Plan your next event in Bala
The Gratz College Bala Campus, conveniently located on the Main Line on Bala Avenue, offers event space for weddings, B'nai Mitzvahs, corporate affairs, classes and meetings. We do our best to provide all the resources necessary to make any event or program successful!
RENTAL RATES
|
Ballroom | Library | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
4 hour rental | $700 | $500 | ||
Per hour beyond 4 hours | $150 | $100 | ||
Nonrefundable Deposit | $200 |
$100 |
||
Reception Fee | $400 | $150 | ||
Outdoor Set-Up Fee | $300 | $300 | ||
Cleaning Fee |
$250 | $100 | ||
Request a special quote for nonprofit organizations. All rentals after May 31, 2025 will be required to use a kosher caterer. |
History of the Building and General Information
In 1912, the Woman's Club of Bala Cynwyd was formed by nine members. Over the early years, the club grew in membership and opened the first library in Lower Merion Township. The Woman's Club also organized a sewing and knitting service that became the Bala Cynwyd branch of the Red Cross in 1916. In 1922, the club purchased the building lot on the corner of Levering Mill and Bala Ave. The new library building was formally dedicated to the men who fought and died in World War I. The Ballroom was built to accommodate the needs of the Woman’s Club meetings. During the depression, the club established a sewing group to repair used clothing for needy families and provided hot lunches to schoolchildren. During World War II, no one sold more war bonds in Montgomery County than the Woman's Club. In 1942, the club began a tradition that would last for 60 years, holding its first Antiques Show, an annual event that brought the entire community and beyond to the Club.
In 2016, due to dwindling membership and the excessive physical needs of the buildings, the Woman’s Club decided to donate the buildings to the Merion Foundation, the grant-making arm of the Merion Tribute House, to continue its mission. Renovations began to bring the building back to its past glory.
Gratz College purchased the buildings in July 2024. Gratz College has a long history of educational service to the Philadelphia area. Founded in 1895, Gratz is the oldest independent and pluralistic college for Jewish studies in North America. In the spirit of the Women’s Club, Gratz holds the distinction of being the first institution of advanced Jewish learning to accept women on par with men.
Contact
Please fill out the Rental Request Form