Albert J. and John E. Locatelli, 1926. Courtesy Kevin Foley, Locatelli Properties.

Arriving from Italy with his brother Frank, John Locatelli worked as a laborer in East Boston before beginning his own construction company. He soon moved to Somerville where he built several elegant apartments in the Spring Hill area. In 1921, he built the Central Theatre, followed by the Ball Square, where his son Albert became manager. Their theatres, which included the Arlington Capitol, were known for their fine decorative detail. But the Locatellis were best known for the commercial centers they developed in Winchester and Belmont. In 1939, they sold their Somerville theatres to the M&P chain and the Arlington Capitol to the Vianos.