Sneak peek: See inside the renovated Brockton War Memorial Building
BROCKTON — One of the city's most important civic spaces will soon reopen after a $5 million renovation. The upgrades to the War Memorial Building aren't all visible. But you'll feel them.
Built in 1930 before air conditioning, the 27,951-square-foot edifice was infamous for stultifying heat in summer. Even in winter, the hard-to-regulate steam heat roasted visitors and folks who work there. Thanks to a new HVAC system, Brockton residents should get year-round use of the 156 W. Elm St. building.
True to form, the War Memorial auditorium was oppressively hot on July 14, 2023, when Mayor Robert F. Sullivan and others marked the start of renovations with a ceremony.
"When we come back here for the ribbon cutting," Sullivan said at the time, "it's going to be a wonderful, wonderful building. All of us are going to have fresh air, which is vital to the occupants of the building."
The work's all done except for the punch list, said Dan Pallotta, the city's point person for its American Rescue Plan Act projects. He recently gave The Enterprise a tour.
The city hasn't yet set a date for the official ribbon cutting.
Summertime events could be uncomfortable or even dangerous for visitors. Kelly Young, Brockton's director of veterans' services, noted that it could be over 100 degrees at August's annual Purple Heart luncheon. "I hope the next time we see each other, we're comfortable in this building," Young said at the 2023 project kickoff.
The War Memorial auditorium, including the balcony, has been made handicapped-accessible. City officials envision all kinds of events returning to the space. Of course veterans' events will be held there, such as commemorations of Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Other events at the space over the years have included concerts by the Brockton Symphony, the "Dancing With The Champions" competition, city council meetings and mayoral State of the City addresses.
"The auditorium is going to be something we can all be proud of," Sullivan said when renovations began.
So, what's new?
The War Memorial's key systems have gotten a top-down overhaul. It started with a new roof. Moisture-damaged plaster has been removed all over the building. Crews installed new bathrooms downstairs, where the old bowling alley used to be. The old radiators on the side of the auditorium and up in the balcony have been taken out, now that workers have installed a modern "variant refrigerant flow" system. Think of it as a giant version of the ductless mini-splits used in homes and offices.
Hulking, filthy exhaust fans, not needed now that the air turns over two or three times an hour, have been ripped out of the auditorium windows. The city didn't even have to get replacement sashes fabricated.
"Whoever put in the gross exhaust paddle fans that were sucking the heat out was smart enough to know that they were worthy of saving," Pallotta said. "They've been sitting in the attic probably 30-40 years."
The auditorium will also have an extensive upgrade to its audio-visual system. That opens the door to movie nights and clearer presentations. The renovations also include new paint.
The War Memorial is still a working building. In addition to housing the Veterans Services Department, it is home to Brockton's emergency management agency. Once the new public safety building is built, the Brockton Emergency Management Agency will move out.
War Memorial renovation costs
A major renovation of the War Memorial is being paid for with federal COVID relief dollars. Here's a breakdown of the $4,987,262 project:
Contractor - Ameresco: $3,074,962
Designer - MM&T: $145,305
Contractor - Homer Construction: $1,584,454
Contingencies: $182,541
Source: City of Brockton, as of Feb. 5, 2024
Send your news tips to reporter Chris Helms by email at CHelms@enterprisenews.com or connect on X at @HelmsNews.
This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: $5 million Brockton War Memorial Building renovation nearly complete
