and is near completion.
Opened in 1917, the Coliseum — also referred to as the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Coliseum — was designed by Clifford Shopbell & Company to honor veterans of the Civil War and Spanish-American War. Several rooms still sport military themes and hold mementos. The structure cost $180,000 to build, equating to almost $5 million today.
It hosted the memorial services for James Bethel Gresham in 1917, a first U.S. combat fatality in World War I and an Evansville resident. It also used to be the home of the Hadi Shrine Circus before Roberts Municipal Stadium was built. In its heyday, the venue featured entertainers such as Ray Charles, Louis Armstrong, and Katherine Hepburn. Bingo fundraisers, roller derbies, and National Wrestling Alliance matches occupied the venue in recent years.
“This is an icon of the community fabric,” says Jeff Justice, president of Evansville architectural firm Hafer. “It sits right on the axis of Fourth and Main, one of the most important streets in Downtown Evansville. To have this go the way of the L&N train station would have been terrible.”
“The L&N train station and the Iron Orr Building … those were beautiful structures just like this one and it’s a shame. … Preservation is the way to go,” says Jill Hahn, president of the Vanderburgh County Council.
The American Rescue Plan Act funded the first phase of upgrades. Seth Euler, a division manager with Harrell-Fish, Inc. — a mechanical contracting and service firm based in Bloomington, Indiana — has overseen all of the initial upgrades, guided by Hafer. The work focused on removing the existing HVAC systems, including replacing a 160-ton chiller, and installing three new 10,000+ CFM air handling units, two 2,000,000 BTU boilers, four hydronic pumps, and 25 new variable air volume boxes to provide zone temperature control.
There also is new ductwork and a new HVAC control system. These installations involved finding small and large concealed spaces in the space to fit pipes and ductwork through, Euler says.
“Our job is to make sure this all gets done and happens,” says David Rector, general manager of the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Building Authority. “Without that $6 million, I think this is another building that would have been demolished at some point.”
Finding those spaces also was useful when placing new electrical servicing and wiring for updated equipment, including new lighting. While some of the old fixtures that used to light up the stage and dance floor will be repurposed, some have outlived their usefulness.
More large additions are new fire suppression and alarm systems, which did not exist before, to keep up with occupancy codes. While the initial phase of updates was funded by ARPA, further plans will be funded by additional grants and fundraising, which will avoid a burden on taxpayers, Hahn emphasizes.
Phase two involves bringing the building up to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, costing around $3.5 million, which means events can start to be hosted. The Evansville Civic Theatre is eying the stage for plays, and the Captain Henry Vanderburgh chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution also would like to host events there, according to Hahn. She also sees the space being used as a venue for weddings and bridal showers. The hope was to have the space open for events by 2025, including hosting a fundraising event in November.
“I can say pretty much on behalf of the commissioners and the county council that $6 million was a great opportunity that was given to us by the federal government with ARPA dollars. Neither body is really big on putting a burden on the taxpayers,” Hahn says. “This is going to be a community effort to fundraise.”
The future still holds a lot for the Coliseum. The space still is in want of major renovations that would turn it into another quality events venue. On the horizon are updates to the entrance foyer, the Grand Army of the Republic room, and the Spanish American War Veterans room, as well as the cleaning of two paintings, depicting colonization and industrialization, in the event space, which have browned due to age and the days of heavy smoking indoors.
Still, the full restoration could take between five to 10 years, but Hahn says it will take as long as it needs to in order to save this historic landmark. The total price tag — including phases three and four of renovations — could range from $20 to $25 million.
“I really believe once people get in here and start having some of the fun that they once did, dances and things like that, hopefully, funding will follow,” Hahn says.
