The Washington times., 1923-09-29
Ne " THEATERS!
ND PROPERTY
VALUES
Two crandaII Houses, New Ma
fionaI, and Hoffman's
PARK Better City.

The pronounced effect upon loca
commercial activities and real estate
values which the establishment of
& neighborhood theater has in a
residential section Of the city has
Sast been forcefuIly emphasized by
sSe opening on Thursday, Septem-
Eer 20, Of Crandall's new Ambassa-
or Theater at Eighteenth street
aid Columbia road northwest.
Il has been stated, and with sta
tfstical evidence that seems to sub
stantiate the assertion, that the
opening Of the Ambassador has had
the immediate effect of stimulating
retail trade in its immediate vicin-
tty to the extent of from 20 to SO
per cent, the degree depending IN
large measure on the character of
the business and the normal ra-
pidity with which stock can be
turned over. This Is easily &C
counted for by the fact that the
operation OF g theater attracts and
holds large numbers OF people in q
given location late into the even
ing, thus affording the contiguous
merchant an opportunity at least to
extend his appeal, or his selling
talk through window display and
other advertising, to q potential
patronage which before was not
available In his vicinity
The same result manifests itself,
though less rapidly, in the gradual
increase In real estate values,
brought about by the very stimulus
felt by the small dealer which al.
ready had been commented upon
and which, through the medium Of
Increased demand for business prop.
erty, brings about q proportionate
rise ID the cost OF desirable loca.
tons. i Is upon this thoroughly
sound economic growth, rather than
through wildcat exploitation and
speculation, that community mutt
depend Tor It's lasting expansion and
municipal improvement.
Another Stimulant.
A business and real estate stimu-
liant. which It Is believed will ex-
ert an even wider influences upon
property values, will make itself
felt when Crandalps new Tivoii
Theater, now in course OF con-
gtruction at Fourteenth street and
Park road northwest, Is completed
and thrown open to the public. The
Tivoli Is being built and was de-
signed by Thomas w. Lamb, the
foremost theater architect and engi-
neer in the country, who also built
the Ambassador, and will be one of
the most impressive playhouses not
only IN the Capital but on the con-
tinent. It viii represent the very
highest development of the art of
planning, building and Identifying a
permanent place Of theatrical amuse-
ment.
The Tivoli win have frontage
Of go feet on Fourteenth street and
100 feet on Park road. On the Four
tenth street side the ground floor
VIII be occupied by ten two-story
French shops. The practicability of
utilizing this floor area for stores is
established only when consideration
o. given TO the immense plot the
completed structure win occupy.
The stores can operate without in
terference with the theater proper
and without depriving the playhouse
OF the necessary amount Of lobby
space, rest rooms. lounges, &c.
This II evidenced by the unusual
capacity Of the TivoII, which when
completed with orchestra floor and
balcony seated viii have a total
capacity of approximately $500. Un-
like q majority OF the Crandall the
aters IN Washington. the Tivoli will
Be equipped with full-sized stage
and every modern facility for han.
ding any form of theatrical attrac-
ton. It will, however, be operated
primarily as a motion picture house
Of . type Washington never before
has seen.
Likely TO Move Business.
It is believed that the operation
OF 50 important a unit in the