Theatre Design & Technology - Oct 1967 - 55

Council. The architects and engineers, and the rest of the
industry who would have to work wilh this code protested.
As a result, a compromise proposal for a building code commission was submitted to the council. I feel, and I am sure
the other members of the industry feel, that a building code
commission is extremely important to the proper functioning
of a building code_ To give an example, such things as prestressed concrete, post-tension concrete may fail to pass
the council because some people have adverse vested interests. Pre-stressed concrete, post-stressed concrete is not a
mystery to anyone; it is widely used. In fact, it was used
in Germany when I was in college; so it is not a new
thought, but still the existing building code makes no provision for it.

example, the New York State Code requires that on the main
floor you cannot have steps in the aisle. Now just think
how a thrust stage theatre with a good slope can be built
without steps in the aisles. My answer was, "Why do you
permit steps in the balcony] Are the lives of the people up
in the balcony any less important than the people on the
main floor?" Anyway, New York State University Construction Fund does have the power of variation; they are building university theatres, and they are doing it sensibly. It's
ironic that in New York where the code is so important, it
is not yet enforced.
US ITT has got to be given a lot of credit because it supported this thing right from the start.
MODERATOR: Are there any questions?

I want to get now to the next step. It's my understanding
that the new building code with minor changes will be submitted to the City Council. There was another area in
which Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute acted like a white knight
on horseback and rode head on. It tried to consolidate jurisdiction over building construction into one city agency. The
reason for the delay in the presentation of the building code
to the City Council has been entirely the result of a negotiation between the Mayor's office and the various Commissioners. The new provisions would consolidate into one
agency all the laws and regulations relating to building construction. It is only normal that each of the commissioners
affected by these proposals, where some power is being
subtracted from his present jurisdiction, is presenting a picture of publ ic hazard, possible catastrophe, if this step is
taken. It is my understanding that the administration has
taken a firm stand and is presenting the code almost as
prepared by Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute. I think most of
the people in the industry will have the pleasant surprise of
seeing the code presented as it was prepared. I have been
accused of twisting the arms of most of my friends so that
they would look favorably in the direction of the Building
Department in this consolidation. At no time did I project
myself into this picture; at no time did I use the veto which
was a power granted by contract to the Commissioner of
Buildings. We did make recommendations. Some went into
the wastepaper basket; some were adopted. There was a
gentlemen's agreement that the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute would have a free hand; Bill Correale, who was very
closely allied with this, can say that they did have a free
hand. So this building code is being presented almost intact
as prepared by Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute with the support of the administration and with the hope that it will be
enacted in its entire original concept.

BOB DECKARD: Are the provisions of the revised code available) And
how would I obtain it if I wanted to use this in building a theatre?
CORREALE: We have no extra copies available either in our office or in
Commissioner Ferro's office, but when the code is presented to the City
Council. they have an obligation to publish it. Then it will be made gen·
erally available, and you will be able to pick up a copy.
MODERATOR: All right, the Institute now makes an offer.
We will supply on request at cost to members of the Institute who ask
for it copies of that printed document. We will do that at cost.
CORREALE: Its availability will be announced through the City Record.
MODERATOR: A question to Mr. Schlanger. What does this code enable
those building new theatres to do that they were unable to do under the
existing code?
SCHLANGER: It enables them, frrst, to build a theatre in any design,
based on any philosophy of presentation, that they happen to choose.
It enables them to arrange the audience seating in any manner they desire so long as they can show travel distances and exits that are consistent with the capacity of the building. It will eliminate the need for
an asbestos curtain. It eliminates the need for having a main floor seating without steps in the aisles. It does, however, require, and there was
some opposition to this, that there be a control panel on or near the
stage. It asks that there be somebody in attendance (not necessarily an
engineer) who the manager of the theatre says can read a board and who
would be able to do something about it if a tell-tale light doesn't go on.
Now imagine taking a ship across the ocean and not having somebody
responsible for those thousand people, or two thousand people, on that
boat. Why shouldn't there be one person in attendance) He doesn't
have to be a special person, just one who is familiar with buttons and
connections and with whether or not the electricity is on so that if the
ventilation is needed, it will go on by direct action of this person. So
we have a control panel. At first we thought it would have to be manned
by an engineer; but it doesn't have to be at all. The manager of the
house has only to say. "This man knows how 10 read this panel." The
panel would also have intercom-phone connections. This provision also
ensures that emergency lighting is in readiness. That about sums up
what this new code is about.
ED MADDEN: This man is a different man than the stage manager?

MODERATOR: I would like to say that I have seldom met a
public official who, in answer to the challenge to "lay it on
the line," speaks as frankly as has the Commissioner. 3
SCHLANGER: It is ironic that during the period that this
code was being prepared, and it goes over a few years, the
rest of the country didn't wait for it to be approved. There
have been at least a dozen Jobs that I know of, all over the
country, goodness knows 110W many others exist, where
some of the work of this proposed code has already had effect and where the local authorities have already used their
power to grant variances. As a result, a lot of good projects are going ahead, especially in college theatres and
university theatres where state jurisdiction came into play.
There is a New York State Construction Fund, for example
that has had at least a dozen very important university
theatres built recently. About two years ago they came to
me seeking criteria, because they said, "We certainly don't
want to build a theatre according to the New York State
Code." With all due credit, it is a good code, but it did
hamper the building of good theatres in universities. For

OCTOBER, 1967

SCHLANGER: It could be his assistant. It could be the technical carpenter, the electrician. It could be anybody who the manager says knows
how to look at this panel and know what it means.
MADDEN: This is not his primary job, then?
SCHLANGER: No, it is not his primary iob. It should be somebody who
is on the payroll anyway.
Now whether the unions will come along and demand you have another
man at that panel.
?
TERRY WELLS: Will this code permit the building of a theatre in with
other facilities including office space above a theatre?
CORREALE: Yes.
QUESTION: Can your control panel be used il1 a centralized position to
control r.lore than one theatre in the complex?
SCHLANGER: No. You really have 10 have an observation point for each
audience.
MODERATOR: There is nothing miraculous about this panel. It is a tell·
tale and an activating station and it \vill provide better protection and
better safety to the people in the audience than the existing code pro·
vides.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Oct 1967