New Britain herald., 1925-09-05
5. M. Davidson Co. Sells Location Near Chest nut Street to Hoffman Brothers, Owners of State Chain.
Playhouse With Capacity of 2,5OO to Rise on Spot Davidson Co. Also to Erect Business Block,

Construction of new Main street theater at an aggregate cost, for lahd and building. of approximate ly s7OO,O00, is assured through the consummation of the sale of the site by the S. NJ. Davidson Co. to Bernard l.. Hoffman of New Ha- ven and Israel J. Hoffman of An- sonia. The theater will have an en- trance on Main street south of the building occupied by Leonard & Herman. a 40 foot frontage hay ing been obtained for the lobby. and the auditorium will be located in the rear. backing up on Chestnut street. The seating capacity will be 2,500.
 S209,000 Paid for Site
 The price paid for the land was s2O9,OOO and the cost of building and equipping the theater Is expect. ed to run as high as s5O0,0 GOO. The S. M. Davidson Co. is composed of the members of the firm of David. son X Leventhal, department store owners, s. M. Davidson and Alex ander J. Leventhal. The buyers have not announced the type of en- tertainment to be offered but ex- pect to present motion pictures and high class vaudeville. The transac- ton was negotiated by the real es- tate firm of Raschkow & Rabinoy, acting for the buyers. Klett & A. ling represented the sellers.
 The Hoffman brothers, speaking Of the project. said they would con- st1uct a theater embracing all the known modern improvements in buildings of this kind. It will be | built of steel, brick and concrete and the interior will be in Adam style of architecture. The firm of F. C. Horne Sons, Broadway. New York, specialists in theater archi- lecture, have been commissioned to draw plans for the new structure. Work Starts in Six Weeks
 It will be necessary for Neris fruit store, Benoit's art shop and Budde's lunch on Main street and the Elmer Automobile Co. and E. Jahn on Chestnut street to vacate their premises. It Is expected that work will be started in six weeks on raging the brick building in which the Elmer Co. and Jahn are located. The Hoffmans say that the building should be ready for occu- pancy within a year.
 Besides being the largest theater in New Britain, the new playhouse will be one of the largest in the state of Connecticut. The Hoffmans told newspapermen yesterday after noon that they intend to spare no expense to make 1t attractive, in- side and out, and include in 1t every , comfort and convenience for the public which modern ideas on theater planning can devise.
 The 40 foot frontage on Main street will be two stories high and besides including the lobby, will &C., commodate several offices and stores. From the Main street line, the building will have a depth of 100 feet. The length of the audi4 torlum proper will be 162 feet. The stage will be large enough to ac- commodate legitimate shows if the owners wish to bring them here. The seating capacity Of the main floor will be 1,4o0 and of the ball. cony 1,100.
 New Business Building Also The S. NJ. Davidson Go. intends 10 develop the adjoining property. also having a 40 foot frontage on Main street and a depth of 100 feet, by the erection of a modern store and office building. Plans for ! the new structure have not been drawn out but Messrs. Davidson and Leventhal have some we'll formu- lated Ideas Of the building which will rise on the site. Since coming 10 New Britain Messrs. Davidson and I.eventhal have made extensive l purchases of land and the sale of the property for the theater Is the first time they have disposed of any of their holdings. We wouldn't have let this pass from our hands if we had not been assured that q theater which will be a credit to New Britain would be constructed q Mir. Davidson said.
 I. !. Hofman's Romantic Career
 Construction of the theater win mark another step in the career ol Israel !. Hoffman, whose story of success is as interesting as the plot of any motion picture which will be shown on the new screen. Start. ing 12 years ago with a small play. house. the old Pastime theater in Ansonia, he has risen to a point ir the Connecticut theater world sec. ond in importance only to Sylvester 2. Poll, the biggest figure in tn. state engaged In the industry oi making the public laugh and CT, and pay for It Mir. Hoffman hal $1,o0o.000 invested in theaters operating the Strand and Princes In Hartford. Strand. Capitol snt Fremont in Ansonia. Strand in Wa terbury, Alhambrs and Palace fl Torrington and the Sterling II Derby. Like Poh Hoffman is a self l r1nSa man Hfv rbtsF g.n~ursft1~, (, studying what the public wants His rise indicates that he has beeE l tcontlnusd on Second ParsI