Restore the Vendome Memorial
About the Campaign
The proposed improvements to the Hotel Vendome Fire Memorial are centered around upgrades to the failed fiber-optic lighting system currently in place. New LED lighting and accompanying electrical system are planned, along with modest improvements to the pavers and pathway surfacing surrounding the monument. These modest improvements are focused on improved maintenance, material consistency with other statue surrounds on the Mall and visual simplicity. Specifically, improvements to the surrounding area include removal of the existing granite pavers and replacement with a combination of Kitledge and Quincy grey granite set pavers.
The Quincy pavers will be arranged in a pattern that memorializes firefighter lives lost prior to and related to the Vendome fire. Additionally, new granite curbing is proposed to form the perimeter of the monument, providing a clean edge that matches the treatment of every other statue location on the Mall that was recently renovated to add uplighting.
Additionally, the asphalt pathway surrounding the memorial will be repaved, and widened to alleviate the cracking and lowpoints created by maintenance vehicles along its edges. A new cabinet and underground electrical wiring and conduits will be installed to support the proposed lighting scheme. A lighting control cabinet will be added in the adjacent lawn area to support new lighting along the memorial. Protection of the existing trees and restoration of the lawns surrounding the memorial will be necessary to complete the work.
About The Hotel Vendome Fire
The Hotel Vendome Fire & Collapse occurred during the mid to late-afternoon hours of Saturday, June 17, 1972. As the fire in the upper floors of the former 7-story hotel (including penthouse) was being extinguished, a collapse of the southeast corner of the building occurred. Many firefighters operating in the upper floors were trapped in the pile of rubble that ensued. After extensive rescue operations had concluded, at 0245 hours the next day, nine firefighters had lost their lives. This fire/collapse remains the largest Line-Of-Duty Death (LODD) incident in the history of the Boston Fire Department.
