Steinert Hall, the subterranean performance space that was built as part of the original Steinert Building in 1896 and served as one of Boston’s leading concert venues for nearly 50 years, was recently featured in a front-page article in the Boston Globe. The nostalgic article traced the history of the once-elegant hall, which has not hosted a public event in over 70 years.
Changing building codes and persistent water leaks (including a significant flood during construction of the Boston Common underground parking garage) have relegated Steinert Hall to duty as a storage space, while concerts and recitals have moved upstairs. While there has been occasional interest from outside groups for restoring Steinert Hall, the estimated $6 million cost remains a stumbling block. Steinert Hall remains a reminder of a time when the Boston music scene was among the world’s busiest and most prestigious.