Entry No. 2
Late in 2019, The War Memorial embarked on a journey to build a more inspired future. With our construction project officially underway, we remain committed to building a permanent home for art, culture, and the humanities right here in Grosse Pointe.
Each month, we’ll provide a brief snapshot of where our project stands: a behind-the-scenes look at the people, ideas, and processes driving this vision. We look forward to keeping our community, stakeholders, supporters, and professional staff apprised of our progress: a touchpoint for all involved to see the creation of our new space, start to finish.
As spring officially roles in and we move forward with our construction, we want to take a moment to highlight the team overseeing the scope and construction of our project, Frank Rewold & Sons. A local firm based out of Rochester, Frank Rewold & Sons has remained committed to working diligently to bring our new facility to life. Their team has managed construction efficiently, provided cost-effective estimates and value engineering, and built strong working relationships with all our subcontractors. Dedicated to seeing The War Memorial’s vision realized, they also work closely with our architects at ROSSETTI. And most importantly, the team maintains a clean, safe, and sanitary work zone, all to help promote the wellbeing and safety of our staff and patrons.
As we move into spring, The War Memorial has picked up speed on many aspects of our renovation:
Demolition is 90% complete on the upper level of the building. Temporary walls have been installed around the ballroom and will remain in place until the new windows and walls arrive.
The Patriot Theater will receive minor demolition work, which will allow for new mechanical, electrical, and plumbing to be installed
Sitework is currently 15-20% complete and includes:
The removal of the formal gardens and fountain in front of the ballroom, making room for the new addition
The demolition of the promenade walkway
The addition of stormwater structures, which will be placed in the ground once the concrete and steel foundations of the new addition are complete
The asphalt of the drive leading to the back lawn and loading dock is scheduled to be removed soon
In tandem with our construction project, we are also dedicated to providing world-class hospitality services in a safe and socially distant manner. Our outdoor tent has been installed on the lakefront lawn, and greenery has been added to the construction site perimeter fence, mirroring a hedge wall and continuing to elevate our breathtaking venue to our clients. We are also working closely with the Grosse Pointe Garden Center to ensure the Trial Gardens in the backyard are ready for guests and community members to enjoy all summer long. The gardens will be closed during private events but open any additional time Monday through Saturday, 7am-7pm.
