hlnlted Staaes Department of the lnierior Naiienal Park Service Fcr N P S use only

received

date entered

See instructions in How to Complete National Register Forms T y , x all entries-complete applicable sections

3 . Name P L A Z A T H E A T R E

historic

CAPITOL T H E A T E R

street & number 1 2 3 Summers S t r e e t -- not for publication

C h a r l e s t o n city, town - vicinity of

state W v code 54 county Kanawha coda 0 3 9

Category Ownership Status Present Use - district - public X occupied - agriculture - museum 2 building(s) 2 private - unoccupied - commercial - park L-- structure -- both L work in progress - educational - private residence

site P blic Acquisition Accessible X entertainment - religious & objsci in process _x- yes: restricted - government - scienliiic - being considered - yes: unrestricted - industrial - transportation

- no - military - other:

name - --

Capitol Renaissance '84-1 Ltd/i~lr. James P . Bazz le , General Par tner

street i3 number 1010 Washington S t r e e t , East

citv. town Charleston - vicinity of state N V

courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. K a n awha County Court house --

street & number Court and Vi rg in i a S t r e e t s

city, town Charleston

state W v

6. Representation in Existing S u r v e y s Lloxntown Char les ton , 14. Va .

t i t '" Hi s t o r i c a l and Arch i t ec tu ra l Survey has this property been determined eligible? L yes n o t - - - - -

date September 1984 x -- federal - state - county - local

depository for survey records - Department of Cul ture and /list=, SHPO

city, t ~ w n C t i a r l e ~ t o ~ ~ - state WV --

7. Description - -

8 '

Condition Check one Check one - excellent X - deteriorated - unaltered - original site -3- good - ruins X altered m o v e d date N / A ' - fair - unexposed

Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

The Cap i to l Theater b u i l d i n g i s a tu rn-o f - the-century theater/commercial/office b u i l d i n g l oca ted i n a t r a n s i t i o n a l business d i s t r i c t of downtown Charleston, West V i r g i n i a . The t h r e e - s t o r y b r i c k s t r u c t u r e i s cha rac te r i zed by e c l e c t i c Classical Revival s t y l e architecture i n c o r p o r a t i n g a number o f elements f rom c l a s s i c a l Greek forms on i t s e a s t e r l y facade. The theater , whose s t r e e t f r o n t entrance i s f lanked by two commercial s t o r e f r o n t s , i s s t r u c t u r a l l y at tached t o a s e r i e s of commercial b u i l d i n g s comple t ing t h e Summers S t r e e t b lock . The dimensions o f t h e C a p i t o l Theater b u i l d i n g are 53 ' wide x 163 ' deep. The f r o n t s e c t i o n conta ins t h e main e n t r y f o y e r and two s tores on t h e ground f l o o r , l ead ing i n t o t h e middle sec t ion , composed of an aud i to r ium and stage area, a mezzanine w i t h two restrooms, and a t h i r d f l o o r balcony and p r o j e c t i o n area. A d d i t i o n a l support f a c i l i t i e s i nc lude double s ta i rways and o f f i c e space. A basement i s l o c a t e d under t h e f r o n t s e c t i o n o f t h e b u i l d i n g and under t h e stage a t t h e r e a r of t h e b u i l d i n g .

The c l a s s i c a l facade o f t he t h e a t e r i s d i v i d e d i n t o t h r e e d i s t i n c t segments by f o u r engaged b r i c k p i l a s t e r s surmounted by s t y l i z e d C o r i n t h i a n c a p i t a l s w i t h an e loquent acanthus mo t i f . (Photograph 1.) The second and t h i r d s t o r y windows o f t h i s f r o n t e l e v a t i o n have been rep laced (1956) w i t h smal ler s t e e l casement u n i t s . Scro l lwork ornamentat ion was l i f t e d f rom the o r i g i n a l facade and r e i n s t a l l e d w i t h t h e replacement windows. Four o f these twe lve s c r o l l e d ornaments are now miss ing . The facade b r i c k i s green glazed b r i c k w i t h b lack mor tar . (Photograph 2.) A deco ra t i ve b e l t course separates t h e window sectLon from t h e upper en tab la tu re which features s t r o n g c l a s s i c a l ornamental

) d e t a i l s , i n c l u d i n g a b e l t o f s c r o l l e d d e n t i l s along the upper corn ice . Above t h e parapet r e s t s a deco ra t i ve pediment spanning t h e middle segment of t h e s t r u c t u r e w i t h repeat ing s c r o l l e d d e n t i l s . The pediment i s i n s e t w i t h a c l a s s i c a l f r i e z e f e a t u r i n g two human forms suppor t ing a deco ra t i ve ova l rondel . (Photograph 2 . ) The e n t i r e upper en tab la tu re appears t o be covered by a t h i c k l a y e r o f res idue and pidgeon droppings, bu t otherwise i s i n e x c e l l e n t cond i t i on . No permanent damage i s apparent ( f rom s t r e e t . l e v e l j . (Photograph 3 .1

The s t r e e t l e v e l facade has rece ived t h e most cosmetic a l t e r a t i o n , w i t h evidence t h a t t h e o r i g i n a l t h e a t e r marquee was much d i f f e r e n t i n l o c a t i o n and dimension. (Photograph 4.) The o r i g i n a l t h e a t e r marquee was l oca ted j u s t above an arched and vau l ted entrance over a f r o n t foyer which measured 18 f e e t wide by 50 f e e t deep. I n 1956, a l t e r a t i o n s i n t h e A r t Deco s t y l e s i g n i f i c a n t l y changed the entrance, e r a d i c a t i n g t h e v a u l t completely, and i n c o r p o r a t i n g a contemporary, e l e c t r i f i e d marquee d i r e c t l y over t h e entrance and n o r t h s t o r e f r o n t . (Photograph 5 . ) I t was a t t h i s t ime t h a t t h e windows were changed on the second f l o o r and a d d i t i o n a l o f f i c e space was prov ided i n t h e area o f t h e vau l ted c e i l i n g space. The entrance was f i t t e d u i t h aluminum doors i n c l u d i n g a modernized t i c k e t window. P r i o r t o t he 1956 renovat ions, t h e o r i g i n a l facade p i l a s t e r s extended downward t o t h e sidewalk, ending i n a stone base. (Photographs 4 and 1.) A t t h e present, n e a r l y a l l of t h e lower facade i s obscured by aluminum fac ing w i t h a v e r t i c a l s t r i a t e d p a t t e r n ( c . 1956).

The two s tore f ron ts , l oca ted on e i t h e r s ide of t h e entrance, were a l s o f i t t e d w i t h a con t i nua t i on o f t h e metal f ac ing , surmounted by glazed t i l e panels i n a l t e r n a t i n g be ige and green checkerboard p a t t e r n (c. 1956). A barber shop has operated i n t h e n o r t h s t o r e f r o n t f o r a number o f years, and t h e south commercial space housed a defunct res tau ran t (Photograph I.)-- which beg inn ing i n June, 1985 -- i s undergoing renova t i on as a tu rn-o f - the-cent ry i c e cream p a r l o r . The facade i s be ing r e s t o r e d as n e a r l y as i s

(See c o n t i n u a t i o n s:heet 7-21

NPS $am ?Dm%. - . .

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

Y ational Register of Historic Inventory-Nomination Form

OM. N O . 1024-0011 E x p i r e s 1 0 - 3 1 - 8 7

Continuation sheet Item number .7 Pase 2

p r a c t i c a l t o i t s o r i g i n a l c o n f i g u r a t i o n .

Ent rance t o t h e t h e a t e r i s made t h rough t h e l obby which was a l s o a l t e r e d i n 1956, and c a r r i e s t h e A r t Deco i m p r i n t i n i t s t e r r a z z o f l o o r , i n s e t w i t h a s t y l i z e d s t a r p a t t e r n , over which a p l a i n Deco c e i l i n g has been dropped f r o m t h e o r i g i n a l v a u l t c e i l i n g . (Photograph 6 . ) Beyond t h e second se t o f wooden doors, ev idence remains t h a t t h e o r i g i n a l mosaic t i l e f l o o r , w i t h a v a r i e g a t e d green acanthus l e a f m o t i f on a w h i t e f i e l d , i s s t i l l i n t a c t below t h e p resen t f l o o r cove r i ng .

The a u d i t o r i u m i s 110 f e e t deep ( i n c l u d i n g t h e s tage ) by 53 f e e t wide. (Photograph 7.) A ba lcony extends ove r t w o - t h i r d s of t h e main s e a t i n g area. The mezzanine and ba l cony are reached b y a f l a n k i n g s e t o f wooden s t a i r s w i t h i n s e t pane l s .

The main f l o o r o f t h e t h e a t e r s lopes down t o t h e stage, accomodat ing two a i s l e s between a c e n t e r s e c t i o n o f s e a t i n g and t h e s i d e sea t i ng . The o r i g i n a l r a d i a l s e a t i n g (c . 1956) numbering app rox ima te l y 700 sea ts has been removed (June, 1985) t o a l l o w r e n o v a t i o n of t h e i n t e r i o r space. The ba lcony s t i l l r e t a i n s t h e o r i g i n a l ( c . 1924) wooden (app rox i - ma te l y 500 s e a t s ) s e a t i n g i n lower and upper ba lcony sec t i ons . These s e a t s a r e of bent plywood w i th wa lnu t veneer backs, cas t i r o n frames, and u p h o l s t e r e d seats . A

\ p o r t i o n o f t hese sea t s have damaged veneer and upho l s t e r y .

The p l a s t e r w o r k i n t h e t h e a t e r i s no tewor thy f o r i t s v a r i e t y o f c l a s s i c a l o rnamenta t ion and a l l e g o r i c a l m o t i f s . The g e n t l e e l l i p t i c a l c e i l i n g i s p l a s t e r f e a t u r i n g a r e p e t i t i v e s t y 1 i z e d acanthus m o t i f i n r e 1 i e f . (Photograph 8. ) The v i n e m o t i f s p i r a l s inward t o meet a m u l t i - p e t a l e d r o s e t t e , The c ross s e c t i o n of t h e c e i l i n g above t h e ba lcony sp lays t o meet a band c o n t a i n i n g a s t y l i z e d v e r s i o n o f a s m a l l e r s p i r a l i n g acanthus ( w i t h o u t r o s e t t e ) i n r e l i e f , The c e i l i n g a t t h e f r o n t of t h e t h e a t e r cu rves toward t h e proscenium opening. (Photograph 9, ) Large g r a t i n g s of c a s t p l a s t e r can be seen i n t h e c e i l i n g above t h e proscenium. T h i s covers an opening th rough wh ich t h e o r i g i n a l 1924 W u r l i t z e r t h e a t e r p i p e o rgan ' s sound en te red t he room. Th i s c o n f i g u r a t i o n i s des igned t o d i r e c t sound t o t h e back of t h e aud i t o r i um . The proscenium i s mode ra te l y d e c o r a t i v e w i t h r e p e t i t i v e banded f r i e z e s and r e l i e f p l a s t e r work. The o u t e r bands f e a t u r e a low r e l i e f m o t i f w i t h r o s e t t e s (Photograph 10.); t h e ad jacen t band moving i nwa rd f e a t u r e s a ha l f - r ounded band o f s t y l i z e d acanthus leaves i n h i g h r e l i e f . The n e x t l a t t i c e band frames t h e s tage proscenium -- t h e i n t e r i o r panel o f which c o n t a i n s a w ide b e l t d i s p l a y i n g a b u t t e r f l y , d e c o r a t i v e element.

Greek f i g u r e s f e a t u r i n g a p rocess ion o f f o r m s i n mo t i on a re used t w i c e i n t h e t h e a t e r . Dancing Greek women i n p l a s t e r r e l i e f e n l i v e n t h e curved ba l cony apron. An a d d i t i o n a l p rocess ion o f c l a s s i c a l f i g u r e s appear around t h e co f fe red mezzanine c e i l i n g f r i e z e -- r e p e a t i n g t h e a r t i c u l a t i o n o f t h e mezzanine ba lus t r ade shape. (Photograph 11.) The f r i e z e appears below a domed i n s e t f o r a f oca l l i g h t i n g f i x t u r e , and p r e s e n t s a d i s p l a y o f t h e pe r f o rm ing a r t s i n f r i e z e : i n c l u d i n g r e c i t i t a t i a n , a p l a y e r o f a l y r e , e t c . The f r i e z e i s surmounted by t h e Greek l o t u s mot i f , a l s o used around t h e l owe r p a r t of t h e c e i l i n g dome.

(See c o n t i n u a t i o n sheet 7-3)

UMB N O . 1 0 2 4 - 0 0 1 8 E x p i r e s 1 0 - 3 1 - 8 7

' ~ n i i e d States Department of the Interior National Park Service

,National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form

Continuation sheet Itemnumber 7

D i r e c t l y underneath t h e ba lcony a re p l a s t e r meda l l i ons i n c l a s s i c a l f l o r a l r e l i e f bo rdered w i t h h o r i z o n t a l t r i m of sha l low c o r n i c e r e 1 i e f . (Photograph 12. ) Rec tangu la r segments o f t h e f i r s t f l o o r c e i l i n g and s i d e w a l l s a re bordered i n a r e p e t i t i v e s c a l l o p m o t i f .

A t t h e r e a r o f t h e t h e a t e r , t h e s tage i s separa ted f r om t h e a u d i t o r i u m s e a t i n g a rea by a narrow o r c h e s t r a p i t and a scoop of 1920 's e r a f o o t l i g h t s . The p roscen ium has a 3 0 ' - 0 " opening and t h e s tage i s an average of 22 ' -0 " deep. P r i o r t o r e h a b i l i t a t i o n work, t h e fo rmer s tage l o a d i n g door was b l ocked by a i r c o n d i t i o n i n g equipment i n s t a l l e d i n t h e 1960 's . The f l o o r of t h e s tage had r o t t e d where wate r had leaked f r o m a cor roded r o o f d r a i n . The s tage was dominated by a massive movie sc reen on a heavy t imbered frame. The s tage e l e c t r i c a l equipment, though p a r t i a l l y f u n c t i o n a l , was i n a h i g h l y d e t e r i o r a t e d c o n d i t i o n .

Beneath t he stage, s i x d r e s s i n g rooms averag ing s i x t y square f e e t each,shared space w i t h a l a r g e a i r h a n d l e r u n i t and a steam h e a t i n g b o i l e r . The e n t i r e s t a g e and under- s tage area i s be ing r e h a b i l i t a t e d as a f u n c t i o n a l pe r fo rming arts f a c i l i t y .

-- - -

8. Significance --?

Period .. prehistoric

, - 1400-1 499 - 1500-1 599 - 1600-1699 - 1700-1 799 - 1800-1 899 X 1900-

Areas of Significance-Check and justify below - archeology-prehistoric - community planning - landscape a r c h i t e c t u r e religion - archeology-historic - conservation - law - science - agriculture - economics - literature - sculpture X architecture - education - military - social/ - art - engineering _X_ music humanitarian - commerce - expiorationlsettlement - philosophy w theater - communications - industry - politics/government - transportation

- invention - other (specify)

Statement of Significance (in one paragraph)

The C a p i t o l Theater i s one of t h e few remain ing s t r u c t u r e s o f i t s f u n c t i o n a l t y p e and a r c h i t e c t u r a l s t y l e a long t h e l i n e s of t h e e a r l y o p e r a / v a u d e v i l l e houses and l a t e r movie t h e a t e r s i n t h e e n t i r e Kanawha Va l l ey . I t i s a c l a s s i c example of Classical R e v i v a l a r c h i t e c t u r e and an a t y p i c a l theater/commercial/office b u i l d i n g t h a t p r e - dominates ne ighbo r i ng s t r u c t u r e s o f t h e same pe r i od .

From t h e t i m e t h e s t r u c t u r e was b u i l t i n 1912, t h e P laza Theat re --"Home o f H igh C lass V a u d e v i l l e and Novel A t t r a c t i o n s H - - has remained an ongoing en te r t a i nmen t c e n t e r , i n 1924 becoming t h e C a p i t o l Theater , changing o n l y t o meet t h e demands of changing en te r t a i nmen t p re fe rences over a 73 yea r p e r i o d . H i s t o r i c a l l y , t h e s t r u c t u r e was o r i g i n a l l y cons t ruc ted as an opera house f e a t u r i n g l i v e v a u d e v i l l e and s tage ac ts , and a l s o showing s i l e n t f i l m s . A f i r e i n t h e f a l l o f 1923 c r e a t e d a ma jo r t u r n i n g p o i n t f o r t h e t h e a t e r . The r e b u i l t "new C a p i t o l Theater" opened i n Noverrber o f 1924 w i t h a g a l a event f o r Char les ton ians . The new t h e a t e r was r e f i t t e d f o r " t a l k i e s , " a l though t h e sea ts were ar ranged so t h a t v a u d e v i l l e s tage a c t s c o u l d

: s t i l l be presented. H i g h l i g h t s of t h e new t h e a t e r were 1 ) t h e i n s t a l l a t i o n of t h e new W u r l i t z e r p i p e organ a t a c o s t of $25,000 which would enhance t h e s i l e n t f i l m s , and l a t e r t h e " t a l k i n g f i l m s " a f t e r 1929, and 2) t h e i n s t a l l a t i o n o f s ta te -o f - the-a r t e l e c t r i c a l and l i g h t i n g systems w i t h house dimmers. The t h e a t e r ' s owner/rnanager, C. E . Mide lburg, r e p o r t e d l y a t t r i b u t e d t h e success o f t h e bus iness t o h i s p o l i c y of showing MGM movies e x c l u ~ i v e l y.

The Aaron f a m i l y (Sharon Lee Co rpo ra t i on ) acqu i red t h e t h e a t e r (one o f t e n owned i n t he C i t y ) i n 1959. The b u i l d i n g was c losed as a movie t h e a t e r i n 1981, and remained vacant u n t i l purchased i n December 1984, by a p r i v a t e group o f i nves to r s , C a p i t o l Renaissance $84 -1 L t d . A c o n t r i b u t i n g f a c t o r b e h i n d t h j s p u r c h a s e was t h e 1983 l o s s of one of t h e p r i m a r y h i s t o r i c and l a v i s h movie houses of t h e c i t y -- t h e Kearse Theater a t 161, 165, 167 Summers S t r e e t -- razed t o become a p a r k i n g l o t . The Kearse was on? b lock n o r t h o f t h e C a p i t o l Theater .

Another m o t i v a t i o n a l f a c t o r assoc ia ted w i t h t h e purchase of t h e C a p i t o l Thea te r i s i t s re fe rence p o i n t as a s t r u c t u r e i d e n t i f i e d f o r p r i m a r y r e v i t a l i z a t i o n i n t h e 1983 p l a n by American C i t i e s Co rpo ra t i on t o be among t h e f i r s t two r e v i t a l i z a t i o n p r o j e c t s o f downtown Char1 es ton ( t h e f i r s t be ing t h e wa te r f r on t redevelopment ad jacen t t o t h e Kanawha R i v e r ) . The C a p i t o l Theater was s l a t e d t o be r e h a b i l i t a t e d as a per fo rming a r t s c e n t e r -- e i t h e r by a p u b l i c e f f o r t , o r by p r i v a t e development. Beginn ing i n A p r i l , 1985, c o n s t r u c t i o n commenced i n t h e t h e a t e r b u i l d i n g to "ha1 t t h e slow d e t e r i o r a t i o n o f the s t r u c t u r e and t o r e h a b i l i t a t e t h e i n t e r i o r , under adap t i ve - use p r i n c i p l e s , as a new pe r fo rm ing a r t s and en te r t a i nmen t cen te r .

[See c o n t i n u a t i o n sheet 8-2)

HPS Form ~ O - K X S S Dlz)

OH, Y O . 1 0 2 4 - 0 0 1 8 Ezplrrr 10-31-8 7

unitad States Department of the Interior National Park Service

YationaE Register of Historic Places inventory-Nomination Form

Continuation sheet Itemnumber 8 page 2

There fo re , t h e C a p i t o l Thea te r i s i n t h e process of becoming a "p i onee r " p r o j e c t toward r e v i t a l i z i n g t h e d e t e r i o r a t i n g p a r t of t h e o l d bus iness d i s t r i c t i n Cha r l es ton .

Because o f i t s i m p o r t a n t s . t r uc tu ra1 q u a l i t i e s , ou t s tand ing a c o u s t i c a l p r o p e r t i e s , and t h e f a c t t h a t n e a r l y a l l i n t e r i o r and e x t e r i o r h i s t o r i c d e c o r a t i v e e lements rema in i n t a c t , t h e C a p i t o l Thea te r i s a " s t a r " cand ida te f o r a r e s t o r a t i o n / r e h a b i l i t a t i o n which w i l l g i v e new l i f e t o i t s o r i g i n a l h i s t o r i c f a b r i c .

ajor Bibliographical References -'

" Y i s t o r i c P r o p e r t i e s I n v e n t o r y Form," H i s t o r i c P r e s e r v a t i o n U n i t , Department of C u l t u r e and H i s t o r y , Char les ton , W.Va., Feb.1, 1984. (Prepared by Greg L ipscomb).

1 ~ l ~ r s h a l 1 , Paul D., " H i s t o r i c a l and A r c h i t e c t u r a l Survey/Downtown Char les ton , West V i r q i n i a , " September 24, 1984. (See c o n t i n u a t i o n sheet 9-2)

10. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property 0.19 ac

Quadrangle name Ch;lrlPztnnt UMT References

Quadrangle scale : 2?ao00

" l - L - L d u Zone Easting Northing

Verbal boun ary de cription and jus t i f i ca t ion Stands of ? ~ t no.14, found i n Kanawha County Deed Books 103/594 and 117/76. The l o t i s 53 f e e t wide, n o r t h t o south, on t h e west s i d e of Summers S t r e e t x 163 f e e t deep e a s t t o west t o a 1 5 ' w ide a l l e y wh ich r u n s n o r t h t o sou th f rom Q u a r r i e r S t . t o a p a r k i n g a rea

code county code

state code county code

b 1. Farm Prepared By - -

Ms. Morgan Peyton, Consu l t an t , C a p i t o l Renaissance ' 84 -1 L t d . name~title Paul D. Ma rsha l l , A r c h i t e c t , P a ~ i D. Ma rsha l l & Assoc ia tes, I n c .

12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is:

- national -- state local

As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 83- 6651, 1 hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the Na r and certify that i t has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set forth by the Na

State Historic Preservation Officer signature - / / -

011 No. 1 0 2 4 - 0 0 1 8 Srpi ter 1 0 - 3 1 - 8 7

United States Department of ths linterior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form

Continuation sheet Item number 9 2

Russel 1, Howard. " H i s t o r i c a l Notes on t h e Capitol - P l aza Theater , " Apri 1, 1985.

Charleston Daily Mai 1 (Char les ton , W V ) . November 11, 1924. A r t i c l e on re-opening of New Capi to l Theater .

Charleston C i t y Direc tory , 1913.

Development Program: Downtown Charleston, West V i rg in i a . American Ci ty Corporation: A Subs id iary of t h e Rouse Company, J u l y , 1983, pp. 2 9 - 3 0 .