New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-10
NEW THEATRE UNIQUE.
OFFICE BUILDING TOP.
Designer of First Steel Skyscraper
the architect.

Bradford Lee Gilbert. the architect who years
ago succeeded in getting the Buildings Depart
ment TO approve OF the erection Of the first steel
skeleton office structure ever built In this
city. the Tower Building at No 20 Broad
way has again asked the same department
to make a radical departure from its we'll beaten
lines He wants to build for Ingram Bros.
& co. a theatre and mercantile building 70 oc-
cupy the block bounded by 47th and 4sth sts..
dth-ave. and Broadway. His tentative plans.
filed yesterday with superintendent Murphy. OF
the Buildings Department call for an ex-
penditure of 100000 for four story theatre
at the 4Sth-st. end of the block and an eleven
story office building on the 47th-st. part of the
Site
Mr. Gilbert said last night that the drawings
were for theatre within an office building tho
theatre to occupy large part of the first five
stories. and above the theatre were 20 be six
stories. used for offices. Continuing he said:
The site is ideal for carrying out the proposea
project Whatever legal objections there NAV be
20 such building hope to overcome The main
entrance TO the theatre will be in Broadway lust
north OF 4Ith-st If the Buildings Departne nt.
permits. there may be as many as iftes.n stories
above the theatre Every inch of the structure
Will be as hreproof as human hands can make
it. The general plan of the theatre VIII be simf-
lar TO that of Nine Rejane's, In Paris
Regarding the theatre and office building
The Building Code does not permit Of tbs
erection Of such a structure as proposed no
matter IL IL is hreproof throughout II saws
that above the theatre proper there must ba
clear space. Why. you could not even have a
kitchen on top of theatre. and therefore the
erection of six more stories for offices above A
theatre is impossible under the present build
ing laws. You may build Offices over the en-
frances TO the theatre. but that is as far as
you can go. I do not think the project in the
form most desired by the persons identified with
it will be carried out
Should Mr. Gilbert succeed in building the
atre within office structure. the majority oe
theatres IN this city. 1t was thought last night
in realty circles. are likely to be altered by tho
addition of many stories for business purposes.
With the rentals from the space used for busi-
ness 1t might be possible, il further thought.
to show fair yearly return from the money In
vested in the structure without considering the
sum derived from the theatre lease. and under
such conditions theatrical managers might be
able to offer to the public the best productions
at popular prices in Broadway house.
From what could be learned last night In
gram Brothers & Co. are Western capitalists.
who have never before been interested In any
building operation in Manhattan Thomas F.
Murtha and Moritz B. Philip control the land
selected as site for the proposed building. Mr..
Philipp is we'll known lawyer. He said last
night that Ingram Brothers q Co. had not yet
acquired a lease 10 the property. The company
offered. some time ago." said Mr.. Philipp ito
take over the property under long lease and
IL is evidently satisfied with the terms of the
lease. Contracts viii probably be signed on
Wednesday or Thursday. AS I have been deal
ing with the company through my agents I
know very little about it's makeup"
The proposed theatre and Office building is to
be of ornamental brick. with frontage of 2O6 IA
feet In Broadway. of zoos feet in 7th-ave s3 91s
feet in 4sth-st and 44.11ts feet in ATHEIST The
theatre will have two balconies and a mezzanine
story Its seating capacity will be LAS. In the
basement under the theatre viii be billiard
parlor, with cafe and bowling alleys On the
ground floor will be grillrOOm. and there will
be private dressing rooms on the second floor
On the same floor will also be a large banquet
hall 1t is said that lease of the parcels
forming part of the block will not expire for
some years The projectors expect to have the
theatre and office building erected in about
eighteen months. Many theatrical managers
have already made overtures TO lease the theatre
Bradford Lee Gilbert one of the architects
in the work of remodeling the Grand Central
Station site The Riding Club was also erected
from his plans, and IL was from drawings by
j. G.. Cody and him that the old Metropolitan
Opera House was built. He also the archi-
tect of many other well known structures in this
city and other places