For the Cinema

President Robert Lieber of First National Pictures decided three months ago to build a cinema "city" for his productions at Burbank, Calif., in a mountain cranny which sprawling Los Angeles has not yet been able to annex.

His location picked and his plans drawn for some 40 buildings in Spanish-Moorish architecture, President Lieber decided that he wanted speedy construction. He called in. contractors, got their estimates, selected the Austin Company. This concern has branch offices throughout the country and specializes on unit construction, that is, buildings whose parts are standardized as to size and materials. This contract was a $2,500,000 job.

Their California office assembled 600 workmen, steam shovels, concrete mixers, derricks, lumber, steel, wires and glass. They had a 70-acre field to cover with buildings. Austin's planning department functioned smoothly. Supply dealers (mostly in Los Angeles) moved their materials on schedule. Men labored from dawn to dusk. In just 70% working days from the moment ground was broken this new cinema "city" was ready for First National Pictures to begin production.