Director

The theater architect, G. Lloyd Preacher also served as the building's first owner. The Rialto's exterior, plastered in a pale yellow, was complemented by its signature stage velvet curtains. The contractor, Mr. H. D. Hearn of S. A. Lynch enterprises, a prominent southern theater company, proclaimed the building to be fireproof. The ventilation system was reported to have "two eight-foot fans run by ten-horsepower motors which empty the air of the theater completely every two minutes and bring in a current of fresh air".As an exclusive shower of Paramount and Art Craft motion pictures, locals were happy to hear that "Augusta will see the same pictures as are being shown in New York and other big cities...while they are new and fresh." Although expected to open on September 18, the opening was postponed to Monday, September 23 due to technical difficulties. Like many motion pictures that double as venues for vaudeville acts, the Rialto had a five-piece orchestra play every afternoon and evening. On January 6, 1956, a news article announced that the Rialto was going out of business after almost 38 years of operation. With faltering success in relation to the Imperial and the Miller Theatre, the Rialto reported losing some $300 per week. The theater officially closed on Feb. 18 and was replaced by the Augusta federal savings and Loan Association which conducted extensive renovations on the building in association with Architect Phil Scroggs. A new marquee of Georgia marble was added, the theater floor was leveled and finished with terrazzo tiles, the walls were newly paneled, and an acoustically treated ceiling was installed.The building currently houses the Casella Eye Center.

The Rialto Theatre reportedly opened on Wednesday, September 18, 1918, at 2:00 PM with the showing of Douglas Fairbanks' "Bound in Morocco". An Augusta Chronicle Article sited described the theatre as representing "the last word in the way of a moving picture theater." With a seating capacity of 710 people, the theatre opened two months after the Imperial theatre, making it the third operating theater on broad street.

Rialto Theater

This is the Broad Street portion of Historic Augusta's downtown virtual tour. Here you will learn about Augusta's rich history through the lens of architecture.

Architect I.M. Pei proposed his initial concept for the revitalization of Augusta's Broad Street in the year 1974. The original proposition was to remove the pre-existing angled parking on both sides of the street as well as the outer third lanes, in order to make space for parallel parking. There would also be central parking wells down the median of the street, for a more efficient flow of traffic. In addition to the 450-car parking plaza on the 800 block of Broad street, there were to be two 8,500 sq ft. retail spaces between the 800 and 900 blocks of Broad St, as well as a park with benches and a fountain on the 700 block.Much of Pei's original design remained through multiple revisions, but the centrally located retail spaces were not approved. Walking down Brod Street today, one can see the 21' fountain as well as the in-ground parking. The concrete planters and lamp posts on Broad street were also the construction of I.M. Pei's plan to renew the garden city, as it was once called. Pei's plan has endured forty-three years and continues to serve as a characteristic component of downtown Augusta. 600 Broad St. now hosts a number of start-up companies, an art gallery, and an event room.

600 Broad St, constructed in 1977, is a design by the world-renowned architect I.M. Pei. Situated along the central axis of Broad St, this building is the only of its kind and serves as a landmark for the mid to late 70s redevelopment effort downtown. On-axis with the building are parking wells and plazas that span between the 600 and 1000 blocks of Broad Street.

600 Broad St

Began as the Executive House in 1972, built by a partnership including former Georgia Gov. Carl Sanders. The Hotel experienced a number of various owners and was renamed the Ramada Plaza in 1995. An article announcing the hotel's transition from the "Executive" to the "Ramada" also mentioned the advertisement of a Jack Nicklaus Suite, perhaps a room he booked during Masters Week.The hotel opened on Monday 17, 1975. The $6 million 14-story building offered proof of the rapid economic development promised to the people of Augusta. The attendance for the hotel's grand opening was described as a "fantastic crowd" by the Chronicle. A cow and her son from the Borden Milk Company even made an appearance. The hotel was very successful during its early phase, and the Jack Nicklaus Suite was booked a month in advance for master's week at the price of The two bed and bath Penthouse suite had already been booked for master's week, about a month in advance for the price of approximately $400/night.

The Executive House Hotel was constructed in 1974-75 under the request of former Georgia Governor, Carl Sanders. The project, upon completion, was regarded as a driving component in the Augusta downtown revitalization due to the convention and meeting space amenities it offered. In 1995, Ramada Worldwide, a chain of Wyndham, purchased the Executive House and renamed it the Ramada Plaza.

Executive House Hotel

The Miller Theater formally opened on Feb. 26, 1940, at 8:30 PM, with 75 cents general admission. More than 2,200 people crowded into the art moderne theater, and Frank Miller himself was brought to the stage, by demand of the crowd, and welcomed with a thunderous roar.Less than half a century following its grand opening, the Miller closed in 1985 due to structural neglect and lacking general interest from the public. Months before the theatre's closing, a prominent ballet company vacated the Miller, and when asked why, they responded "The Imperial is [a] much better space for the audience." The building sat vacant until 2005 when businessman and philanthropist Peter Knox IV purchased the building, installed a new roof, and made all the proper repairs. In 2008, Mr. Knox offered the Miller Theater to the Symphony Orchestra of Augusta as a home performing venue. In 2016, a $25 million, seven-year renovation project began on the theater. The theater today serves the people of Augusta as it did nearly a century ago.

Construction began on the Miller Theater in 1938, which was designed to accommodate Augusta's growing population. Frank Miller, the building's owner, commissioned the Jacksonville-based architect, Roy Benjamin, to design the theater. The Miller is rendered in the Art Moderne style, features Italian Marble terrazzo, Black walnut millwork, and a performance stage adorned with fluted columns and hand-painted panels. The theater seats approximately 1,550 patrons and was the second-largest theater in Georgia at the time of its construction, which cost approximately $500 thousand.

Miller Theatre

The office building at 699 Broad Street, designed by Architects Robert McCreary and William Hughes, opened on July 31, 1967. With a total occupiable area of 214,000 square feet, the building came equipped with a complete fireproofing system, a 1,000-ton air conditioning and heating system, and computerized elevators, adding to its ethos of accommodation and technology.Upon its completion, the first four floors and the sub-ground levels were occupied by the Georgia Railroad Bank and Trust Company, the fifth to fourteenth floors were leased retail spaces, and the top two floors were occupied by the Pinnacle Club business society. Also, note that the second-floor floor terraced roof supported a garden.In addition to the impressive exposed steel structure of the building, a seven-and-a-half-story parking garage with a structure of pre-stressed concrete came attached to the building with entry into the office through covered pathways - one on the ground level, and two subsequent paths at every third floor. The parking garage was the first multi-story building in Augusta with a structure of its kind. With a post-completion total of approximately $6 million, local officials cited the new bank complex as a necessary step in the modernization of Downtown Augusta. The Georgia Railroad Bank removed its signature sign from the west-facing facade of the building after a merger with the First Union bank in 1987. As of 2015, Augusta University leases the first two floors and the basement, and the Pinnacle club still occupies the upper two stories. Approximately 3/4 of the building is vacant.

The original Georgia Railroad Bank building opened on October 11, 1902 at 701 Broad Street, at the intersection of 7th and Broad Street. It was designed in the Renaissance Revival style by architects Mowrbary &amp; Uffinger, whose office hosted a public gala for the completed structure's inspection. In 1969, the banking company relocated across the street to 699 Broad in a 17-story Miesian-style office skyscraper built specifically for the bank. The site of the previously occupied bank was used for the expansion of the Neoclassical style Citizen southern Bank.

Georgia Railroad Bank Building

Mills B. Lane, president of the Citizens &amp; Southern Bank established a charter in Augusta, due to its reputation as "one of the greatest cotton trading centers in the south". He planned for the building to sit adjacent to the Georgia Railroad Company Building on a tract of land purchased from Jacob Phinizy of the National Bank of Augusta. Lane commissioned architects Mowbray &amp; Uffinger of New York who specialized in the design of banks whose projected $100,000 design would be in the Greek Revival Style with a white granite facade. The bank opened on July 1, 1912, and sustained minimal fire damage during Augusta's great fire just four years later due to its fire-resistant structure. Moreover, the granite facade aided in preventing the spread of the fire west of 7th street. A 1916 article cited the building as one of the "deciding points of the great struggle." An Augusta Chronicle article from 1912 highlighted the building's forty-foot ceilings and 50' x 90' exterior dimensions - as well as its skylight roof and waterproof basement. The new bank was a modern marvel for Augusta at the time. In 1969, the Citizens and Southern Bank expanded its colonnade to the end of the former Georgia Railroad Bank to form one branch: the Nations Bank. The Georgia Railroad Company relocated to a modern skyscraper at 699 Broad. A "Festa Romana" was hosted by the company to celebrate the grand re-opening of the bank on Saturday, June 27, 1970. The guests dressed in Roman-themed attire and enjoyed Roman-themed fare.The Building is currently owned by Morris Communications Corporation, the parent company of Augusta Chronicle, and operates as a Morris office space on the upper floor and administrative space for the Bank of America on the lower floor.

The Citizen and Southern Bank of Georgia, established in 1917, selected Augusta as their location due to its thriving economy in agriculture, namely cotton. The original building was located adjacent to the National Bank of Augusta and the Georgia Railroad Bank. The building has experienced two expansions: one in the late '40s to early '50s and a final in the late '60s, both of which contributed to its current six-column facade. Although the Citizens and Southern Bank no longer occupies the building, the company's name can still be seen plastered across the building's architrave.

Citizens and Southern Bank Building

An ad in the Augusta Chronicle on 22 February 1917 announce the decided construction company to conduct work on the new Herald Building. Of the sixteen companies who bid on the Herald, four of those were based in Augusta. Of the remaining twelve was a company from Alabama that won the bid at a price of $84,726 (equivalent to $1.7M today,) excluding utilities, electricity, etc. The two local competing companies found it unfair that a team from Birmingham, Alabama won the bid, especially considering the local bids were the least costly. Two days following the announcement of the winner, an ad appeared in the Chronicle to state the grievances of the local firms. In the ad, they proposed the question "Is this not a case of failure to patronize home industry?" Construction commenced Mid-March 1917.While the building served to house the Augusta Herald office and distribution functions, it also housed several law firms, medical professionals, etc. Most notably, the Red Cross chapter of Augusta held meetings for the World War I relief effort on the fourth floor. Due to the temporary relocation of the organization, the Herald building became a headquarters of sort for the Augusta Red Cross in the early 20th century. On 7 December 1917, an ad in the Chronicle called for "an urgent act of benevolence from the women of the town" in order to effectively come to the aid of allied French Forces.Following a rise in prevalence of the competing Augusta Chronicle, the two companies agreed to merge in February of 1955, which entailed the purchase of the Herald building by William Morris of the Augusta Chronicle. The merger brought two drastic changes 1) the addition of the Augusta Herald logo beneath that of the Augusta Chronicle, and 2) the renaming of the Herald building to the News Building. The former lasted for approximately forty years, after which the Herald logo was removed altogether from the newspaper. However, the words "Chronicle" and "Herald" can be seen from the facade. The building is currently the headquarters of Morris Communications.

The News Building, formerly known as the Herald, was built in April 1917 by the Evans Brother Construction Company. Following the Great Fire of 1916, which brought the downtown district nearly to ruins, a multi-million dollar redevelopment effort proceeded in the succeeding year. The Italian Renaissance-style building's $115,000 cost of construction was an integral part of the downtown initiative. Eventually, in 1955, the Augusta Chronicle purchased the building, following a merger with the Herald.

Herald Building

On 18 February 1826, an ad appeared in the Augusta Chronicle for a store owned by George Oates vending industrial cutlery, metal working tools, and various music books. This is the first known document having to do with the lot at 724 Broad Street (then 222 Broad Street). Fifteen years later, another ad appears in the chronicle for a store owned by James Manhattan, who served as the self-proclaimed successor to "the well-known establishment of Dalby &amp; Hoogh-Kirk," presumably another tailor. Prior to the construction of the Dorr, a number of tenants among those above mentioned occupied a previous building on the same lot which include: W. H. Crane, D. Kauffman, Vanwinkle &amp; Co., J. P. Burnside, C. V. Walker, E. Baum, and C. W. Hersey. Augustus Dorr, a German immigrant, settled in Augusta during the year 1852, and arrived at 222 Broad street during the year 1874. Prior to his location at 222 Broad street, he operated a store at 220 Broad from the previous stand of C. W. Hersey, under whom he worked as an apprentice for several years. Nine years after working in Augusta as a tailor, Augustus Dorr had a storefront built on the lot of 718 Broad St. (following the change in the address system). An ad from 21 August 1883 described the new building as an "ornament to the city." Following the fire on 10 December 1899, Dorr relocated temporarily to 816 Broad St until renovations on his store were complete. There was a preceding fire in June of the same year, but Mr. Dorr had a firewall implemented into the structure of his building, so as to protect his store from such foreseeable damages. He returned to his home location on 11 September 1904 under a new address of 724 Broad St. The Dorr company occupied their building at Broad street for 57 years, but the lot itself had been around for at least a decade longer. Following their closeout sale on 23 June 1940, the building has housed various jazz cafes, social venues, among intermittent periods of vacancy. As of January 2021, both the building's upper-level residential units and retail spaces are currently vacant.

The Second-Empire style building at what is now 724 Broad St., locally referred to as the Dorr Building is one of the oldest standing buildings on Broad Street with a traceable origin to 1886, with the lot traceable to 1826. Augustus Dorr Commissioned local architect W. E. Speir to design the storefront. Considering the rise in popularity of the Second empire style occurred during the 1852-1870 reign of Napoleon III, the construction of the building years after the style's prominence can most likely be attributed to the delayed time for cultural diffusion to affect the southern United States. 

The building survived three great fires, two in the years 1899 and one in 1916. It has also experienced three address changes due to a presumable shift in the Broad St. lot numbering system as a result of urban development.


Dorr Building

For his brave endeavor and substantial contribution to the Augusta Downtown business district, the Augusta Chronicle congratulated Mr. White and wished the Albion a "speedy completion, and great popularity and success." Upon its completion, the building was reported to stand as one of the South's most impressive and accommodating hotels. The hotel resided on the West Wing and the dry goods department store resided on the East Wing. The main entrance to the hotel was in the center of the complex and the lobby retained an 18-foot ceiling with ornamental metal tiles, uniform lighting throughout each tile, and two high-speed elevators. There were 150 bedrooms in the hotel, each receiving ample light and ventilation. The commercial units housed a cloak and carpet department on the second floor, a furniture department on the third floor, and a wholesale department on the fifth. The shipping department was located in the basement of the west wing. On Saturday, November 26, 1921, a massive fire erupted at 1:50 A.M. at the corner of Eighth and Broad Streets. The Harrison Building, whose burning masonry fall fell through the roof of the Albion were both considered a total loss for total damage of about $1,000,000. The right and the center portions of the building were gutted through to Ellis street. The damaged middle portion was never rebuilt and the Albion Avenue was laid out as a fire break when the block was rebuilt. The west end of the property was rebuilt in 1923 as the eight-story Richmond Hotel. The Art-Deco façade that is currently on the East End Broad Street façade was added in 1922. Approximately 7,000 square feet of floor space was added and 230 feet of window displays for the Sears Roebuck company. By 1958, The J. C. Penney department store began leasing the 83,000 square foot building and in 1959 company founder, James Cash Penney attended the grand opening. The J. C. Penney Department store left the location in 1987 and moved to the newly constructed Augusta Mall.The Albion/J.C. Penney property has been vacant since. The Richmond Hotel was converted in 1979 into a 125-unit subsidized-housing apartment complex, now known as the Richmond Summit. Albion Avenue is currently closed to vehicle traffic and serves as an outdoor sitting space for Richmond Summit Residents.

The Albion Building was constructed in 1900-1901 and designed by Architect Willis F. Denny of Atlanta who also designed the old First Baptist Church located on Greene Street. Augusta businessman, J.B. White, commissioned the architect to design a business complex of five stories and two wings with a construction price of approximately $60,000. A large commercial hotel resided on one end with an equally impressive dry goods department on the opposing end. At the time of its construction, the Albion was described as "a handsome building five stories high and specially arranged to afford ample light and air to every room." The facade was plastered in light cream brick and Georgia Marble.

Albion Hotel/J.C. Penny

G. L. Miller and Company issued the bonds for the hotel’s construction as reported in the Augusta Chronicle on April 30, 1922, which cost $660,000 to build. The J. B. White Estate also played a role in the development of this significant downtown property. At the time the J.B Whites Department store was located adjacent to the Albion Hotel site and was damaged by fire as well. The estate invested in the hotel to prove their “faith in Augusta” and offer further improvements of the downtown infrastructure including sidewalks and streets that were fifty feet wide. A Chronicle article cited the Albion hotel as "having no place as the leading hotel of a city like Augusta," due to its modest appearance, and that the construction of the Richmond hotel would resolve the issue due to its 75 feet tall structure. The building was reported to be completed for occupation in January of 1923. In 1979, the Richmond hotel was converted into 125 subsidized one-bedroom apartment units for the elderly each of about 600 sq feet. The first floor would host units to accommodate the handicapped and the remainder of the first floor would house commercial spaces. Albion Avenue was permanently closed to vehicular traffic in order to establish a resident courtyard.In the early 21st century, the Richmond summit experienced an increased rate of crime and as well as a decreased quality of life for its residents. The issues have since then been resolved, and the Richmond Summit continues to provide subsidized housing to its residents.

Designed by prominent Georgia architect G. Lloyd Preacher, the 8-story Richmond Hotel was constructed in 1923 on the site of the former Albion Hotel which burned in 1921. The building's design is of the Italian Renaissance Revival style indicated by the rectangular form, entablature, and rhythmic placement of the windows. Construction on the Richmond Hotel was completed in January of 1923 and was renamed the Richmond Summit in 1979.

Richmond Hotel 

Upon its completion in 1914, the Chronicle Building was considered one of the south's most modern and well-equipped buildings of its time. The Architect, William G. Lloyd Preacher, spoke on the building as possessing a heating system so effective that one could "overheat the building in zero-degree weather if desired."The provided amenities attracted a crowd of wealthy investors, and approximately three-fourths of the building had been rented out before its completion. This served as an indicator of Augusta's growing popularity and economic development. However, the fire-proof structure was subject to flame in the great fire of 1916 and closed for renovation. The fire spanned 32 blocks and thrust the city into a financial crisis which caused a widescale evacuation of tenants from the Chronicle Building.After the necessary repairs were made, the Chronicle building was sold to Mr. Jacob Phinizy who renamed his property to the Marion Building. For the remainder of the 20th Century and up until the year 2012, the Marion housed a number of tenants including major companies such as the Charleston &amp; Western Carolina Railway and the Postal Telegraph Company. The building has sat vacant for the past eight years, and the interior has been gutted for future sales.

The Marion was originally built in 1914 as the Chronicle Office Building located at 737-739 Broad Street. Designed by the architect G.Lloyd Preacher in the Renaissance Revival style, it was considered one of Augusta's earliest multi-storied buildings. Although advertised as fireproof, this building sustained fire damage in 1916 and reopened in 1922 as the Marion Building.

Marion Building

Designed by Augusta architect G.Lloyd Preacher in association with theater designer C.K. Howell of Richmond, the Imperial was constructed in 1917, one year after the great fire of 1916, and was advertised as fireproof. The theater opened at 7:30 p.m on Feb. 18, 1918, as the Wells theater, in honor of its owner, Jake Wells, the "Father of Vaudeville." An article announcing its grand opening described the theater's interior as a "work of art and beauty; the harmonizing effect of the decorations combining create a most beautiful place." Prices for seating ranged from 50 cents for general admission to 15 cents for the gallery.In October of 1918, the Spanish Influenza quarantine forced the downtown area to close its businesses. Once the quarantine was lifted in January 1919, the Wells Theater reopened as The Imperial.After decades of prominence, declining business forced the Imperial's closure in 1981, and plans for demolition were followed shortly thereafter. Fortunately, after an extensive renovation, it reopened in 1985 as a community theater, and it continues to house local productions as well as musical acts and film series.

The theatre was built in 1917 as the "Wells Theater for Vaudeville Acts" in the Syllivanesque architectural style. The theater closed as a cinema in 1981 but reopened as a community arts theater in 1985. The imperial has hosted notable names such as Charlie Chaplin and James Brown. A replica of the original marquee was applied to the facade in 2006.

Imperial Theater

Whitney Company of NY began construction on the 16-story southern finance building in late 1913 until the owner went bankrupt. In 1916 funds were acquired and construction resumed, only to be destroyed in a great fire later that year. The building sustained $200,000 of damage during the fire of 1916. Work resumed in January 1917 under the supervision of Mr. A. E. Crane. Tenants first moved in on August 8, 1917, although the building was not fully complete at the time. By August 17, 1917, more than half of the available tenant space had been leased. On the night of its completion, Mr. Crane turned on every light of the building which served as an important spectacle for the people of Augusta. The building finally opened in 1918 as the Lamar Building.In 1973, a group of investors purchased the then Southern Finance Corp. Building as a component of their plan to revitalize Augusta's downtown business district. They commissioned architect I.M. Pei to design a $500,000 glass penthouse to replace the gabled roof in 1975. In May of 1978, the investors faced financial troubles which caused a foreclosure of the recently purchased building.Since then, the Lamar building has housed a number of small businesses and office spaces. The building is currently vacant.

Located at 735 Broad St., this project began construction in 1913 as the Empire Life Insurance Building. Designed in the Sullivanesque architectural style by G. Lloyd Preacher of Augusta and W. L. Stoddard of New York, the building has been cited as one of Augusta'a "first and finest office towers." Although the original plan was to complete construction by the end of 1913, a series of financial struggles and fire damage extended the completion date to early 1916. Unfortunately, the building was gutted later that year for damage sustained in the 1916 Fire. The former Empire Life Insurance Building reopened as the Lamar Building.

Lamar Building

The Union Savings Bank was constructed in 1917 to replace the previous loss of the 1916 fire. The building was designed in the Neoclassical Revival Style by Architect R. H. Hunt of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Contracted by the Southern Ferro concrete Company for the facade, a total of $63,000 was amassed for the fireproof facade of Tennessee grey marble and terra cotta. Vault work was done by the New York Safe and Lock Company, the same company that provided vaults for the former structure on the site. By 1931, the Union Savings Bank Company was liquidated and the Building sat vacant for 33 years until Disney used the building for a few scenes in the remake of "That Darn Cat."Since 2007, Nicholas Dickinson &amp; Associates have established an architectural firm on the upper story of the 28-foot high structure. The lower levels houses office and retail spaces, and the basement houses Joe's Underground.

The original building on the site was constructed in 1910 in the Mission style following a 1908 acquisition of land on Broad by the Union Savings Banking Company. An article in the Augusta Chronicle cited the building as "one of the prettiest buildings in the city." The furnishings were all of dark mahogany wood and the chandeliers were "the handsomest that have been seen in the city."

Union Savings Bank Building

In 1956, a store expansion took the place of three neighboring storefronts down the 800 block of Broad Street. The project cost $500,000 and expanded the building to nearly 46,000 square feet. This new storefront was one of the most prominent stores downtown, and an Augusta Chronicle article cited the store as "the largest one-story branch owned by the firm in the southeast". New furnishings were placed throughout the building, and a total of 13 "checkout booths" occupied the store's three entrances. Such additions can attest to the flourish of consumerism that swept downtown Augusta during the mid-50s to early 60s. A formal opening took place on Wednesday, Dec 5. several Woolworth's executives based in Atlanta took a trip to Augusta to attend the grand opening. The store would remain open until 9:00 PM through Saturday and offered special promotions for consumers.The building was also the location of a lunch counter sit-in by Paine College Students. Whereas the sitting area was segregated in 1960, the lunch counter was desegregated in 1962.The department store closed its doors in 1991 and has sat vacant since. Current redevelopment efforts are in progress.

The Woolworth Building, located at the corner of Broad and Seventh Streets was built in 1939 and played an integral role in Downtown Augusta's economic redevelopment during the early to mid 20th century. Rendered in the Art Deco style, the storefront building is plastered in tan brick, includes a second-story tenant space with metal-frame windows, and a geometric parapet wall.

Woolworth's

The Modjeska was initially slated to open at 4:00 pm on August 3, 1911, but opened the next day instead due to technical difficulties. The original theater was located at 810 Broad St, which was renovated and subsequently occupied by Woolworth company. A Chronicle article cited the new theater as "beautiful, artistic and tasteful, in addition to possessing more comfort and excellent appointments than any other motion picture theater in the south." The opening night premiered a double feature of the films "Veil of Happiness" and "Bobby the Coward". The advertisement for the showings was complimented with a subtext that read "no greater feature bill had ever been presented in a theater." General admission prices were 5 cents and 10 cents, however, twenty box seats situated on both sides of the theater sold for 15 cents, thus overshadowing the lesser amenities of the competing Bonita. Plans for a new $100,000 Modjeska Theater building were revealed following the great fire of 1916, although no damage was sustained by the original theater building. In fact, a photo exhibition of the Augusta fire was hosted at the Modjeska on April 22, 1916 - One month following the hysteric event.The New Theater was designed by architect G. Lloyd Preacher in the Moorish-Persian architectural style, making it the only building of its kind in Augusta. The theater, a two-story building, included a terracotta exterior with touches of poly-chrome and marble bases. An immense marquee cantilevered out into the sidewalk of broad street, fully lit with incandescent bulbs. The interior housed such amenities as a reading room for the ladies and a smoking room for the men, each equipped with toilets. The performance stage was comparable in size to that of the opera house and included an orchestra pit. The site for the theater was on the north side of Broad Street, directly opposite the existing Modjeska. The Augusta Chronicle cited owner Mr. R. O. Lombard's ambitious plans to renovate the former Modjeska theater and operate both locations simultaneously. The theater opened on Thanksgiving day of 1916 with a six-show program at 3:00 and 8:30 PM. Prices ranged from 15 cent Matinee Mezzanine seating to 50 cent Opera evening prices.On February 19, 1977, the theater was the site of a protest demonstration by a group of Klan members in opposition to the showing of the film "Brotherhood of Death." That same year, the Modjeska closed its doors in early June due to its severely declining patronage. The niche business could not compete with the new commercial suburban theaters in Augusta as well as the increasing popularity of home television. The final picture, "Help me I'm Possessed" showed on Thursday night, June 2nd. Shortly following the close of the Modjeska theater, the marquee was removed. On November 12, 1987, the theater was repaired to functional condition by Owner William T, Gary III. The building currently houses Empire Night Life Club and Bar.

The Modjeska Theater originally opened in 1911, making it the oldest existent theater in Augusta GA. A competitor, the Bonita Theater preceded the Modjeska but soon fell out of business. The current building is rendered in the Moorish-Persian architectural style, designed by Architect G.Lloyd Preacher. The theater hosted picture shows and Vaudeville Acts and has been cited as the first theater in the Augusta Area to premier films with sound.

Modjeska Theater

Two years after forming the partnership, Lucian and Vernon chose to work independently, thus leaving White in charge of the company. This situation was not an issue for White since he was a successful businessman. In fact, after the great fire of 1899, he quickly pinned ads for "damaged goods" in the local paper, to great success. Once the damaged goods sold out, White "distressed" his normal goods in soot to sustain the influx of customers. He relocated to 732 Broad Street, just nine months after the fire in 1900. A second fire on November 26, 1921, affected White's location on the East Wing of the Albion Hotel when the Harrison Building caught fire and spread down the Southern end of the 700 Block. The building itself sustained only water damage amounting to $150,000. Following this event, the entire eastern wing of the Albion was converted to a White's flagship, and the middle portion of the hotel was donated to the city to form Albion Street. He moved to his new building on 936-946 Broad and reopened on July 18, 1924The new building was constructed in the Italian Renaissance architectural style of a steel structural frame with a brick, terra cotta, and tile-clad exterior. The Specific dimensions were 75 feet wide facing Broad Street and extending back onto Ellis Street 271 feet, with approximately 80,000  square feet of occupiable floor space. The general contractor was C.H. Van Ormer of Augusta; the millwork was made by Woodward Lumber Company, the roof, and windows were provided by Augusta Roofing and Metal Company, and W.W. Jones Young Electrical Works installed the wiring. A Chronicle article announcing the grand reopening on the following day described the glass storefront  as comparing in grandeur to "the large stores in the East, such as Wannamaker's in Philadelphia, Lord &amp;  Taylor and several of the other large stores along Fifth Avenue, in New York City." A fourth story was added to the store and the facade was remodeled in 1946 under the supervision of E. J. Gannon.J.B White's left downtown in 1978 for the promise of greater prosperity at the Regency Mall, and was eventually purchased by Dillards. The building sat vacant until the Augusta Renaissance Partners, a downtown revitalization effort,  purchased the building in 1999. They stabilized its foundation, replaced the roof, cleaned the facade, and removed asbestos. In 2007, an Atlanta-based investment group, horizon Group Investments, bought the building at 936 Broad St. Following this purchase, the investment group presented a plan to convert the abandoned 80,000  square feet of occupiable floor area into 20,000 sq. ft. of retail space and 60,000 sq. ft. of residential condos. A bid was accepted in 2009 to begin the project. The J.B. White building currently houses the Book Tavern as well as the New Moon Cafe at the Broad Street level, and condominiums on the 2nd to 4th floors.

James Bryce White, born in Ireland in the year 1847 ran away to the United States at age 16 to seek fortune in New York City. Having worked as a cash boy in NYC, White met business partners Lucian and Vernon Richards, Augusta's most elite dry goods salesmen, while they were on a buying trip to NY. The young boy made a good enough impression for the brothers to offer him a job in Augusta — assuming their offer was convincing enough for James to accept. At the time, Augusta was a winter resort for wealthy northern businessmen, which meant a high clientele for home and fashion goods. Lucian, Vernon, and James partnered in 1874 to form the J.B. White and Company after they purchased the firm of McCabe, Costello, and Daly, located at 730 Broad Street.

Historic Downtown Augusta (Broad Street)

Rialto Theater

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources