Evening star., 1921-03-16
.EAVORS S$39GQ)O
CITY CLUB U|i:| HOME
Committee Would Give Up
100000 Plan and Start
New Building at Once.


New Building at Once.
Plans for the immediate erection
of a new building for the City Club
were made last night at a dinner
meeting of the recently appointed
ways and means committee. The plan,
as approved by the committee or lo-
prominent business and professionals
men, will be submitted to the full
meeting of the club tonight.
The new clubhouse idea has been
developed by Thomas Bones. mem
ber of the board of governors. IL
calls for an expenditure OF approx
mately S350,OO0 against the proposed
100000 for the original clubhouse
One feature of the new plan is that
it includes an auditorium capable OF ac-
commodatng 1890 persons. ana, as MI
Bones pointed out. would be especiah!
adaptable for civic gatherings sucn az
the Washington Chamber OF commerce.
the Board of Trade, Merchants ana
Manufacturers Associa ion, kiwanis
Club and others.
Three salient Points.
Mr.. Bones asserted that it will be
possible to finance the entire project
in this city, and that with the simple
design anu construction planned thtit
will be no neeo 10 go outside OF the cry
for material. 1t is understood that the
plant can be completed within SIX
months after the excavation starts.
Three salient points IN tne pidh
were taken up by the board OF gov
ernors at Il meeting Monday niSht,
according to ]. \. Whitfield, president
of the club. First, the clearing OF
the q street site o. al Indebtedness
second. the erection of the four-story
building as tentatively sketched by
Mr. Bones, and. third. the making OF
building loan of S350.OOo.
Mr.. Whitfield explained in detaii
why it had been found necessary TO
abandon the original building pan.
He said that adverse market and bank
conditions made II Impossible TO
finance the project. He then ex
planned that the members of the board
of governors had been requested to
submit suggestions for a building
project within the means of the club.
and that Mr.. Bones had developed a
plan which furnished the club all
the facilities it needed. offered the
city rare accommodations for, civic
gatherings. and presented SOUND
commercial investment
stores to Furnish Revenue.
One of the principal differences be-
tween Mr.. Bones plan and the origi-
nal plan is that the former will de-
pend upon stores, on the first floor for
its principal revenue instead OF upon
sleeping rooms. which would have
consumed FIVE floors of the proposed
building. and which would not have
been of much service to resident, ac-
tive members. H..
Under Mr.. Bones plan the first foor
will contain four stores, II feet by
112 feet with cellars underneath of
the same size. These stores. It is
estimated. will produce more revenue
than all of the originally proposed
sleeping rooms. II will be possible
to treat the facade of the building IN
such an artistic way that the stores
will in nowise detract from the
beauty of the structure: The entrance
to the club building, under the ten
tative plan, will be atSthe west side
Of the structure, and there will be
ample space for. a. sizeable lobby,
double stairways. four elevators. and
certain service features.
second-FIOor Plan.
The second floor. under the proposed
plan, will contain a large dining hall
rooms. which. could e. thrown en-
suite with the mat1,llif. Over these
private dining rooms, which could be
used as conference rooms. will be two
mezzanine rooms of similar size.
available for either dining or con-
ference purposes. The total dining
space would be 1876 square feet,
considerably larger area than under
the original plan. At you'd be pos
sible to seat a total of about 700
diners. Adjoining. tie main dining
hall will be an immense kitchen. as
suring the very promptest service.
The third floor. under the tentative
plan. would be strictly club floor.
There will be lounging room 81 by
IS feet. as compared with 36-by So
foot lounge under the soriginal plan.
Adjoining the lounge would be a
reading room and also cardroom.
both of which would be larger than
similar rooms provided under the
original plan. Back of the lounge
space for twelve tables. Offering one
Of the most extensive billiard rooms
in Washington. The old plan called
for a billiard room with only five
tables.
over the reading room and card
room would be a mezZanine floor.
with two rooms of similar size. which
could be used as conference rooms,
cardrooms or for other purposes.
Auditorium on Top Floor.
Tie top floor would contain a COM
bination auditorium and gymnasium.
with a clear. absolutely unobstructed
space of SIS by liz feet. Along the
side of this auditorium and gymna-
sium would be a mezzinine gallery
capable Of seating 400. Under this
gallery would be ample space for the
storing of all regulation gymnasium
equipment and for buffet service in
the case of meetings. 1t is estimated
f.iat. the room would seat more than
$500 persons. The main unobstruct-
ed part of the hall would contain
T.Iss square feet. whereas the large
ballroom of the New Willard Hotel.
one of the finest in the city. has
only 1856. The total space of the
hall, including the meZZanine, would
be I056S square feet.
This magnificent hall. Mr.. Bones
explained. would be large enough for
indoor tennis. indoor base ball. bas-
ket ball and hand ball. Wrestling
bouts and other athletic events could
also be staged. with ample accom-
modations for immense crowds. On
mezzanine opposite the gallery would
be space for locker accommodations
for 800 members and ample showers.