The Washington times., 1922-05-14
'B|G CONVENTION
'HALL|SCERTA|N,
PROMOTERS SAY
Subscriptions Warrant Begin
ming on Plans for Erection Of
Edifice Next Fall. sf

Washington's position as the
greatest convention city in the
United States is now assured by the
erection of an immense convention
hall, now well on the way to becom-
ing an actuality.
Sufficient subscriptions had been
received at the end of the past week
TO warrant immediate completion Of
the drawings for the steel framework
OF the building. These designs Will
be completed within the next>two
weeks and actual work on the erec-
ton Of the structural steel will be-
gin before fall. 1t has been announced
by the Washington Auditorium com.
mittee.
The contract for the steel frame
will be let before contracts for the
other parts of the work are awarded.
so that when the contract for the
building Is awarded the steel frame
will be in place so work can proceed
without delay, 1t is announced by
Robert N. Harper. chairman Of the
in charge.
The auditorium will be located
at Nineteenth and Il streets north
west, with a frontage OF 104 feet
on Nineteenth street, 229 feet on r
street and 243 feet on New York
avenue. All the supporting parts
of the building will be Of steel and
the services of expert structural
steel engineers from out Of town,
in addition to those Of the archi-
tects. Milburn, Hester & Co., will be
secured to insure a perfect construc.
tion.
viii Be Fireproof.
All the floors. walls, partitions,
roof and fittings are to be fire
proof, and the exterior will be a
composition similar to granite. On
the ground floor will be an exhibit
hall SO feet wide and 1873 feet long,
with openings on the three street
fronts. About this hall will be
grouped rooms for smaller exhibits
and committee rooms, telegraph Of
fices. rooms for newspaper cor
respondents. entrance Hobbies,
checking room and store rooms.
The central feature OF the main
floor will be the auditorium, which,
with the balcony. will have a seating
capacity OF 5000, which can be in
creased to 1000 by the opening OF
adjoining rooms.
The entrance will be from both
New York avenue and f street,
through wide Hobbies opening into a
foyer thirty.five feet wide and sew.
enty feet long. Opening on this foyer
are reception rooms, large checking
rooms. telephone room, ticket offices,
and checking rooms.
The stage end OF the auditorium
will be semi-circular to insure good
acoustics, the curtain opening OF the
stage being forty feet wide and the
proscenium sixty rect wide, on each
side OF which will be grouped the
boxes. On one side of the stage will
be rooms for high officials. distin-
guishcd speakers, artists, and other
notables. with connecting reception
rooms. On the other will be rooms
set aside for organizations, societies,
and other bodies.
On the meZzanine floor will be
an assembly hall with capacity Of
800. another having seating
capacity OF 200. and three other
rooms for the use OF smaller meet
ings OF patriotic, scientific, and
educational groups. On each side
OF the stage on this level will be
board rooms, committee rooms, and
dressing rooms.
The second floor, aside from the
stage will be utilized for seats and
around the balcony rail will be
grouped twenty-six boxes. On this
floor will be rooms for picture
machines. spot lights, and stores.
The space on each side OF the
stage on this floor will be utilized
for dressing and reception rooms
for artists, and dressing rooms for
the principals and choruses The
space over the boxes on each side
or the proscenium will be used for
the organs. with echo chambers over
the rear OF the auditorium.