The Miami Herald from Miami, Florida • 17

HERALD TELEPHONE 23125 THE HERALD MIAMI FLORIDA HERALD TELEPHONE 23125 PAGE SEVENTEEN $170000 RIVIERA THEATER AT SOUTH MIAMI OPENS DOORS TONIGHT GENERAL VIEW AND ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES OF RIVIERA THEATER AT SOUTH MIAMI SOUTH MIAMI GROWS PLAYHOUSE IS COMPLETE SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 4 1926 Municipality Nine Miles Southwest of Miami On the West Dixie Or Miami-Homestead Highway Is In Midst of City Improvement and Expansion Program New Motion Picture House Represents Latest Achievement In Community Structures To Be Built In Southeastern Cities During Last 12 Months pany of Miami Rach tb organ- ti i ire hr Tfc installed by Miami rprenta- TPIKYIXG moat Imrrcxylvly tha of tha Wurlitzr factory Th lighting fixtures for the thatr manufactured esperially for th Itivlera by William Abbott and are spirit of that pervades th population of aouthern Florida and ew that of Miami and its of hand-made wrought iron to har- urban neighbors the new 110000 eneral atmosphere I of the Interior Ptvl-ra motion picture theater at fnueually attractive architectural houth Miami named In consonance effects ln th9 Rlviera Theater struo-wih that spirit will open tonight ture include the broad patio en-The Riviera Theater Is well located trance which Is elevated several feet from the viewpoint of accessibility above the street level and la flanked being directly on the Miami-Home- on either side by ornate tile-roofed galleries connected with the patio plaza by wide doorways The patio is fronted fey a series of long stone steps leading up from the pavement and extending along almost the entire front of the building In rainy weather exit from and entrance to the theater may be had through the galleries s'ead highway otherwise known as t'-ie western branch of the South I'tx'e highway at Its Intersection with Sixtieth atreet The new picture house Is In the center of a six-mile square Incorporated area teat rapidly Is beroming more thickly populated and also Is easily accessible over good roads from Coral Cables Coconut drove Homestead i cXX S-fSSfo c-v A ss fy 'v VA r4HF aielea make Ingres and egress very 1 easy over the Dixie highway from Miami The Riviera regarded fey Its build- iehed in a dark tan color and flanked and owner If Dorn and It on either aide three smaller Dorn president and vice presi- -rchM bhlntl which are the wide! dent respective! of the Riviera i Th-ater Corporation as among the doorways to the auditorium proper finest community theaters In the Two large exits are provided on each: ate has been huiit not only for theiBd9 of the orim These exits1 prnt but for th future on a acal lead Into a walled patio garden of: triangular ahape In which attract- landscaped floral effects will be i commensurate with what the owners byve will he the great future of the town of South Miami It Is 'va VV wV 'A yP': v5 1' y-" i just west of the railroad crossing Is one of the handsomest in the town and already Is occupied by several firms Another commercial structure 1 the Dorn building now occupied by a dry goods store The Brooks two-story building on Sunset drive recently was completed and Is already occupied by tenants In various lines of business The Dusenberry building presents a handsome appearance to those who travel along tho drive The I Schilling Company of Miami recently built a warehouse 50 by 150 feet on a 5-acre tract which the company purchased on the south of the railroad station About 40 new dwellings have been erected In South Miami since the town was Incorporated according to City Kngl-neer Brundldge who isaties all building permits Many other structures in the business district have been enlarged or repaired giving the town the decidedly new appearance which It now has SOUTH MIAMI Is well provided ith church edifices among them being the Methodist Kpiscopal of which Hev Idlentan it pastor the Advent Christian Church Rev Injnison pastor the South Miami Baptist Church of which Rev Porter Is pastor the Church of Christ Scientist and the Church of Christ Rev I Huffman being pastor of the last named At Fer-rine there Is also a Baptist church pastored by Rev Porter The Siuth Miami Chamber of Commerce is typical of the progressive spirit of those who first conceived the incorporation of the municipality it serves Tits organization has been very active In efforts to obtain better transportation more roads streets and sidewalks parks and playgrounds new industries and an additional water supply The residents of the South Miami district will have access in the near future over new highways to he ((instructed front europium tertaee to Cutler beach it Is said to about seven miles of parked water front John Warwick owner of about two miles of bay front below Cutler beach some time ago presented to Dan Killian county commissioner as trustee for the people of Dado county fine strip of beach about 600 feet long below Cutler beach Mr Warwick it i -aid plans to Improve the land presented with a large pavilion which will be open to the public without cost The Warwick beach is about seven miles south of Tahiti beach George Merrick also ts planning to build a pavilion on a section of beach south of Tahiti which will he for (lie use of the general public it is announced and ho also plans a great avenue or prndo down the hay shore from Tahiti which will connect with the beach below Cutler All property on tho shore front between the highway and the water will he open to the public it is said which will give the South Miami district one of the finest boulevards anywhere skirting the shor for seven miles A LTHOIGH only six months old ek the new municipality of "'South Miami" nine miles southwest from Miami on ihe West Dixie highway has made rapid progress toward the goal of urban greatness set by the city fathers and founders A system of government worthy of cities many times its size has been in operation since shortly after the town originally knowti as Larkins was incorporated on March 2 1P26 and the name changed to South Miami The city government is headed by Judge A Foster as mayor with George A Airey as town clerk and Dr Underwood as health officer The town council is composed of a leading business man who is president of the body with committeemen as follow: John Barrs building and parks John Aleyers streets and sewers Martin sanitation and health Janes fire department Harold Dorn finance Sisntt police Clifford Brunrlage town engineer Myron Fleming town marshal: James AV K0011 police officer A committee on public utilities and service consists of John Barrs John Myers and Harold Dorn The town of South Miami contains an area of six square miles adjoining Coral Gables on the north which city separates It from the city of Miami The post office and tther railroad and express stations still are known ss Larkins the original name hotiih Miami now has a population of about 3000 about two-thirds of which has come into the corporate limits during the past two years South Miami is among the rapidly growing towns adjacent to Miami and is undergoing steady development commercially According to figures prepared by Town Clerk George A Airey recently in connection W'ith a tax levy for improvements South Miami property values exceed J10-0000 00 exclusive of Improvements The figures are based upon the valuations placed on the land by the Dade county assessors SOUTH MIAMI Is fast developing from a way station on the which it was for a long period prior to its Incorporation as a municipality into a progressive little city with modern conveniences up-to-date business houses police and fire protection and all the things that a modern urban community must have Perhaps the most outstanding recent development is the completion of the Riviera Theater costing with ground and equipment nearly $200000 concrete proof that play is of prime importance in the modern scheme of urban life Representing the more practical side of city expansion is the structure that is to be the home of the new state bank South Miami's first financial institution now nearing completion Among the 50 or more structures that have been built during the current year are the Riviera Theater owned by the Dorn brothers The new two-story store and apartment structure of Reilly Stems Paxson iKA A- de-d adequately to care for the amusement needs of the surrounding population for many years to come the owners said Incidentally the new 0f the theater structure Theatec i regarded by all the citizens of South Miami as a major conrrlhu- i tu toward making the new com- Louis Mo and Ky where sninlty a more desirable place In 1 was the organist In some of the which to live (leading theaters will preside at the The architects of the Klvlera 'Vurlitxer instrument in the Riviera which of the Ppant-h Village style! 1 Theater Mr Edwards arrived from ith open patios surrounding It were Louisville this week and will render I- Ft Patterson and I- Robertson the special opening musical program who form a prominent archltectura 1 that has been arranged for the open- of Miami and the construction ing night it was announced Every work was done by the Davis known effect used In connection with ton Company widely known motion picture theater operation can Miami butiders The structure has a be produced on the Hope-Jones unit frontage of nearly 200 feet on the Wurlltxer It is said including the Dixie highwav by a central depth reproduction of cathedral chimes of 130 fe Dr of 1000 The style of variety of other musical instruments 'pHR projecting room and appara tus at the Riviera Is of the very! latest type embodying every known improvement and device for the proper showing of the most elaborate film according to the Riviera man- ager A Seipker Mr Selpker I who I also secretary of the Riviera Theater Corporation operated a lage community theater at Webster Grove a suburb of St Routs for four years He was previously in the theater business at Kdwardsville 1U He came to Miami in January of thi year He has made a special study of picture production sources and Is regarded as well qualified to judge picture values The Initial picture for the Riviera Theater opening performance Saturday night at 7 o'clock Is announced as "Her Big a film featuring Laura Ia Plante as the star In the cast with Miss Ra Plante are Tully Marshall Dee Moran Cissy Fitzgerald Zasu Fitts Eddie Lyoni and other For tomorrow night Olive Borden in "Fig Is featured playing opposite George On Monday the schedule calls for No Man's Gold with Tom Mix playing the leading role Tuesday and Wednesday "Vanishing will be the feature (S- fe5 fe- I 'i'fe' 'v- A yv i construction Is reinforced concrete on steel fnaming with concrete block curtain and combined effects The decoration of the interior of Thf Klvifra motion picture theater which opens to the public Saturday night for the first time Is an Imposing design embodying many unique architectural effects The theater seats about 1000 persons and Is equipped with every modern feature for the comfort of patrons Including leather-cushioned chairs wrought Iron lighting fixtures mechanical ventilating fan system and a $15000 Wurlltzer pipe organ The building equipment and ground cost about S170IHNK The theater is owned by the Kiviera Theater Corporation of which Harold Horn Is president and Robert Horn vice president and treasurer It is located In South Miami on the West Dixie highway Davis Construction Company were the contractors and Robertson A Patteraon are the architects wails the exterior being finished In the Riviera Theater is exceptionally a light cream stucco The auditorium beautiful the ceiling especially being which measures 70 by 100 feet Is finished In colors that are restful as spanned by light steel trusses under- well as otherwise attractive to the set by broad beams finished In old ye Between the walnut colored slnut decorated with a peasant beams extending across the width oral design The Interior decora- i of the auditorium space are wide tlon was done by the Caribbea Interstices painted a smooth cerui-S'cdios of Miami The general con- ean blue In the central sections of tour of the building presents an un- I which are suspended large clusters dnia tirg surface treated irregularly electric lights set In wrought Iron cast stone ornamentation The futures of elaborate pattern Other roofing tile Is old Spanish Imported fixtures and lights are placed at Pafn suitable Intervals around the walls Th fquipmfnt of tho nivirn Th and at tha main entrance behind the I of the mojt modern obtain-: central archway Me Including a mechanical venti-1 The chair ir the Riviera Theater iatina ytem and electrical inxtalla 5 were supplied by the Theater Supply tlon that ar-fj said to be the last word and Equipment Company of Atlanta in efficiency In motion picture the- Ga and are not only of th nmst operation A $1300 Hope-j comfortable type but are attractive unit WurRtzer orjtan of the In design and colorings The seat theater type has been provided are heavily upholstered in leather to insure the best In music enter-j and are st solidly In the ement ta nmenl for Riviera patrons flooring which slopes gradually The vlectrlral Installation w-nrfc from the rear of the auditorium to done by the Ambros Com- the orchestra pit In the front Wide LANDSCAPE FIRM IN SOUTH MIAMI LIGIITISG FIXTURES SOLD BY MIAMI FIRM William Abbot lighting: fixture de-eigner and manufacturer of Coral Cables furnished the electric lighting fixtures for the new ltivlera Theater at South Miami Mr Abbot created original designs especially for the Riviera He has supplied fixtures for a number of other important structures here including the San Sebastian Hotel Coral (tables the Boulevard Hotel Miami Beach Capitol Theater the Dream Theater Coral Gables and for many private residences and apartments He specializes in hand-made wrought Iron fixtures designed to harmonize with Florida architecture Frank Rimoldi secretary and treasurer The company now has upward of 50000 plants in Its large nursery located a short distance south of the railroad station in South Miami many of them exotics or of unusual native types The company has been active in supplying plants and designing landscape gardens in South Miami Coral Gables and in Miami Both Mr Wittkow and Mr Rimoldi have made a study of Italian and Spanish landscape architecture supplementing their studies at Cornell University wilh a travel course abroad Most of the landscaping work being done at the present time by the company is in Coral Gables Mr Wittfeow said Plans have just been completed for planting the grounds of Perky of the Island Holding Company and of the Mediterranean Villa of Mrs Kempe opposite the home of George Merrick Large Nursery Maintained Near Larkins Station On Dixie Tlyi Riviera Landscape Company of South Miami organized early this year by two young men from Cincinnati Ohio has steadily prospered according to Its owners Christian Witt-kow president of the company and MST mmevs (fjusi iiHMqvuu in raaaitiiiis4 Doors Open at 6:30 TWO SHOWS 7 and 9:00 bu fe Announcing the FORMAL OPENING TONIGHT OF THE fe rxfA-J a 3 4 i AT SOUTH MIAMI ilmv -cfejrY CfTAJ' 1 fe-V- tv fe fe fefeffe) On The Miami-Homestead Highway The efforts of the management of this new $170000 Theater will be to feature the highest class amusement obtainable at all times and at popular prices Children 20c Adults 40c MESS THE OPENING TONIGHT i Li V5 A Opening Programme 6 6 LEAVES SUNDAY jy A Fox Production Featuring Olive Borden and Geo MONDAY LAURA LA PLANTE IN An Uproarious Pathe Comedy and Pathe News NIGHTLY ORGAN SELECTIONS BY GILBERT EDWARDS at the WURTLIZER Hope-Jones Unit one of the finest Theater Organs in the South Address of Welcome by Judge Wm A Foster Mayor of South Miami and Others Featuring TOM MIX Two blocks from the Riviera Section of Coral Gables two blocks from the Railroad Station of South Miami On the Miami-Homestead Highway west of Red Road Look for the Electric Sign 4-Oc ADULTS CHILDREN PLENTY OF PARKING SPACE.