Phoenix Indian School Memorial Hall Rehabilitation - Phoenix, Arizona
N 33° 29.856 W 112° 04.180
12S E 400638 N 3706965
Phoenix Indian School Memorial Hall Rehabilitation was the Grand Prize Winner at the 2009 Governor's Heritage Preservation Honor Awards.
Waymark Code: WMBFMQ
Location: Arizona, United States
Date Posted: 05/15/2011
Views: 21
Phoenix Indian School opened in 1891 and closed in 1990 at the order of the federal government. The city of Phoenix obtained the land in 1996 after it had been sitting vacant for a few years. It has been turned in to a park.
Three buildings, on the National Register of Historic Places, still exist. One of them, Memorial Hall, can be used for special events and exhibits. It was built in 1922 in Mission Revival style. It is one of only 2 Mission Revival auditoria in Arizona, the other is its companion building, the Dining Hall. Memorial Hall was used for general assemblies, graduation ceremonies, and theatrical activities.
In the 1930s, students began carving their names in the red brick outside the main entrance. The buildings red brick exterior is preserved so those carved names are still visible.
From an article in Downtown Voices:
During rehabilitation, the original building fabric was restored to preserve as much of the structure as possible and reduce the need for new materials and increased landfill waste. The original maple floor was refinished and reinstalled, most of the windows were rehabilitated rather than replaced, saving the original wood that was used to make them in 1922, and the standards for the chairs on the balcony level were all reused in the restoration of the seating. Although many of the tin ceiling panels had been damaged when heating and air conditioning duct work was put in place after the 1940s, many of the stunning ceiling tiles were salvaged in the restoration. Great care was taken in planning the new heating, cooling, and ventilation system for the building. A central plant was installed, ductwork was concealed under the crawlspace and in the attic to minimize detrimental effects to the historic character, and insulation was added under the floor and in the attic to improve energy efficiency. New electrical and plumbing systems were designed with energy efficient lighting, low flow fixtures, and state of the art control systems to reduce long term energy consumption. The restoration cost just under $5 million, 75% of which came from 2001 and 2006 bonds. The remaining funding came from grants from the National Park Service and the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust. Link to article here.In addition to the Governor's award, Memorial Hall’s renovation earned the Valley Forward Crescordia Award for Historic Preservation for 2008.