To fulfill his vision, he initially purchased and refurbished existing neighborhood movie houses that were generally modest in size such as the Apollo Theater on H Street NE.

However, Crandall began commissioning entirely new buildings designed by Reginald W. Geare, such as the Knickerbocker (1917), the Metropolitan (1918), the York (1919), and the Lincoln (1922).

Crandall retained 25 percent ownership and became the executive of the company, which, at the time, was among the four largest theatrical organizations in the country.

[citation needed] Crandall used his position and his theaters to educate the population, and to provide space for their cultural and civic activities.

Crandall and Locher believed that the neighborhood theater could function as a community center, and that it could provide space for educational, cultural and religious activities when not showing movies.

Former Congressman Andrew Jackson Barchfeld and a number of prominent political and business leaders were among those killed in the theater.