Howard Theatre

Description

The Howard Theater, which opened in 1910 and was home to a pantheon of African-American artists, playing host to many of the great black musical artists of the early and mid-twentieth century. Designed by J. Edward Storck, the 1,200-seat theater included orchestra and balcony seating as well as eight proscenium boxes. The interior was lavishly decorated, but no less extravagantly than the exterior, where elements of Beaux-Arts, Italian Renaissance, and neoclassical styles combine in an elegant façade, topped with an over-lifesized statue of Apollo playing his lyre. Alterations in 1931 stripped  the building of its classical detailing, its brick façade and windows were covered with a layer of stucco, and the portico was removed and replaced with a streamlined marquee. The building was further altered in 1941 and 1974. It closed in the early 1980's.

M+J's design will take the Howard back to its original 1910 appearance, which is being guided by on-site investigation and historic photographs. This design has won unanimous approval from the DC Historic Preservation Review Board. The firm's work is designed in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation in order to qualify the project for the Historic Preservation Tax Credit.