Aurora plans GAR Hall renovation

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The interior of the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Hall in Aurora is being renovated with the aid of a $250,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. | Jonathan Miano~Staff photographer

Updated: March 13, 2012 7:12PM

AURORA — The city plans to spend $730,000 on restoration work at the historic Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Hall.

Work will be done on both the exterior and interior of the GAR Hall on Downer Place just east of Stolp Avenue.

The goal of the restoration is for the building to again be used for special events, which have not been held there since the 1990s, according to Development Director Bill Wiet.

The Aurora Public Art Commission also has plans to oversee daily operations of a Civil War museum in the building with a small non-circulating research library, according to a city memo.

The GAR Memorial Hall, Aurora Post 20, was dedicated in 1878 as a monument to the Union veterans of the Civil War and as a shrine to fallen comrades, according to Rena Church, director of the Aurora Public Art Commission.

Mokena-based JL Burke will contract to do the project. The firm submitted the lowest bid to the city at about $730,000, which includes architecture and other fees.

The city received a $250,000 grant toward the restoration. The city will pay for $485,000 of the project cost out of tax increment financing district funds.

All of the needed exterior work will be covered in the project, along with some work on the inside of the building. The internal restoration would bring the building up to fire safety code and fix plumbing in order for the building to be occupied, according to a city memo.

Further upgrades will be discussed at a later date. A total interior restoration is estimated to cost about $775,000.

The GAR once had a membership of 700 Civil War veterans from 70 different regiments. By 1939, membership was dwindling and leadership made plans to convert the building into a memorial.

The Gothic Revival style building was designed by Aurora architect Joseph P. Mulvey. It was constructed on rock-faced, ashlar laid limestone from Aurora quarries. A two-story addition was added to the original building in 1885 that served as a library and meeting space. That addition was demolished in 1963, according to Public Art Commission records.

The remaining octagonal building and stair tower were preserved, and the GAR Memorial Hall is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.