$1.1 Million Raised for Renovations to OTR’s Historic Memorial Hall

Improvements to Ensure Beloved Venue Remains Viable for Decades to Come

CINCINNATI (May 27, 2025) – One of the Queen City’s most treasured venues, Hamilton County Memorial Hall has hosted events on Elm Street for nearly 120 years. Now, with generous public and private financial support, historic preservation updates are being made to ensure this legacy continues for decades to come.

Cincinnati Memorial Hall Society (CMHS), Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC) and Hamilton County are proud to announce a $1.1 million capital investment. Funds are being used to complete strategic projects for the preservation and ongoing viability of the venue: water intrusion mitigation and roof repair, improvement of historic doors and windows, interior plaster repair, wood floor refinishing, plumbing improvements and modernization of historic lighting in the theater.

Background & Fundraising

From 2015 to 2016, Memorial Hall underwent an $11.2 million renovation led by CMHS, 3CDC and Hamilton County Commissioners, funded by historic tax credits, private philanthropy and traditional financing. While rightly heralded as the beginning of a new chapter for the historic facility, several key physical items were unable to be addressed in that effort. In 2022, the H.B., E.W. & F.R. Luther Charitable Foundation, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee funded the commission of a Facility Condition Assessment for Memorial Hall. Completed by noted architectural firm GBBN, the Assessment comprehensively projected future historic preservation needs for the facility, along with time horizon and estimated cost for each project.

CMHS and 3CDC collaboratively developed plans to address the most immediate needs of the facility as identified by GBBN, which became known as Phase I and Phase II of the effort.

Spearheaded by former longtime CMHS Chairman William “Bill” Baumann, the Phase I & II fundraising campaign tapped 13 local and regional foundations, individual gifts from community members and a catalytic $500,000 investment from Hamilton County Commissioners, who own the facility. A complete list of funders is included at the end of this release.

“Immense thanks to each of the family foundations and individuals who have

generously supported these important restorations and preservations of this architectural gem,” says Baumann. “Special thanks to the Luther Foundation, Oliver Family Foundation, the George and Margaret McLane Foundation and Louise Taft Semple Foundation for their leadership gifts.”

Current Projects

Four major projects will be addressed with the $1.1 million in capital funds, all completed within historic preservation standards:

• Proscenium Lighting – $73,000 Estimated Cost – Memorial Hall’s Anderson Theater features three striking proscenium arches, accented with light bulbs nestled in decorative plaster rosettes. Unfortunately, much of the wiring of these lamps dated back to 1908, and the specialty bulbs installed in 2015-16 are now obsolete. In a collaboration of electrical contractor M-Pact Corporation, Wullenweber & Sons Plastering, Deco Works Studio and ETC theatrical lighting, 126 lamps were rewired, 126 plaster rosettes removed and reinstalled, a new theatrical lighting dimmer installed and hundreds of light bulbs replaced along the arches and chandeliers throughout the auditorium. This project was completed on April 30, 2025.

• Roof System – $565,000 Estimated Cost – The largest of the Phase I & II endeavors, the Roof System Repair Project seeks to eliminate vertical intrusion of water that has caused damage to the interior plaster. The flat roof on the north and south elevations or the original building will be replaced, along with the copper box gutters. “Skyward-facing” masonry is also being substantially addressed, with comprehensive stone repairs and repointing along the upper edges of the façade, along with improvements to counterflashing. Executed by American Façade with General Contracting by THP, the project is scheduled for completion by May 31, 2025.

• Plaster Repair – $70,000 Estimated Cost – Caused by water intrusion through the aging roof and upper façade, decorative plaster has degraded in four areas on the second and third floor of Memorial Hall’s opulent Anderson Theater. Following completion of the Roof System Repair Project, these areas will be fully restored by Wullenweber & Sons Plastering, an expert firm in historic preservation. This effort is projected for completion by Sept. 30, 2025.

• Historic Doors and Windows – $297,000 Estimated Cost – Built before the advent of air conditioning, Memorial Hall is adorned with numerous historic wood windows, many of them very beautiful and architecturally significant. Phases I & II will see the replacement or repair of damaged frame members, removal and replacement of paint, re-glazing and installation of new neoprene weather stripping.

Historic doors will also be addressed. The center front doors (Memorial Hall’s primary entrance) have already been taken down, cleaned and undergone fabrication and replacement of historic pivots and springs. Wooden doors on the north and south facets of the building will be refinished and repainted.

In addition to the above, smaller projects are underway to address domestic water supply and functionality of the building’s front doors. All projects are scheduled for completion by Dec. 31, 2025.

“The Phase I & II capital improvements address the most pressing needs of Memorial Hall to ensure that it remains a viable, beautiful venue for decades to come,” says 3CDC’s Joshua Steele, Memorial Hall’s Director. “Under the leadership of Chair Emeritus Bill Baumann, CMHS has been a terrific partner in identifying and securing funding for preservation opportunities. As the owner of historic Memorial Hall, Hamilton County has also made significant investment in the campus through both capital and operating funding. This three-way collaboration has proven a successful model for the preservation of Memorial Hall.”

Nearly a decade removed from its 2015-16 renovation, Memorial Hall has realized the vision of its supporters and advocates who raised over $11 million to save it from the wrecking ball. The venue hosts approximately 300 events per year, welcoming 80,000 patrons to events ranging from concerts and family theatrical performances to film festivals, award ceremonies, conferences and weddings. Notable appearances at the venue have included Rosanne Cash, Mavis Staples, Rhiannon Giddens, Béla Fleck, Pat Metheny, Taj Mahal, Marty Stuart, Neko Case, Branford Marsalis, John Hiatt, Matt Nathanson, Graham Nash, Judy Collins, Chris Thile, Del McCoury, Dave Mason, The Moth, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Andrew McMahon, Andy Grammer, Christopher Cross, Robert Cray, Jefferson Starship, John Butler, Ricky Skaggs, filmmaker Kevin Smith and actor Martin Sheen. Memorial Hall is also the home to many resident arts presenters, including Chamber Music Cincinnati, Cindependent Film Festival and CMHS’ Longworth-Anderson Series.

Phase I & II Funders

Major support for Memorial Hall’s Phase I & II capital projects came from:

Hamilton County

The H.B., E.W. & F.R. Luther Charitable Foundation, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee

Oliver Family Foundation

The George & Margaret McLane Foundation

Louise Taft Semple Foundation

Harold C. Schott Foundation

Wohlgemuth-Herschede Foundation

The Thomas J. Emery Memorial

Virginia Kerst

Robert Gould Foundation

Carl & Margo Hall Family Fund

Ron and Barbara Stern Family Foundation

The Ragland Family Foundation

John R. Little Post Inc. VFW No. 3186

Bill & Kate Baumann

Joe and Kathy Ganim

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