The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-29
Large Gathering Before Commission to Indorse Project Which Will Cost City Nothing
AUDITORIUM SEATS
 OVER S200 PEOPLE
 AND IS ADJUSTABLE
Jail on Top Floor of Sky scraper-City Offices and Public Library on Upper Floors

The proposed adapLatlOn or the ROQen hotel property for an auditorium and municipal building is not only feasible from an engineering and business standpoint, but it offers an exception al opportunity to Birmingham for the solution of the proposition. according to the opinion of leading citizens ex- pressed at the joint conference at the city hall yesterday afternoon.
 Every phase of the question was dis cussed in detail and the entire plan outlined in most thorough manner
 The meeting was held in the assem- bly, room of the city commission and was attended by the Chamber of Com merce committee, city commissioners officers of the chamber and large crowd of prominent citizens. Practically the unanimous sentiment of the meet ing favored the plans as presented by Chairman H. Key Milner, E. L. Brown and Architect Eugene Knight
 For sum of from $450,o00 to $5oo,- 900, Birmingham can have the finest auditorium in the United States, with Ia seating capacity of more than S200. and a municipal building without a su- perior in the country. It was stated by conservative business and real estate men that the present city hall property if converted into business uses, would more than take care of the interest on deal could be financed by loan, bond issue or by part loan and part bonds.
 PROMISE QUICK REPORT
 After listening to the report of the Chamber of Commerce committee, ex- amining in detail the plans for the pro posed structure and hearing arguments and discussions on the subject for more than two hours, the commissioners took the question under advisement.
 An immediate report was promised the people of the city by President Ward and the other commissioners. While none of the commissioners gave any expression regarding the merits of the proposition at the meeting, it is known that the majority of the board look with favor on the proposal now. Commissioner Barber stated after the meeting that he looked with favor upon the proposition, but he said he would be opposed to the lease of the site.
 While I am not yet ready to com init myself on this proposition" said Commissioner Barber, 'I would not favor leasing the site as suggested. The city could purchase the site, or if terms could not be agreed upon, we could condemn it and then buy it'
 MILNER EXPLAINS
 Chairman Milner made the report for the committee of the Chamber of Com merce which has been working on the plans for sometime.
 We have examined this proposition carefully and have considered it from every angle,' he said. We have con- suited with the ab1est engineers and architects, and after much work we are ready to present a plan which we con slider entirely feasible. and which we believe offers the real solution to our problem for an auditorium and at the same time solves the question of proper municipal building.
 'We can purchase the frame work and the foundation of the Roden hotel for $30,00O. The frame cost $150,0O0 and the foundation $40.000. I consider this figure entirely reasonable and it would enable us to go to work on the proposition with clear saving Of $150,000. Our plans for the auditorium and municipal building have been in- dorsed by the best steel construction engineers in the country The firm
 
 work in all our other skyscrapers says the proposition from an engineering standpoint is entirely practical"
 EITHER BOND ISSUE OR LOAN
 MT. Milner stated that the project could be financed by a bond issue or loan. The interest charge would be about $27,500 per year. he said
 we have had competent business men assure us that the rental from the stores in the new building and the i'm come from the present city hall. after it is turned into business property, would equal $50,0oO in normal times. more than envlgh to pay for the new structures" he said. "Even under pres- ent conditions we would be certain to get enough revenue in rents to pay for the interest charge. The changing of the present building into a business structure. which would greatly enhance tax valuations in that neighborhood, together with the big increase in prop erty values in the neighborhood of the new building, would result in a raise of not less than $1,000.00O in tax values
 "rhe owners of the property offer to lease the site for period of 99 years at an annual rental of $600O for the first 10 years, this to be readjust- ed by agreement or arbitration at the end of ten years.
 "Our auditorium plans call for a seating capacity of over 82O0 and not seat in the house would be more than S5 feet from the stage. The At lanta auditorium seats only $500 and some seats are 175 feet from the stage The stage would be 42xS5 feet, which is exceptionally large. The building would be constructed that the seat ing capacity could be cut down to 4500 for grand opera and ordinary conventions and down to 1900 for small gatherings. This could be done with out expense by lowering certain par titions we have planned. The auditor ium is so planned that there would be no posts to obstruct the vision" KNIGHT GIVES DETAILS Eugene Knight. the architect who drew the plans after consultation with
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