212-214 S Michigan - State Theater_Survey Card

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212-214 S. Michigan Street Historical Notes (continued) In 1919 the Ralph Sollitt and Son Construction firm of Chicago established a regional office in South Bend. Ralph S. Sollitt and Lincoln Sollitt headed this area office and they contracted to build the Blackstone Theater Building. Ralph and Lincoln Sollitt later organized the Sollitt Construction Corporation of South Bend. In May of 1920, the Union Trust Company purbhased $200,000 in bonds from the Black- stone Theater Corporation, which gave them an interest in later financial trans actions. The Blackstone Theater Corporation leased the store building and rooms in the build- ing to doctors, dentists, shoe stores, jewelry stores, restaurants, and the Little Folks Clothing Shop 0n January 27th 1921, on page 8 of the News Times Newspaper, the new Blackstone was described as "Indiana's Most Beautiful Photo Play Theater." The fire -proof build- ing cost $500,000, and was designed by Henry Newhouse of Chicago. It had concrete floors and stairways and the only wood used was for window and door casings. The lobby was 60' x 35', finished with imported marble and tile supplied by E. E. Horse - pool of the South Bend Marble Company. The theater had a seating capacity of 2,500 seats with ample room between the rows. The rows of seats gradually rose from the orchestra pit to the highest level in the theater building, suggesting a style pat- terned after the old Roman Coliseum. There were small balconies at the sides of the theater but no posts obstructed the view from the other seats. The walls had a brocade effect in brown and gold with the draperies supplied by Mandel Brothers of Chicago. The velvet carpet and leather shairs were supplied by Karper Brothers of Chicago through Robertson Brothers of South Bend. The oval dome was made of fine sky blue art glass that matched the blue ceiling. The film booth was one of the largest and most complete in the United States and had.three Cimplex Company motion picture projectors for showing silent moving pictures. The soud for the pictures was provided by an orchestra and organ. The stage could be enlarged for concerts and musicals. 0Ne of the new features of the theater was a nursery for children, with an attend- ant to take care of them while parents attended the performance. The outside front of the theater has ten massive columns, starting at the second story. Five large urns are at the base of these columns, giving the building the look of neo-classic style of architecture. In February, 1922, the auditorium was leased to the R. B. Corporation, managed by Ezra Rhodes. The Blackstone Theater Corporation had financial difficulties in 1923, and the directors secured a $250,000 mortgage from the Meyer -Kiser Bank of Indianapolis. In 1931, the Blackstone Theater Corporation went into receivership and J. J. Kiser was appointed the trustee. The name of the theater was changed from Black- stone to State Theater at this time. Kiser remained trustee of the building, arranging leases for theater and stores, until 1942. The Frank Toepp, Sr... heirs still retain the property - lot 56 0.P. Mrs. Gabriel Summers and her daughter, Alice Stephensons Ayling, purchased part of lot 56 and 57 0.P., in 1939 from the U.S. Department of Financial Institute when their agent liquidated the St. Joseph Loan and Trust Co. of South Bend, who held an interest in lots 56 and 57 0.P. Alice Ayling gave a Warranty Deed to the property to the Sisters of Holy Cross in 1964. In 1976, this property was transferred to the Corporation of St. Mary's College. In 1959, the front of the Construction Balaban and Katz organization, who leased the theater, remodeled the building. Montana and Schultz were the architect and H. F. Glaser Company of South Bend did the remodeling work.