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| Municipal Auditorium (St. Louis) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Municipal Auditorium (St. Louis) |
| Location | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Opened | 1934 |
| Architect | Adolphus Druiding; Kemper Arena (note: separate) |
| Owner | City of St. Louis |
| Capacity | 10,000 |
Municipal Auditorium (St. Louis) is a historic multi-purpose arena and convention facility located in Grand Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Built during the Great Depression era, it has hosted a wide range of civic, cultural, and sporting events associated with institutions such as St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Saint Louis University, and national organizations like the National Basketball Association and National Collegiate Athletic Association. The building's role in Midwestern urban development and its connections to events including the Democratic National Convention and various touring productions have made it a regional landmark.
Constructed in the early 1930s as part of municipal civic improvements following the Stock Market Crash of 1929 and the policy responses linked to New Deal relief programs, the auditorium opened amid a national trend of public works comparable to projects such as the Lincoln Memorial and Madison Square Garden renovation projects. Its inauguration occurred in the same decade as the Century of Progress exhibitions and the expansion of cultural institutions like the Art Institute of Chicago and the Metropolitan Opera House. Over subsequent decades the venue intersected with touring companies from the Shubert Organization, appearances by performers associated with Radio City Music Hall, and conventions similar to those hosted by the American Legion and National Education Association. During the postwar period, it served community needs alongside institutions such as Washington University in St. Louis and the St. Louis Cardinals, while national events including exhibitions associated with the 1939 World's Fair era set the stage for diversified programming.
The auditorium was designed in an architectural vocabulary influenced by Beaux-Arts architecture and contemporaneous municipal buildings like Union Station (St. Louis) and elements seen in the Detroit Masonic Temple. Architects employed monumental massing and ornamental detailing reminiscent of projects undertaken by firms that worked on landmarks such as Penn Station and cultural centers like the Kennedy Center. Interior planning emphasized a large central arena, auxiliary meeting rooms comparable to those in McCormick Place, and acoustical considerations paralleling venues such as Carnegie Hall and Symphony Hall. Decorative motifs and material choices echoed civic buildings in Chicago, Cleveland, and Philadelphia, while circulation patterns drew from principles used in the Colosseum restorations and modern exposition halls.
Municipal Auditorium has accommodated touring theatrical companies from the Broadway theatre circuit and productions managed by the Nederlander Organization and the SFX Entertainment era promoters. Concerts have featured artists linked to institutions such as the Metropolitan Opera and ensembles like the New York Philharmonic, and popular music tours that also stop at venues such as Madison Square Garden and The Forum. The venue hosted speaking engagements by figures associated with movements represented by groups such as the NAACP and the American Civil Liberties Union, and civic gatherings akin to those held at Boston's Convention Center and McCormick Place. Touring circuses and vaudeville troupes similar to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and performers associated with The Ed Sullivan Show have appeared on its stage.
The arena has been a site for collegiate basketball tournaments affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association, boxing matches promoted alongside events in Madison Square Garden, and wrestling cards reminiscent of programs by World Wrestling Entertainment and territorial promotions like National Wrestling Alliance. It hosted conventions and competitions for organizations comparable to the Amateur Athletic Union and the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament regional rounds, and served as a homecourt for local teams in the manner of the St. Louis Hawks and events paralleling those at Kemper Arena. Indoor track meets, gymnastics competitions, and exhibition hockey games were staged similarly to events at Maple Leaf Gardens and Madison Square Garden satellite stops.
Periodic rehabilitation efforts have aimed to modernize infrastructure while retaining historic fabric, following precedents set by preservation projects at Radio City Music Hall and Palace of Fine Arts (San Francisco). Funding mechanisms combined municipal bonds, private philanthropy from foundations like the Ford Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation, and tax credits analogous to the Historic Preservation Tax Incentives program. Renovation phases addressed structural upgrades, mechanical systems, and accessibility improvements consistent with standards used in restorations of Carnegie Hall and compliance with laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Preservationists referenced methodologies promoted by organizations like the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The auditorium's legacy is intertwined with St. Louis cultural institutions including the Griot Museum of Black History and performing arts anchors in the Grand Center Arts District. It contributed to civic identity in patterns similar to the roles played by The Orpheum (Los Angeles) and Orpheum Theatre (Boston), providing a platform for touring arts organizations like the American Ballet Theatre and orchestras such as the Cleveland Orchestra. As an urban landmark, it figures in discussions of preservation seen in cases like Pennsylvania Station (New York City) and debates over adaptive reuse comparable to projects at Battersea Power Station. Its continued operation informs contemporary planning dialogues involving MetroLink (St. Louis) expansions and revitalization efforts tied to federal programs exemplified by the Department of Housing and Urban Development initiatives.
Category:Buildings and structures in St. Louis Category:Concert halls in the United States