The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-03-11
1000 Radio City Soon Is To Soar Skyward
Development In Hoy Capital Of World
 Linking Moye Stage And Opera With Radio And TeIeyison
By PAUL HARRISON NEA Service Writer

CObt bHlu hanus WDui0 De, dDOut $lt.- 900, 900, and the future of American way, might depend upon the build ing of such a musical center. Rockefeller was interested, par ticularly in the idea of a cultural development which would benefit, not only New York city, hut the entire nation. Why not bring all the other entertainment arts into the scheme?
 Out of that vision has grown to- day the most ambitious private de- veiopment ever undertaken in the | world--a Radio City. For the plan ners declare that 1t is to radio and it's related arts talking pictures and television, that the country at large must look for its highclass, day-by- i day entertainment.
 | So swiftly has the project grown l that 1t now Is quite independent of the opera that furnished the basic idea. Actually there is no definite be included at all. There will be, however, an opera house, built to the last word in scientific and artistic design.
 i Most Costly Development. The entire Radio City, in fact, can | be described only in superlatives. As a unit 1t will be the most costly de- | velopment-$250,000 0,000. One of it's buildings will be the largest in the world. It will be the only cultural | center of it's kind. Architecturally 1t will be unique. It will house the fin- est laboratories devoted to research in the entertainment field. It's in- fiuence will be felt on every cOnt- nent. 1t will be, literally, the radio capital of the world.
 Designs, except for some exte- rior decoration, have been complet- ed, and the financing has been arr ranged. Fronting on Manhattan's swank Fifth avenue. the develop ment will extend three blocks along it, bewteen Forty Eighth and Fifty First streets, and will cover the equivalent of two blocks westward.
 The sledges of wreckers already have pounded down about twenty of the small stores, speakeasies and fine old brownstone houses which have occupied the area. Ex- cavation will be begun early Tn June and part of the skyscraper acropolis will be ready in the fall of 1882. The entire development is | scheduled for completion a year lat | CT.
 Here eventually will be gathered q selected group of organizations representing vaudeville. the legiti- mate theater, motion pictures, radio broadcasting. television and probably the opera. Members of the radio group are Radio Corporation of !. America. National Broadcasting company. Radio Keith Orpheum, RIGA Victor and RIGA Photophone. Great Cultural Center.
 To complete the original scheme of great cultural center, all mem- bers of the group are anxious for the Metropolitan to take advan- tage of the quarters offered. John R. Todd, president of the company which has charge of construction. said that "the opera people have | approached US about coming back in. and we .have welcomed them with plenty of space" The deci- sion, however. must depend. on the i boxholders who form the operating group.
 Like any city. the develop ment will have mayor" When $. l.. Rothafel. the Roxy of broad casting and theatrical fame. re- turns to New York late this month
 
 with His Gang" he immediately will take up the duties of manager , of the now non-existent entertain ment center. But Roxy will hay. plenty to do until we begin operat- l ing there" said Hiram Brown. president of Radio Keith Orpheum.
 John D. Rockefeller. Jr, will be the landlord of the entire develop mcnt. which is to include at least six office buildings in addition to four theaters and 41 broadcasting studios which themselves will be three stories in height and as large as some theaters.
 l To lend variety to the group oval like a jewel box, the like of which builders never have seen be- fore. It will contain shops, a bank, showrooms and restaurants. Di- rectly back of 1t will rise the cen tral tower of nearly 70 stories, which will be the largest, though :; not the highest, building In the world. This will house the NEG studios and offices of the two main radio groups. It will be fanked on each side by two lesser sky scrapers. both office buildings.
 Equipped for TclcvisiOn With the conviction that prac- tical television. capable of broad casting sound movies as they now are shown, Is assured for the fu- ture, all of the studios as well as the theaters themselves will be equipped for sight transmission.
 We have made provision for the thousands of visitors who will flock to the entertainment center, said Merlin H. Aylesworth. presi- dent of NEG. Separate elevators will take them to gallery floors where they will take theater seats and look down into the studios and control rooms through thou sands of square feet of sound proof glass partitions.
 "In laying our plans. with a view to practical television and improvements in sound broadcast ing. We are attempting to peer ahead five or ten years to antici- pate the demands of these arts.'
 It Is thought likely that the cen- surmounted by the tall masts 0s a television transmitter. From these would be flashed the images and sounds from the stages of any or the auditOriums or theaters be- low. There would be broadcast throughout the continent, perhaps even the world. performances of the finest artists. There, probably, the president would go to make his pub lie addresses.
 When MT Rockefeller returned | from trip to Cairo he Is said to have expressed desire that the buildings of Radio City bear m Egyptian motif. Some architects profess to see such an influence in the structures. Others ask: How are you going to make anything look Egyptian when 1t contains 28,000 windOws?" Generally 1t is agreed that the buildings are purely American.