The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-07-20
CHAMBER TO HAVE
TEN-STORY HOME
Contract Awarded for New
Structure at Sixth and
Main Streets.
NORFOLK FIRM TO BUILD
Manufacturers Exhibit and Other
Commercial Bodies
Get Space.

After long conference between L.
Fcrcy 10th. owner. Pollard X Bagby.
agents. and Carueal a Johnson. archi-
t.cts, the contract for the erection OF
the new Chamber OF Commerce and
manufacturers Building at the corLer
OF Main and Sixth Streets was award
"a last night to X. il. Richardson X
| sons of Norfolk, at the approximate
price OF 100000. FOR the building COM
pl.atcd.
According to the terms OF the con-
tract the new structure is TO be ready
Ter occupancy by April Is. 1913. and
the contractors will at cnce begin con-
struction. The old building which was
the home OF the Young Mems Christian
association. has already been pulled
Down and is now ready for the eXca-
walton work incident to raising anoih-
er skyscraper. a representative Of
the successful contractors was here
last night, and said TIM, his company
would at once establish an office here.
Ten-story Structure.
The building Will be ten stories con
structed Of brick. steel and concrete
and absolutely nreproof The nrst Two
stories VIII be of lines ne, the SIX in
termediate stories OF hight brick and
the two TOP doors OF terra Gotta. The
cost per cubic foot considered. this
viii be ono OF the most costly office
buildings in the city Mr.. Loth said
last night and no plans w II be spared
ia making II the equal or superior
OF any building in the city as to COM
pletcncss and modern conveniences.
The new building jshcs It's name
from the fact that when its construc-
ton was FIRST proposed the Chamber
Of Commerce. whose cid home was
sold to make way for the new struc-
turo Of the First National Bank. de-
csded TO take up quarters there a
soon they were available The
Manufacturers Exhibit. which was or
sanized soon after. also asked for
looms. so 1t was decided that the
building should bear tho names ol the
two commercial institutions. Already,
the Chamber OF Commerce which now
occupies cramped quarters IN the Mu-
tual Building. has slsned up Tor the
tcntn floor. and the Manufacturers EN-
hioit VIII occupy the entire space OF
the second and third stories on the
ground floor there Will be room for
two stores on the Main street side and
TWO or the Sixth stree; side. Every
floor VIII he built with the idea OF
complying with all Office requirements,
and eacn VIII be capable of holding
vaults. which may bee necessary for
various business purposes.
Practically All space Taken.
Though the Chamber of Commerce
and the Manufacturers EXHIBIT are
the only organizations that have act
ually signed up for space, il is under
stood thai nearly every room in the
new building viii be rented before the
construction work is completed Ne
Sotiations are now on between the
agents and al least tso other com
nlercial organizations foc quarters. and
q number Of private concerns ha.v also
put in application for quarters The
promoters look upon this as vlndica-
ton OF their original idea that the
demand for office space is moving
westward. along with ether business
interests.
The property on which the new
building IS TO be erected was placed
OF sale soon after the Young Me- $
Christian Association moved from II o
its present quarters al the corner Ct
seventh and Grace Streets
Hotel scheme Abandoned.
For some time it remained with'ut
a tenant or buyer until little more
than n year ago it was purchased by
MI. 10th at what was then considered
big price. The nthere was n gre /
deal OF speculation as to what the nnal
disposition would be- Many stories
that II had been reso.d and at least
one that "A large hotel would be built
"a ~ 49, "'-' circulated uHll II
was finally announced that Mr. 10th
would crest an office building.
That was some time ago. and the
decision of the Chamber of Commerce
and the Manufacturers Exhibit to
make it their permant home. caused
the owner 10 plan the building. out Of
several architectural firms that pre-
scented plans. he selected Carneal X
Johnston There were several con
tractors biddins on the plans. ma
lcrity of them from this city. but the
Ncrfolk concern offered the most at
tiactive proposition.