Moving Picture World (May 1919)

646 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD May 3, 1919 1919 WILL BE REMARKABLE IN BUILDING Report Shows Construction Work to Cost Total of Nearly Two Billions — Over 300 Picture Projects States Department of a report through its THE United Labor in Division of Public Works and Construction Development predicts that the year of 1919 will prove one of the greatest in American history for building and construction work. Contracts let in March show conclusively that building is getting under way despite the talk of high prices. The March record is better for 1919 than for any other year since 1911, excepting 1917, when Government construction made the record abnormal. From a study based on 6,446 building projects known to have been contemplated at the signing of the armistice, involving a cost of $1,892,275,000, the Department of Labor concludes that SO per cent, of these projects are yet to be started. A questionnaire was sent in February to the builders of these 6,446 projects, of which 2,882 are public undertakings, 78 being Federal, 279 State, 593 county and 1,932 municipal. In general terms, high prices of material, wage scales and difficulty in financing are the chief obstacles to building as shown by the tabulation of the questionnaire information. Conflicting statements from the same state, however, show that sectional and local conditions are the determining factors rather than a general and widespread rule. For instance, 42 Ohio builders claim a shortage of material, while 163 specifically state there is no material shortage. The Moving Picture World, through its own building department, has catalogued over 300 moving picture theatre projects in building and remodeling during the past six weeks, showing the motion picture industry is booming ahead with the best of prospects. Modern Flatbush Theatre Will Cost Half Million A THEATRE which promises to be one of the finest in New York State will be erected at Flatbush and Albemarle Road in Brooklyn by a syndicate headed by John Manheimer. The completion of the building, work on which will start June 1, will mean the expenditure of half a million dollars. Plans have already been drawn for the house, which will be a combination theatre, with a main auditorium seating 3,000. A revolving stage, a large waiting room designed to obviate the congested lobby, and an automobile parking space for the use of the patrons are some of the features of the new theatre which will be known as the Albemarle. The transfer of the property owned by the Borden Condensed Milk Company involved one of the biggest real estate transactions in Flatbush for a number of years. John Alanhcimer, who heads the syndicate building the Albermarle, is the owner of the Park Theatre and one of the pioneers of the Mutual Film Corporation. Speaking of his plans, Mr. Manheimer said: "There can be no doubt as to the success of this project. The demand for good, clean entertainment in Flatbush greatly exceeds its present supply. "One of the many features of the new theatre will be an immense assembly hall on the second floor for public assemblies, balls and banquets in this section. This feature will be welcomed by the residents of Flatbush, as heretofore there has been no place of public assembly for them." Swanson Interests Plan a New $750,000 Theatre PLANS for a new theatre building to cost $750,000 are being prepared, according to announcement which has been made by W. H. Swanson interests in Salt Lake City. The new theatre is to be built on Main street, though as shows. yet the exact site has not been announced. Mr. Swanson now owns three theatres here, the American, the Liberty and the Strand. Several years ago the property of the old St. Paul's Episcopal church, Fourth South and Main streets, was purchased by Mr. Swanson. The property lies across Main street from the Newhouse hotel, one of the leading hotels of the city. Whether this is to be the site of the new showhouse, however, is a matter which can only be conjectured at the present time. h is reported that ground will be broken for the new theatre at once. The plans have been made in Denver and Mr. Swanson is reported to have lett that city for New York to complete arrangements for the new Salt Lake City theatre. It is said to be the plans of the Swanson interests to erect a tneatre which will not only have facilities for motion pictures but which also can accommodate the largest road MANY NEW HOUSES FOR CALIFORNIA San Francisco Reports Outlook So Promising Plans Are Being Made for Biggest Business Ever PROJECTS for new theatres in San Francisco and the territory served by local film exchanges are cropping up in numbers that insure a tremendous amount of building work of this kind in the near future. While construction costs are still above the normal, builders are preparing to have work rushed, so promising is the outlook in the amusement field. Contracts are now being let for several new houses and by mid-summer work on many of these will be in full swing. Several new theatres are being planned for the downtown district in San Francisco, although promoters of these have not made formal announcements to this effort. The property at Eddy and Mason streets, where the Tivoli Opera House w^s located at the time of the great fire in 1906, has been taken over by a concern having a chain of theatres on the Pacific Coast and work will be commenced shortly on the erection of a large theatre with an entrance near Market street. Negotiations are under way for a transfer of the Prager department store property at Jones and Market streets to theatre interests. A consummation of this deal and the erection of a theatre would place Film Row in the heart of the amusement district. Plan House for Santa Cruz. Plans are being prepared by Reid Brothers, San Francisco architects, for a 2,000-seat house to be erected at Santa Cruz, Cal., for F. D. Hihn, who has leased it to Kahn & Greenfield. These same architects are working on plans for a 1,500-seat house to be erected at San Rafael, a suburb of San Francisco. This theatre, which will cost about $125,000, has been leased to Max Blumenfeld and Sam Gordon for a period of twenty years. Plans are also being prepared for a large theatre to be erected at Merced by Charles H. Douglass, of the Elite Theatre and associates. Voters of Tulare have voted bonds in the sum of $^)0,000 for the construction of a municipal auditorium that may be used for the showing of moving pictures, and a similar structure is being planned for Porterville. From Honolulu comes word that the Consolidated Amusement Company, of which Joe Cohen is the head, plans the erection of a theatre at Bethel and Pauahi streets at an estimated cost of $150,000. Enea Brothers are erecting a new moving picture house with a seating capacity of 1,500 at Pittsburgh, Cal., and will name this the California. The construction of a $100,000 theatre at Turlock is being planned, but this project has not reached a definite stage. CHURCH. Philadelphia to Have Two New Theatres at $350,000 PLANS have been started for two of the largest and best equipped moving picture theatres in Philadelphia, the cost of both to aggregate $350,000. H. Child Hogens is the architect for both structures. One of the houses will be located in Frankford, on Frankford avenue, near Oxford, and will have a seating capacity of 2,500. A pipe organ costing $25,000 will be installed and the total cost of the theatre will be $150,000, according to the owner, William Freihofer. The other house will be erected in the northern section of the city at Germantown and Lehigh avenues, and when completed will surpass any in the vicinity. The seating capacity will be 3,500. The interior wall will be covered with satin tapestry, and a pipe organ costing $30,000 will be another feature. $80,000 Picture House for Santa Barbara. Work has already started on E. A. Johnson's $80,000 theatre on West Canon Perdido street, Santa Barbara, Cal. The house will seat over 1,000. There will be no balcony, but a saucershaped floor will gvie the best possible view of the screen. The pipe organ is being planned to cost $30,000. A unique feature will be a tunnel exit leading from the center of the floor. Mr. Johnson's new house will be devoted exclusively to moving pictures.