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The cross-section of the exterior reveals the wooden brackets and tin soffits under the eaves of the tile roof, masterful detail easily overlooked given the current condition of the building. One of the grand old palaces of
Washington, D.C., the Tivoli was almost saved by a group of local supporters
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of the Tivoli are labeled Scheme A and date to June 15, 1922, at which point the theater did not have a name but was simply referred to as "Theater
Building." Lamb's original proposal features ornate, decorative detail throughout the exterior. There is far more stucco detail surrounding the numerous
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In his place, Crandall appointed the reputable young Thomas Lamb from New York as architect for all of his subsequent designs, including the
Ambassador, built from the remains of the Knickerbocker, and the Tivoli. Lamb began designing the Tivoli less than six months after the Knickerbocker collapse.
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The canopy and marquee from these Scheme A drawings also differ from what was eventually built. The artistic streetscape rendering at the beginning of this series of pages reflects this grand original concept. (These original architectural drawings were found in the archives of the Avery
Library of
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In 1976, the Tivoli was closed due to increased deterioration of the theater and the local area. After over 25 years closure, the Tivoli has benefited from a revitalization of the
Columbia Heights neighborhood. In 2005, the Tivoli was reopened after an almost six year renovation. The Tivoli is now
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Ornate Scheme A drawings were still being produced as late as
December 11, 1922. However, by April 12, 1923, the date of the final architectural drawings, the theater building had been given the name Tivoli and the drawings had become simpler and streamlined, nevertheless still fully reflective of
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exterior, red tile roof, ornate cornices, and numerous graceful arches. Completed in 1924 at a cost of $ 1 million, the theater was, until its closing in 1976, one of the most elegant movie houses in
Washington, D.C. In addition to the main theater auditorium, the building contained offices on the
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dropped 26 inches of snow on the city, causing the fragile roof of the
Knickerbocker to collapse. Few of the patrons who had filled the theater that evening for a screening of the comedy hit "Get Rich Quick Wallingford" escaped unharmed. In the heaped rubble of the auditorium, 98 people were
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December 4, 1923, construction commenced on the Tivoli, which became the ninth in the chain of Washington theaters owned by Crandall. Although the final building was less ornate than the original conceptual drawings, it still cost over $ 1 million when it was completed in 1924.
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the home of GALA (Grupo de
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upper floors and several two-story shops along the 14th Street and Park Road frontages. In the quarter century it has lain vacant, the building has suffered from neglect, extensive vandalism, and severe water damage due to a leaking roof.
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found dead and 136 injured. Following the collapse of the Knickerbocker, Crandall released Geare as his primary architect, even though Geare had already begun work on a new theater in the fashionable neighborhood of Columbia Heights.
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Incorporating a new understanding of structural integrity which followed in the wake of the disaster, Lamb designed the Tivoli as three separate bodies-stage, auditorium, and perimeter.
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the Italian Renaissance style. The change in design was most likely due to constraints imposed by owner Harry M. Crandall, whose initial building cost estimate was $ 650,000.
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Theatres on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C.
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If Walls Could Talk: Tivoli Theater Was "The Temple of the Arts"
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windows on the second floor of this original conceptual design.
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The Tivoli Theatre was designed by prominent New York architect
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Buildings and structures in Columbia Heights, Washington, D.C.
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In a brief 24-hour period spanning January 27–28, 1922, a
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Mediterranean Revival architecture in Washington, D.C.
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Renaissance Revival architecture in Washington, D.C.
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407:GALA Hispanic Theatre: History of Tivoli Theatre
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338:826DC/Tivoli's Astounding Magic Supply Co.
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122:38.930806; -77.032389
87:3301-3325 14th St. NW
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280:Columbia University
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