The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-05-18
new ARK'S NEW THEATRE
Plans Completed for an I'M
mense Strueture-Roof GAR
den and Basement Cafe.

Architect Wesley Havell completed his
preliminary sketch for the proposed new
Newark theatre recently, says the New
ark Sunday Call" The structure will
stand on Market street, west of Broad,
in all probability. Negotiations for a
suitable site are now in progress.
The building as planned will be 100 feet
high, one of the tallest structures in the
city. 1t would come to the cornice of the
Prudential building; that is, just above
the arches that terminate the long win
dows. The theatre will have rs feet front
On Market street, and will be 200 feet deep.
1t will be of brick. and the front will be
of light gray brick, relieved with orna-
mentations of terra Gotta. The style of
architecture will be Italian renaissance.
In the interior the same general style
will prevail, with bits of French detail
introduced here and there to advantage.
There will be a porch over the sidewalk,
the roof of which will be supported by
five sets of double pillars. There will be
similar sets of pillars against the front
wall, n directly in the rear of the pill
lars at the sidewalk lines There are to
be two stores on the ground floor at the
front. They will occupy the centre of
the front and will have large plate
glass windows The entrance to the
theatre loggia will be by a pair
of doors at the left, while the
doors at the right will be used to convey
the theatre stage settings and scenery,
as from the arrangement of the plot it
is expected to procur there will be no
room for a side entrance.
On the second floor front there will be a
large and finely appointed aura 1t
will be well lighted and will open upon a
piazza. The ornamentation of the second
floor front will be quite striking. 1T will
nave a ~profusely decorated gable on the
centre.
The roof garden at the top will be one
of the most attractive features of the
entire structure. The great dome rising
in the centre will be of glass and iron,
and under it will be arrangement for a
stage and for an orchestra. The dome
will terminate in a cupola, which will
have a clock with four faces and will
be surmounted by a glass ball. The bali
will be lighted by electricity, and will be
one of the most prominent objects in the
heart of the city at night. There will be
a light iron frame work in the roof gar
den, by means of which an attractive
SA\A CaAl NC SplCdQs WHICH Will
be used on rainy or damp evenings. The
combination of the bright gray brick and
the ruddy tint of the terra Gotta in the
front will be harmonious and pleasing to
the eye.
As to the interior arrangements of the
theatre proper but little that is definite
has been decided upon. The double doors
at the left of the front will open upon a
iioggia. from which will be a stairway
leading to the second or restaurant floor.
The loggia will open into the vestibule,
thence to the inner v~estibule, which last
will merge into, the foyer: The theatre
viii have an orchestra circle, balcony and
gallery, and will seat in the neighborhood
OF ZOO. The proscenium arch will have
a width of thirty-four feet, and the stage
proper will be about 40x60 feet in dimen-
sions. h distance from the front of the
stage to thef foyer will be 80 feet. The dis
tanee from the front of the stage to the
front of the balcony will be IA feet. The
theatre will be about 60 feet high from the
floor Of the stage to the roof. There will
be an asbestos drop curtain, to, be raised
by hydraulic pressure.
There will be two elevators. to convey
people to the ROOT garden or to the res
taurant. In the basement there will be a
cafe. The entire construction will be as
nearly hreproof as it is possible to make
it. In the basement cafe will be a stage
for vaudeville performances to be given
during the intermission of the theatre, as
Well as at the close of the upstairs per-
Torrance. The building is to be provided
with ample means for escape in case Of
fire. There will be man. exits on each
floor. Automatic ~sprinklers are to be dis
tributed in the ceilings of the two audi
toriums. SO that they can be. deluged with
water in case of fire. The building is to
be heated and ventilated by the rotary
fan process, which forces the hot and cold
air, through ducts and permits of an even
temperature at all times, no matter what
the atmosphere may be outside or how
densely the theatre or the cafe may be
packed.
The theatre is to nave twelve boxes.
six on either side of the stage. with e v
eral, boxes additional in the balcony d.
rectly opposite the centre of the stage.