Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-03-25
WELLS GIVES OUT
BIG THEATER PLANS
Arrangements Are Closed for
S2,000,O0O Rehabilitation of
City's Playhouses.
BIJ0U TO BE MUCH ENLARGED
While New Keith Home on North
Fifth Street Will Seat $500
Persons.
BIJ0U TO BE MUCH ENLARGED

Acquisition of sites for TWO ncw
'heatcrs. tn. purchase OF the Eijou
Ihca;cr ana plans Cor rs enlargement
We're announced las; nigh; Dy Jake
Weiis. president .: ,hn Many Realty
corporation. as part of $2.poo. oo0
program for ,hc complete rehabilitation
of INC lNchmond thc.trica! hcld.
Erection of new nom" for Keith
Ea'dcviiic on North Fifth street. win
~ ihaatcr 10 have seating CAPACITY
- 2,5co. VIII be tAc first step in the
gigantic schsme. The purchase OF tn
MaS closed yesterday. INA kes tns plan
:, certainly. The "tne. site purchased
a; First and clay strc.cts there :,
p"trons with a seating capacity o.
loo VIII bc erected.
BijUu 10 seat 1000.
i.ans contemplated by NJ. Wo,.s and
associatioms cal for the semoH"lins of
.: ".vC0 ~ ti.c addition oi Inc Isis
'ln.at.r. adjoining, whch was pir-
yhnscd several weeks ago. Contracts
,or the erection OF the now co.pnia!
'fhcatcr have already been awarded by
"a" same interests, ana the plans are
moi G?nsiherSa a rart OF IN" new &c
More than 81 600 600 viii bc expended
Ithr Nauy i:ea!ty CorporatioT n tAe
ihc rcmoJcling OF IN" Eijou. Ny. WcilS
stated. Combined with inc rc:t! estate
transactions wll!cl nav. pc5n t.pSti ~
the company within the pas, few days
u will! mean the "Npcnditure of moro
;ham &e,"oo.ooc on th.atr!cal enter.
priscs here. and make tho holdings OF
INC company much moro than this
Mr. Wells said. concerning the fu-
turc o! the Lion ana Isis. that N"
two will be eventually combined into
a large motion pic;ur. house. lie est
"ombned ,hea,ers VII, bo moro than
1000 The Isis Thea,er vas purchas,d
few wssSs sssi ago n t9T sSTo'9S Er'sc ,hs
spS5'Ta sSg as 'ha. Hoat a,noueh Sir
W.ils would no, confirm the hgurc.
Dy uniting tho two theaiers, a houss
With an approximate frontage OF lon
zee. on Broad street WI! ne sefur""; 90:
.rgansel IRA iIh.;' the transter q nc Tijoa The
SSea S'Se PsGn'tb w3ii be known W as the l;ijon.
Il am rather attached :" IN, namr.
Mr.. Wells said in commenting on .rs me
WENT years ago started into tho
theatrical business. ana ny hTai hot'-e
"as ls Em9T 10 ,he future Of ,hc Lyric, he
said that he was unable TO say. inS
new theater WI prcc,niin, ,,.ii, i,nor oMe he.
rome Z, Grst-c.ass picture thcat.r or
NJ. Wells limited. !: Tho isichmond pun
nc will snppor;i J, 'wo ,%a, Vaancii,, aauacity, '''
.Finni decision 10 ma!c th" new
thcatcr IN" kciih vauhSNn;s ., mo"s
here " vas a,fhc,trja.I f,"Jj',I men Mr. Wells eX-
n!aS,ncL. .Mr. I.awder. represcn,ins r.
Ni,n.. ! i Murdoch. general man
aesr T'DSS' Of The The K"ith interests; Waiter E!
Vincent, sidney Wilmer and W %
Neal and myself were present q, INC
w" Vim ENTER from nr"nd Street: str
En;rancc 70 the thcatcr. thc sNhsl
ts,ir'mined Will be through the y:rc"Gs, M
ahirh faces twenty-sevcn feet on
Eroad Eod street, and runs Gac;: ninStH, ni,.,'t>,
-, he Wells interests. This strip o.
,,;.o,"r.y. according 20 reports, Was
purchased some TIM $50 i..n "n' made
nnhiic TIE tenants have alrcadH re-
,eivcd moving notice and Wi. vacHte
n n few weeks.
,nu" 70 hc The prineinai, Sn,eTwy*,IIi 3Ir w.Iis
limited TINT Tho strand may bec1Imfc b?Iof,
nc given ovc- 20 mus!cat comedy an"
nle,nrG* Althons1 AZ nor wH-s a- ',i ia "T ,haf
!. Ion gtcrm lease has hce "r'"t"ic"
40; only ric;rres Of ,hs h.,,cp .i@Ss: ans
Viii bc booked - the co!ortd ihHatcr.
which IT Is proposed TO build at first
ant r!ay ,,yc St;%t rcc, On Cav ; street % and is
Mr. Wells said concern:ns this tho
tnat O.-NE 'o4p, ~
.rar,ions will be booked for tho col
ored population as soon as the house
is orsned !, vii hc one me Of the ch9in i.;ta
or INC North and East
rrobanlc return oi the p"nnlar-
rr;cnd stock company. giving roper
,,irc OF dramatic. melodram1tic and
f,rrcs was predicted hv Mr Wells. The
Eiiou Thcatcr is 10 he huil, with
stage IN dali the equipment Of = l"git.
innate house. and stock VIII be staged
, either there or at the strand.
Contracts Being Drawn.
Contracts for much OF the work to
,,o done arc already being drawn up
and because OF the ever advancing cost
Of materials the theatrical maEnatc
limited Yesterday that much OF the
work may be begun within few
Mr. Wells disposed OF many Of his
holdings in Atlanta some time ago,
making the present deal possible:
Whcn the proposed work is "omplcted
imrhmond w:il have three thcatcrs
with a seating capacity OF more than
more than 1000 each Mr.. Wells also
mrnnosrs 10 mako tho Odcon picture
ihratcr an ideal family" thcatcr.
Already the rcmodclinE of the Co
,onia, has begun and will he complct-
nd not long after the thcatcr. is closed
10 tho public. 1t is hoped to have the
repairs TO the Academy OF Music COM
nlcted before the closing Of the Rijou.
Deeds for the various transactions
closed yesterday will be recorded in
the Chancery Court in a few days.
Will Talk by Wireless.
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