Repairs to start on Kansas City's Liberty Memorial

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - The Liberty Memorial in Kansas City will undergo a $5 million facelift during the next several months.

Memorial officials say the monument and the National World War I museum will remain open during the work, although visitors might encounter some fencing in certain areas.

Improvements from the project will include repairing stonework, refurbishing the Dedication Wall, upgrading lighting, energy efficiency and security, and improving irrigation.

Museum officials said in a news release Tuesday that the work is scheduled to be completed by next June. The goal is to have the memorial prepared for the centennial of World War I, which begins in 2014.

The renovation project is being funded by tax increment financing and the Liberty Memorial Maintenance Endowment.