Excelsior Springs Economic Director Melinda Mehaffy participated in a panel discussion addressing members of Missouri Certified Local Governments (CLGs) on October 25. One of four speakers elaborating on successful projects, Mehaffy provided an overview and powerpoint presentation on the Save America’s Treasurers Grant that provided $1 million in restoration work to the Hall of Waters.
The discussion was a learning session of the Missouri CLG Forum held in Jefferson City. Participation in the CLG program provides the Historic Preservation Commission with grant funding, technology and training. Attendees were introduced to Dawn Scott, the new program director for the State Historic Preservation Office. Excelsior Springs has been a CLG since 1991 and is one of 65 Missouri communities.
Accompanying Mehaffy to the event were Lisa Morgan, Community Development Administrative Assistant, and Sonya Morgan, Historic Preservation Commission member.
The City of Excelsior Springs received $500,000 through the Save America’s Treasurers grant in 2020, funded by the Department of Interior, National Park Service (NPS). Matching funds of $500,000 were provided through the Capital Improvements Authority. The grant was to address structural concerns at the south end of the water bar, repair doors and windows in the Hall of Springs, replace the west and north entrance doors, rehabilitate the tower, and repoint, clean, and seal the north and west exterior faces of the building.
Early in the restoration project, structural engineers discovered that the foundation in the basement supporting the Hall of Springs was failing and in immanent danger of collapse. The area was immediately closed to the public. Additionally, the front lawn of the Hall of Waters was closed due to structural concerns in the underground room that houses Siloam Spring, also in danger of collapse. Working with the National Park Service, the scope of the grant work was changed to address these life safety issues.
“We were wanting to repair the tower. We were wanting to restore the water bar so it could be fully used again,” said Mehaffy. “We had identified projects that the general public could see us working on and understand what we were doing for the building. Instead, the funds had to be diverted to structural repairs of joists, flooring, ceilings, and columns that are holding that whole wing up.”
All of the project funds have been expended and Mehaffy is now working on closing out the grant. After critical repairs, there is still $16 to $20 million worth of work to be done on the building. Of importance is dehumidification and ventilation to stop continued deterioration of the building. Replacement of the one remaining boiler and replacement of the elevator are needed now.
The Hall of Springs is reopened to the public. It houses a Visitor Center at the world’s longest water bar. Ultimately, the goal is that restoration of the Hall of Waters would become an economic driver in the community related to tourism. Identifying reuse of the building and identifying partners who could work in the building and operate the building to provide opportunities for the public to enjoy the space is key. It might be a spa, it might be a retail restaurant, it might be a mall of some kind. There are three levels of the building that could be operational for business. The highest and best use for the building is not as a city hall. Residents would see the city moving out of the building as other businesses were moving in.
