The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-16

will pay George W. Godfried Of scran-
ton. Pa. the home OF the International
Correspondence School. s54,0 900 a year
Cor the next t~wenty-one years.
The building which Mr.. Backer plans
to erect on the Godfried property Ia a
structure entirely new. Never before
has a building of It's nature been at
tempted for the reason that the film In
dustry did not until recently require spe-
cial facilities. A film dealer cannot To-
cate in the best of loft buildings for the
reason that owners will not let him In.
fearing an Increase In the cost OF fire In
surance and an overwhelming kick from
tenants in the building. The film dealers
therefore have been undesirable even
though they are willing and able TO pay
the highest rents.
Backer is an enterprising build% Sow
eral years ago he gave to New York Its
first kitchenette apartment. n class of
apartments which is now universally
popular. The complaints OF families
searching for small apartments and
light housekeeping gave birth to the idea
Of the kitchenette. as the plight of the
film dealers seeking here and there
places to locate gave birth 10 the opera
ton which he will start soon at the cor
ner OF Seventh avenue and Forty-ninth
street. The building will be fifteen
stories high and will cost about 100000
more than the best type of loft building
similar in size could be produced for on
this corner. Every part Of 1t will be
hreproof. A structure of special con-
s,ruction, II is a structure OF many fea-
lures.
II will contain more theatres tina
many big towns 1t will be u proof
as we'll as hreproof and quake proof. n
on the roof will be a small edition OF the
catacombs of Rome. There will be eight
theatres In the building. There will be
two on each of the fou middle floors
Of the building. They will be the equal
of the best theatres In the city In every
respect but size. Each will be 20 feet
wide and IS feet long. The seating ca
pacity will be limited to a few heavy up
holstered arm chairs as the theatres are
not for the use OF the public but Tor
prospective buyers OF films, The thea
tres will be for the use OF tenants OF the
building. At certain hours each day
tenants will have the use Of a theatre
for projecting on the screen films to
prospective buyers. In other words they
will be the saiesrooms OF the tenants.
The theatres are to be placed in the
centre OF the building for the reason
that this part of the structure Is the
least desirable from "A renting stand
point. Provisions are made in the
plans fol four additional theatres, az
1t t. expected that the demand for
projecting rooms will more than tax
tho eight originally planned.
The most interesting feature OF the
building next to theatres is the vaults
on the roof, the "Catacombs' OF
Seventh avenue These vaults are for
the storing OF films. They Will be OF
] concrete arranged in compartments OF
various sizes. Each reel will have a
separate compartment which will be con-
nected with the air by a iue. This will
prevent explosions should a reel catch
fire. Again the free air circulating
through the chambers will prevent fires
from overheating. Should a fire occur
the flames would escape through the
nue and would be confined TO the space
in which the fire started. Besides
protected from fire the vaults Will be
burglar proof. AZ many valuable Aims,
fortunes In themselves. will be stored
there. The placing OF the vaults In the
cellar wa first considered but this
plan was given W for several reasons.
The vaults will be at the east end OF
q the roof.
The structure will be OF the hea vies,
type OF construction, II being planned
to carry 100 pounds to the square foot
The walls are to be OF extra thickness
10 resist FIRE from the outside. The
hundreds OF offices In the building VIII
be sound proof. Eve the doors leadina
to nails and other offices will be sound
proof. There will be an inner and
outer panel IN each door. Between
them will he u space of an Inch and .
half, which will be filled with asbestos
The halls and offices will be covere;
with battlcship lineolium.
Five elevators will serve the struc
ture. Three of these will be passenger
lifts and will be in the corridor leadini
to Seventh avenue, They will trave
at the rate OF $50 feet a minute, Tn
main corridor will be marble finished II
a manner indicative Of the isdustry L
which the building will be devoted
An interesting situation arose durinl
the planning OF the building. In tn
rear OF the property fronting on Forty
eighth street Is a theatre. II Is abou
thirty-six feet from the nearest corne
OF the property, The law says that
building in which are stored flns mus