The War Memorial Plans Facility Improvements and Addition in Partnership with The Alger Family
Public input sought in fulfillment of the institution’s mission to be a patriotic, cultural, and community leader
The Grosse Pointe War Memorial Association is announcing plans to upgrade its existing facilities to elevate the experience of its patrons. Informed by utilization studies, strategic planning, and a community survey, the planned improvements address various issues to provide increased and long-term public value. War Memorial leadership, believing in the shared legacy between the institution and the community, has proactively held meetings with neighbors and stakeholders. The War Memorial invites the broader public to share their input through a public work session on Tuesday, January 21, at 7 p.m. with the Grosse Pointe Farms City Council at Pier Park. Alternatively, feedback can be submitted via email to feedback@warmemorial.org.
The War Memorial, which hosts 3,000 events and 250,000 guests annually, does not intend to increase the volume of its activities. Instead, the goals of the planned addition and facility improvements are:
• Elevate the quality of programming and the patron experience;
• Preserve and reduce pressure on the 110-year-old Alger House, which is a nationally-recognized historic landmark, designed by Charles A. Platt;
• Restore the original garden designs envisioned by Ellen Biddle Shipman in the front of the property;
• Improve accessibility throughout The War Memorial campus, including better traffic flow, design, amenities, entryways, and access to the gardens and lakefront grounds.
The planned work addresses input received from community members and stakeholder groups that regularly use the facility, with the majority of information coming from residents of the Grosse Pointes. Analysis of the data found:
• Respondents would like improved facilities with greater accessibility, streamlined entryways and traffic flow, and improved restrooms;
• Ninety percent of respondents identified the organization’s arts, culture, and humanities programming as a primary reason for visiting.
The philanthropy and effort supporting the planned addition and facility upgrades are led by members of the Alger family, who are supporting the development and preservation of their ancestral home, built in 1910, and contributed to the community to form The War Memorial in 1949.
“Maintaining the Alger family’s generous gift, made to our community more than 70 years ago, is part of our commitment to ensure we have a thriving facility that supports our patrons and mission of providing access to arts, culture, and humanities from across the region and the country,” said Charles Burke, president and CEO of The War Memorial. “It is an honor to partner once again with the family on this new endeavor, which ensures the longevity of the historic house and affords us the opportunity to expand the quality and depth of our cultural and patriotic programming.”
Renderings, site planning, and original conceptual designs were created by Tryba Architects of Denver, Colorado; Lead Design Principal David Tryba, FAIA, is related to the Alger family. Detroit-based ROSSETTI will handle future architectural work and will honor the original aesthetic of the Charles A. Platt house and Ellen Biddle Shipman garden designs.
A sustainability task force will be appointed to evaluate the needs of the building and grounds going forward, including water, solar and energy conservation, and resources. Additional work of the task force will focus on the institutional responsibility of stewarding the shoreline of Lake Saint Clair.
About The War Memorial
For more than 70 years, The War Memorial has been Metro Detroit’s patriotic, cultural, and community center – a unique environment with more than 3,000 events and 250,000 visitors annually.
The War Memorial provides a place to celebrate the ideals of American democracy and to honor and remember those who have defended those ideals with tireless effort and personal sacrifice.
World-class cultural and artistic offerings in 2019 included live performances by The Juilliard String Quartet; Michigan Opera Theatre; Imani Winds; and members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. A full season of live cinematic broadcasts from New York City’s Metropolitan Opera thrilled audiences, as did The War Memorial’s premiere participation in the Freep Film Festival.
The organization’s ever-growing commitment to presenting influential and inspiring speakers has included former first daughter Barbara Pierce Bush; Maj. Mary Jennings Hegar; Dr. Cornell West; Glennon Doyle Melton; and many local and regional intellectuals, including a full series of lectures from Oakland University professors. Additionally, The War Memorial hosts discussions with regional and national thought leaders on its monthly radio show and podcast, Inspired Heroes.
Community celebrations included SummerFest, the annual multiweek festival of free concerts, movies, and theatrical performances.
Patriotic and veterans’ events included the longstanding and beloved Memorial Day Service; 9/11 Service of Remembrance; Veterans Day Breakfast; 1,000 Christmas Salutes; as well as enlistment and retirement ceremonies, free military concerts, and the Evening of Red, White, and Blue gala fundraiser.
The War Memorial serves its community by supporting the diverse offerings of resident partners, including, but not limited to, the Grosse Pointe Artists Association; the Grosse Pointe Garden Center; The Family Center; the Junior League of Detroit; the Grosse Pointes-Harper Woods NAACP Branch; the Eastside Republican Club; the Grosse Pointe Democratic Club; the Grosse Pointe Senior Ladies Club; the Senior Men’s Club of Grosse Pointe; the Grosse Pointe Veterans Club; and faith-based youth group, WyldLife.
Ranked a top Grosse Pointe attraction by survey respondents, The Patriot Theater at The War Memorial features a wide variety of films and documentaries ranging from historical dramas, comedies, children’s entertainment and art appreciation, as well as partnerships with authors and filmmakers. In 2019, The Patriot Theater became a premiere venue for the Freep Film Festival; this honor will continue in 2020.
With new programming and innovative leadership, The War Memorial is a unique, dynamic and forward-thinking hub for southeast Michigan with a mission to be a patriotic, cultural, and community leader. More information can be found at www.warmemorial.org
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Media Contacts
Jessi Kaminski
Manager of Communications and Programming
313.332.4053
jkaminski@warmemorial.org
Elizabeth Weigandt
Principal, Weigandt Communications, LLC
586.209.0602
elizabeth@weigandtcommunications.com