$40 Million Wareham Hall Renovation to Transform Historic Downtown Landmark
- Grant Snowden
- 9 hours ago
- 2 min read
A Manhattan landmark is getting a huge makeover. Wareham Hall, the nonprofit organization
that purchased the historic Wareham Opera House, is leading the building's transformation.
Construction is estimated to last two years.
Ashley Fuhrman, the marketing director for Wareham Hall, said the $40 million renovation will
modernize the space while paying homage to the Streamline Moderne architectural style,
popular during 1938 when the iconic neon sign was installed.
“It’s a complete transformation of the building,” Fuhrman said. “The venue itself is quite dilapidated, and a lot of the key systems, like heating and cooling, are from the 1910s. It’s completely unusable in its current form.”
The renovation will bring the 100-year-old structure up to modern standards, adding essential
features such as first-floor restrooms, elevators, and new HVAC, electrical, and plumbing
systems. Fuhrman said accessibility and functionality were major focuses for the project.
“We’re updating all of those key infrastructure systems and making the building fully
accessible,” she said. "It’ll be five floors total and around 37,000 square feet when it’s all
finished."
The renovation won’t just stop with the Wareham Hall building. The project also includes the
neighboring building that currently houses Barry’s Drug Center, which will be relocating to the
corner of Fifth and Poyntz Avenue. The plans call for a new basement to be dug out, which will
include a secondary venue and lounge, dressing rooms, catering kitchen, and other support
spaces.
When construction is complete, Wareham Hall will expand the types of events the theater can
host. In the past, it’s been used for weddings, movies, and other community events, but the
new space will enable access to a variety of performance art in the Manhattan community.
"When we’re fully operational, we will host live performances like concerts, comedy, theater, and more,” Fuhrman said. “We’ll also be the performance home for K-State’s School of Music, Theatre and Dance."
Fuhrman said Manhattan has long lacked a state-of-the-art, mid-size performance venue,
forcing residents and students to travel to places like Salina, Kansas City, or the surrounding
areas for shows.
"People have been asking, Why do I have to travel 60 to 150 miles to see a live performance?" she said. “We’re filling that gap for Manhattan.”
The project is primarily being funded through local philanthropy and state and federal historic tax credits. Fuhrman said about 90% of the fundraising goal has already been met. A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for November 5 at 3:30 p.m., and construction is expected to take about two years. The goal is to reopen the Wareham Hall to the public in late 2027.
“Everyone will start seeing construction fences and progress happening soon,” Fuhrman said. "It’s exciting to finally bring new life to such an important piece of Manhattan’s history."
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