Collapse, closure, and recognition

A partial roof collapse closes the auditorium, even as historic designation confirms its architectural and cultural importance.

Joplin Memorial Hall closed behind a temporary construction fence. — Temporary fencing across the front of Memorial Hall makes the consequences of the 2020 structural failure visible.

Memorial Hall briefly served as municipal courtroom space during the COVID-19 pandemic. On June 15, 2020, corrosion contributed to a partial collapse of the roof structure along the west side of the auditorium.

Engineers also documented foundation settlement near the northeast elevator, cracked masonry, water intrusion, a deteriorated entrance ramp, and obsolete building systems. The auditorium closed to public events and has remained out of service.

Memorial Hall was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on October 7, 2021 for its local architectural and entertainment significance.

In April 2022, voters rejected a general-obligation bond proposal to renovate and expand the building. The vote was 54.9 percent no and 45.1 percent yes.