The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-21
CONTRACT AWARDED
 FOR LYRIC THEATRE
Structure Must Be Finished
 Early in December
MARKS TO DO WORK
Building Will Be Five Stories and Will Have Features Which Will Prob ably Make It the Finest
 Theatre in South

The contract was let yesterday to
 the Marks Construction company of Birmingham to build the Lyric theatre. | The actual work of construction will commence Monday and the building l in December.
 The total cost of the building and
 grounds will approximate s35o, 1000
 when completed, and the theatre will
 be by far the most modern and com
 plete in the entire south. The build | ing will be freproof, the construction
 being concrete and steel, and every de-
 tail of the building laws of the city will be carefully compiled with to make | 1t absolutely safe.
 Jake Wells. at the head of the
 southern vaudeville circuit on which
 the Lyric will probably be operated,
 and c. K. Howell, MT Wells personal
 architect, were in the city and in con- ference with Gen. Louis V. Clark when
 the bids were opened and the contract
 was let.
 | The entire structure will be five stories! high with foundations for 10
 stories,s and will have several large
 stores on the ground floor, and offices
 above. The entrances will be from
 Eighteenth street and also from Third
 avenue by large and beautiful areades,
 which will be ablaze with light and
 in every way one of the most attrac-
 tive features of the building. | It is the plan of MT. Wells to have
 a grand opening of the theatre Christ
 mas Eve, when high class vaudeville will be introduced to Birmingham. The exterior of the building will be with stone and terra cotta trimmings. other stories will be pressed brick. with stone and terra cotta trimmings. The lobby and orchestra floor of the theatre will be of white Alabama mar ble, the lobby being wainscoted to the ceiling and the interior of the auditorium will have a six foot mar ble wainscoting
 The seating capacity of the Lyric will rbe l75O which includes 12 boxes, and loggia on either side on the first floor.
 each of which will seat about 20 people.
 There will be a balcony and a gallery.
 with separate entrance and exists for the gallery.
 [ Contracts have also been made for the seats, which will be the most modern. comfortable and sanitary to be secured.
 The furnishings will be elaborate and
 complete, and MT Wells states that he
 Will not spare any expense to make the
 theatre one of the sights of the south.
 The stage of the Lyric will be 35xso, feet with large number of we'll venti-
 lated and well lighted dressing rooms. i Ihe ground under the stage will be ex- caNateu, giving room for the necessary traps and other necessities of the stage. The hrst floor of the theatre will be on the grade level, which is the modern
 method No climbing of steps will be necessary to enter or leave the orches-
 tra circle. vast improvement which. 1t IS pointed out, makes for comfort. con venience and safety Particular atten- ton will be paid to the matter of safety. and there will be numerous large and well located exits. so that it will be pos
 sibe to empty the entire house in a few seconds.
 n the basement there will be Dutch | finished rathskellar. which will be an- other decided feature of the house The theatre will be located on the northeast corner of Th,rd avenue and Eighteenth street, close to the new hotels, the postoffce site the main street corners of the city, and the heart of the
 retail shopping district.