Yes, Tinseltoes, the Tony"s will be at the Beacon. While I am extremely disappointed that the country will not be exposed to this gem of a theater there is no better other theater to host the Tony’s than the Beacon as Alto so eloquently pointed out. The theater is actually on Broadway and was recently renovated. It will still reflect very well on New York, but it would have been very nice to have really gone outside the box for a change.
Hi Bobby, all of your questions are answered on the Loew’s Kings page. In short, the City is providing a combination of cash grants and tax benefits and the developer is putting in money as well, but it is truly a collaborative effort. It is about a 4 year restoration project. Right now there is an exhustive search of the original plans and a survey of what exactly needs to be done; restored or replaced. By 2014 the restoration is supposed to be complete and, quite possibly, it will be Brooklyn that will have the country’s most beautiful restored theater. What makes it all the more remarkable is that the Kings is not downtown or central Manhattan. It’s not even in downtown Brooklyn. It doesn’t even have easy access to the subway (thought it is about 6 blocks away). It is (as was the Paradise and the Uptown in Chicago) one of the most incredible palaces ever built to serve as a neighborhood theater. The Paradise is gone, The Kings has been saved and the Uptown still just sits and waits.
The NY Times gave a full review last Friday and while people do read the Daily News and the Post, I do think that the majority of the target market does in fact read the Times. I don’t believe that neither the Post or the Daily News reviewed the film. The lower brow does not see silent films from the 1920’s. :–)
There are indeed others: The Center, the original Ziegfeld, Proctor’s 59th Street, The Madison, Loew’s Oriental, RKO Fordham, RKO 23rd Street, RKO 86th Street, The Orpheum, Loew’s Sheridan, and there are a great many more. The only reason that New York today has what I think is the world’s greatest collection of remaining old movie palaces has less to do with the preservation movement than with the sheer volume of what was constructed during its heyday. Many of the world’s most beautiful theaters ever erected were lost, but a great many (as mentioned above) still remain. It is still a struggle however, to create adapative resues for these theaters. Often, it is via general performing arts centers and churches, but live music, discos, retail and, in the case of the RKO Richmond Hill, a flea market that has kept the theater going for decades.
Population density has been the great genesis and the great destroyer of New York theaters. The density allowed for many of these behemoths to be built and at the same time provide the “buying public” for whatever adaptive resuse that would save a theater. However, the increasing livability of New York doomed so many of the old palaces as the land beneath them simply became too valuable.
Luckily, New York has a strong preservation movement and while not all battles are won, there is an impressive record of saved theaters.
That said, it makes me very sad that I never got to see The Roxy or The Capitol.
Yes, believe it or not, the Loew’s 175th Street and the Loew’s Valencia (both Wonder theaters) still operate as churches with the 175th Street in a position that it is likely one of the best restored and maintained movie palaces in the country. As a matter of fact, all of the theaters I mentioned above are still operating as successful churches. Other palaces like Radio City, The Beacon, The St George and the Loew’s Paradise (another wonder theater) have been successfully repositioned as performing arts centers. The New Amsterdam, Studio 54 and many others are now back as Broadway theaters. The RKO Keiths Richmond Hill incredibly still goes on as a flea market/bingo hall. The Brooklyn Paramount was used as a gymnasium for many years by Long Island University and is awaiting adaptive reuse. The Loew’s Jersey (wonder theater) is the only palace still used to screen movies, but is doing quite well. The Loew’s Kings (maybe the most spectacular of them all and the the 5th Wonder theater) is being restored to the tune of $70MM. Still in the wings? The amazing Loew’s Canal in Chinatown whose exterior was just landmarked by the city and the Jackson Theater (in Jackson Heights Queens) which the new owner hopes to restore. No city in the country lost as many incredible movie palaces to the wrecking ball as New York did. But due to the sheer magnitude of the amount of theaters erected in the New York, we still have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the number and quality of the palaces that remain. Many cities in America have but one or two remaining palaces and that is very sad. Philadelphia has but one (The Boyd) and it is sadly unrestored. New York, Chicago and Los Angeles are the primary exceptions, but we need to do everything we can to keep what is still left. Truly, theaters will never be built like this again. When they are gone, they are gone forever.
Wow Justin, what should you expect on visiting the Ziegfeld? I agree with Ziegfeld Man that you should throw out any preconceptions of the classic movie palaces of old. This is not a Radio City, a New Amsterdam, a Loew’s Wonder Theater, a Beacon. It is, however, a perfect example of the “Modern Movie Palace”; which incorporates top sound and sight lines with curtains that open and close (usually) and a wonderful staff that makes seeing a film here always special. I won’t say anymore, but this is without a doubt, my favorite place to see a movie in New York.
It would have been worth a shot anyway. Many an incredible palace in New York was saved by being converted to a church: Loew’s 175th Street, Loew’s Valencia, Loew’s Metropolitan, The Stanley, The Elmwood, The Hollywood. All are still around today because they became churches. It doesn’t always work that way. The RKO Bushwick and Loew’s Pitkin among many others eventually were lost, but the point is that they are kept around long enough to be potentially saved for good. (At least the exterior of the RKO Bushwick and Pitlkin will live on). Instead, with the Paradise, we have nothing but some photos and some memories.
The same held true for the conversion of palaces to discos. Loew’s Commodore (The Saint), The Miller (Xenon), the Gallo Opera House (Studio 54), the Academy of Music (Palladium) and the Forum (Club USA) were all successfully converted to discos and they survived for many more years than they otherwise would have. Ironically, for me, this was how I first saw these theaters and contributed greatly for my appreciation of the palaces of yesteryear. Alas, all but one (Studio 54), eventually met the wrecking ball, but not before I got to see them and enjoy them in a very different way than they were originally meant for.
The sad reality is that virtually none of the old true palaces will ever become venues for showing films again. We have to find creative ways to find new uses for them, whether they be as performing arts spaces (which can include films), churches, or clubs. Unfortunately, the Paradise was never given these options.
Out of the 10 theaters listed; the only one that appears to be a “True” movie palace is our very own Wonder Theater; the Loew’s Jersey. The Oaks in Berkeley appears large enough but the description is scant and it doesn’t appear to be anywhere in the same league as the Jersey. It appears that it is safe to say that the Loew’s Jersey is the best of the this country’s historic Movie Palaces whose main function continues to be showing films. We can argue that many other theaters are grander (The Loew’s Paradise, Loew’s 175th Street, Loew’s Valencia, Loew’s Kings, Radio City, New Amsterdam, Atlanta Fox, Oakland Fox, Uptown in Chicago, etc.) But none of these theaters show movies consistently anymore (if at all). We’re very lucky to have this theater.
I dream of the day that a replica of the original marquee is installed and the unfortunate current one is dumped. Then the Loew’s Jersey will truly have been restored!
Yes, I forgot about the Brooklyn Paramount. I predict that, eventually, this theater will be restored as well. It has too much history for LIU to be able to destroy. Now that they have built a new Athletic center they have no more need for this space, but the question of course is always “How much would a restoration cost?” and “Who is going to pay it?”. Brooklyn continues to develop and I think it will eventually happen, but the Kings has to be absorbed first.
Thanks Gabe, I want to make sure that you don’t think that I was denigrating the Loew’s Jersey by putting it at number five. It is actually a testament to the incredible collection of theaters that the Loew’s Wonder Theaters consist of. I agree with you that Loew’s Jersey is probably the greatest movie palace in the country that still shows movies as its primary purpose.
I also whole heartedly agree with you that it is really impossible to compare theaters like The Jersey, The Loew’s Paradise, Loew’s Valencia, Loew’s 175th Street, Loew’s Kings, Radio City, The Hollywood and The New Amsterdam. They are so different from one another and represent the top of the fields in their respective styles.
Check out the Loew’s Canal page on CT. This hidden gem on Canal Street in Chinatown is about 2,200 seats and has been closed as a theater for decades. Per comments the interior is remarkably intact though all of the seats have been removed. The exterior was just declared a landmark and it’s current owner says that he wants to restore it into a community arts center. My fingers are crossed, but this theater has the potential to be one of New York’s most beautiful restored theaters.
I’m bringing several friends of mine from Manhattan to see Nosferatu at the Loew’s Jersey. I can’t wait to hear the organ!
Hi Gabe DF, it’s so wonderful to see such enthusiasm for this theater. I went about 3 years ago to see The Day the Earth Stood Still. Patricia Neal actually came out on stage after the movie for some Q & A. It was a wonderful evening but it was apparent that there was still much to do in the theater. I think the Loews Jersey is one of the most beautiful theaters in the country, however, I respectfully disagree with your view about how beautiful.
Among the 5 Loew’s Wonder theaters, I would put the Loew’s Jersey at number 5. I think the Loews Kings (which I have visited in its unrestored state) will blow all other theaters away after its multi million dollar renovation is complete. The Loew’s Paradise in the Bronx and Loew’s 175th Street are both fully restored and are spectacular. Even the Loews Valencia (while currently serving as a church) IMO is a more beautiful theater. That said, I am eagerly looking forward to see the recent renovations. I will be attending the October 23rd showing of Nosferatu.
How incredible that ALL FIVE Wonder theaters survived and all have been restored or in progress.
I would also put the Uptown Theater in Chicago on the most beautiful list; even in decay.
In Manhattan, The Hollywood theater is amazing, as is the New Amsterdam and, of course, Radio City. Even the Loew’s Canal, whose exterior was recently landmarked may prove to be another gem. New York is blessed with a great many remarkable theaters that still exist even though only the Loews Jersey still shows films.
Another sad loss for Asbury. Few cities have destroyed more of their architectural treasures as Asbury Park has. In the general scheme of things, the Baronet is not a major loss; Asbury has lost a great many far, far grander properties, but it is a significant loss nonetheless. One of the things that makes Asbury Park different is its history. The more you erase, the less it has to offer. At least The Paramount appears to have been saved and is secure. That is something to be truly grateful for.
BobbyS, I invite you to stroll through the Bronx on your next visit. Riverdale (in the West Bronx) is one of NY’s finest neighborhoods. Arthur Avenue, right in the center, is a really fun area with a great collection of Italian Restaurants. The areas around Yankee Stadium, the Bronx Zoo and The Botanical Gardens are now thriving. City Island is a New England village with a Bronx zip code. Woodlawn Cemetery is one of the most beautiful and historic in the country. Van Cortlandt and Pelham Bay Parks is two of the largest urban parks in the country and are quite beautiful. Getting back to theaters; The Loew’s Paradise (one of the original 5 Wonder theaters) on the Grand Concourse has now been spectacularly restored and would not have been if not for the Bronx’s turnaround.
Believe it or not, there are still people who are afraid to go to Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan because they still remember it from the old days. Same story for the Bronx. It’s been an amazing rebound. You should pop up there on your next visit. :–)
Hi Scott, believe it or not, the gentrification is city wide. Bushwick (once one of NY’s most notroious neighborhoods) is now projected to be the next Williamsburg (which also used to be a horrible area). West and East Harlem, Hell’s Kitchen, the Lower East Side, Downtown Brooklyn, Chinatown, Park Slope, Long Island City, and so many other neighborhoods that no one would live in by choice years ago are now highly desired. Brand new neighborhoods have also been created in the Financial District out of obsolete, but beautiful, pre war office buildings. FiDi is now one of the city’s fastest growing neighborhoods. the South Bronx is thriving with no abandoned buildings and virtually no remaining empty lots.
Why? It all boils down to people feeling safe. When you feel safe, you ride the subway and there is safety in numbers. You walk the streets and patronize local retailers at all hours. You have kids and send them to the increasingly good public schools. Companies stay and expand because employees increasingly love the urban environment (as opposed to the sterile suburban one). That is what needs to happen in Chicago. As much as Giuliani loves to take credit, the changes were already under way under the previous mayor Dinkins. Giuliani managed to ostracize more than half of the city in his quest for safety and we were gladly rid of him. Bloomberg, to his great credit has dramatically lowered crime (in a near depression) WITHOUT controversy. It obviously can be done; it just takes the right man/people.
Why are there no interior photos on their website? Was the interior destroyed? If not, why is it not celebrated and shown on their website?
I am searching Washington DC theaters as a possible wedding venue but am frustrated by the lack of interior photos fro this theater which, to me, implies that the interior is generic.
Hi Scott, it is just the opposite in New York. The urban areas, almost without exception, are better today than when I was growing up in the 70’s and 80’s. Crime, murder and fire were rampant back then. Times Square was a cesspool of filth and danger. The middle class voted with their feet and left the city by the hundreds of thousands. But starting with the Dinkins administration in the early 90’s, the city recovered. Today, there are few neighborhoods in the city that I would be uncomfortable walking in. There are virtually no abandoned buildings. Virtually all neighborhoods have been revived. Crime is at record lows. You can ride the subway without fear at any time. Times Square has been converted into a theme park of sorts with the Broadway Theater thriving as never before. The population continues to rise as families increasingly decide to raise their children in an urban environment and take advantage of some great public schools.
I have been to Chicago several times and I love it, though I must admit that my visits have been limited to the main tourist areas along the Magnificent Mile and the Loop. Nonetheless, Chicago is a great city and can be much greater still if it can get its gang/crime and political problems under control. I never thought it would happen in New York. I truly thought it was hopeless, yet I was proved wrong. Don’t give up hope.
Well, it looks like Don Lewis and Ayers have discovered another long lost theater! I searched the database to see if there was another Paramount listed in Newark as a former name and there is not. This theater looks rather substantial. What we don;t know is if it actually showed movies. If this photo is accurately from the early 1900’s it is possible that it was solely a vaudeville house and never actually showed films, but it looks like it was a beautiful theater nonetheless.
Thanks Tinseltoes! I’m very curious as to what will happen next. I would love to see this restored as a theater, of course, not just for the Chinatown community but for all of downtown which has not one single screen theater. I know that the plan isn’t to convert this back to movies but it would be wonderful if it could have occasional screenings. There is no doubt in my mind that occasional screening along the lines of Loew’s Jersey, would be very successful; especially in a theater of this caliber.
I was in Alamogordo last week and drove past this theater. It looks like it is closed but I can’t be absolutely sure. The marquee was totally blank except for four letters in the lower left hand corner that said “PRAY”. Not a good sign. Is this now a church?
I found this article from last January (2010). I claims that the interior is actually in good shape though all of the interior seats have been removed.
Canal Street Loews To Become Cultural Center
Can the rundown Loew’s Theater at 31 Canal Street make a comeback? Originally opened in 1927, it was run by Loew’s until the 1960s. It then became an indie-run theater until 1980. Now, the NY Post reports, it may have another lease on life, as an Asian-American arts group (CREATE: the Committee to Revitalize and Enrich the Arts and Tomorrow’s Economy) hopes to revive it.
The 2,300-seat theater has been sealed off, but now the arts group has the backing of building owner Thomas Sung to move forward with their plan for a cultural arts center. On top of Sung’s support, the Lower Manhattan Development Corp. gave the group a $150,000 grant to study the project, with another $140,000 promised for planning.
The theater, aside from being stripped of its seats, is still in good shape with the its ornate terra cotta design intact. City Councilmember Alan Gerson told the Villager: “It would be the first theater opening in Chinatown in over a generation, probably several generations. It’ll bolster the arts and culture of Chinatown and it will also bolster the economy.â€
YAY!!!! The New York Landmarks Commission has officially landmarked the Loew’s Canal Theatre! This is fantastic news. What I am not clear about is if the designation was just for exterior or for the interior as well. I also haven’t heard much lately about the plan by the Chinatown developer to restore the theater to public use (though not as a theater per se). Nonetheless, this is excellent news!
Yes, Tinseltoes, the Tony"s will be at the Beacon. While I am extremely disappointed that the country will not be exposed to this gem of a theater there is no better other theater to host the Tony’s than the Beacon as Alto so eloquently pointed out. The theater is actually on Broadway and was recently renovated. It will still reflect very well on New York, but it would have been very nice to have really gone outside the box for a change.
Hi Bobby, all of your questions are answered on the Loew’s Kings page. In short, the City is providing a combination of cash grants and tax benefits and the developer is putting in money as well, but it is truly a collaborative effort. It is about a 4 year restoration project. Right now there is an exhustive search of the original plans and a survey of what exactly needs to be done; restored or replaced. By 2014 the restoration is supposed to be complete and, quite possibly, it will be Brooklyn that will have the country’s most beautiful restored theater. What makes it all the more remarkable is that the Kings is not downtown or central Manhattan. It’s not even in downtown Brooklyn. It doesn’t even have easy access to the subway (thought it is about 6 blocks away). It is (as was the Paradise and the Uptown in Chicago) one of the most incredible palaces ever built to serve as a neighborhood theater. The Paradise is gone, The Kings has been saved and the Uptown still just sits and waits.
The NY Times gave a full review last Friday and while people do read the Daily News and the Post, I do think that the majority of the target market does in fact read the Times. I don’t believe that neither the Post or the Daily News reviewed the film. The lower brow does not see silent films from the 1920’s. :–)
There are indeed others: The Center, the original Ziegfeld, Proctor’s 59th Street, The Madison, Loew’s Oriental, RKO Fordham, RKO 23rd Street, RKO 86th Street, The Orpheum, Loew’s Sheridan, and there are a great many more. The only reason that New York today has what I think is the world’s greatest collection of remaining old movie palaces has less to do with the preservation movement than with the sheer volume of what was constructed during its heyday. Many of the world’s most beautiful theaters ever erected were lost, but a great many (as mentioned above) still remain. It is still a struggle however, to create adapative resues for these theaters. Often, it is via general performing arts centers and churches, but live music, discos, retail and, in the case of the RKO Richmond Hill, a flea market that has kept the theater going for decades.
Population density has been the great genesis and the great destroyer of New York theaters. The density allowed for many of these behemoths to be built and at the same time provide the “buying public” for whatever adaptive resuse that would save a theater. However, the increasing livability of New York doomed so many of the old palaces as the land beneath them simply became too valuable.
Luckily, New York has a strong preservation movement and while not all battles are won, there is an impressive record of saved theaters.
That said, it makes me very sad that I never got to see The Roxy or The Capitol.
Yes, believe it or not, the Loew’s 175th Street and the Loew’s Valencia (both Wonder theaters) still operate as churches with the 175th Street in a position that it is likely one of the best restored and maintained movie palaces in the country. As a matter of fact, all of the theaters I mentioned above are still operating as successful churches. Other palaces like Radio City, The Beacon, The St George and the Loew’s Paradise (another wonder theater) have been successfully repositioned as performing arts centers. The New Amsterdam, Studio 54 and many others are now back as Broadway theaters. The RKO Keiths Richmond Hill incredibly still goes on as a flea market/bingo hall. The Brooklyn Paramount was used as a gymnasium for many years by Long Island University and is awaiting adaptive reuse. The Loew’s Jersey (wonder theater) is the only palace still used to screen movies, but is doing quite well. The Loew’s Kings (maybe the most spectacular of them all and the the 5th Wonder theater) is being restored to the tune of $70MM. Still in the wings? The amazing Loew’s Canal in Chinatown whose exterior was just landmarked by the city and the Jackson Theater (in Jackson Heights Queens) which the new owner hopes to restore. No city in the country lost as many incredible movie palaces to the wrecking ball as New York did. But due to the sheer magnitude of the amount of theaters erected in the New York, we still have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the number and quality of the palaces that remain. Many cities in America have but one or two remaining palaces and that is very sad. Philadelphia has but one (The Boyd) and it is sadly unrestored. New York, Chicago and Los Angeles are the primary exceptions, but we need to do everything we can to keep what is still left. Truly, theaters will never be built like this again. When they are gone, they are gone forever.
Wow Justin, what should you expect on visiting the Ziegfeld? I agree with Ziegfeld Man that you should throw out any preconceptions of the classic movie palaces of old. This is not a Radio City, a New Amsterdam, a Loew’s Wonder Theater, a Beacon. It is, however, a perfect example of the “Modern Movie Palace”; which incorporates top sound and sight lines with curtains that open and close (usually) and a wonderful staff that makes seeing a film here always special. I won’t say anymore, but this is without a doubt, my favorite place to see a movie in New York.
It would have been worth a shot anyway. Many an incredible palace in New York was saved by being converted to a church: Loew’s 175th Street, Loew’s Valencia, Loew’s Metropolitan, The Stanley, The Elmwood, The Hollywood. All are still around today because they became churches. It doesn’t always work that way. The RKO Bushwick and Loew’s Pitkin among many others eventually were lost, but the point is that they are kept around long enough to be potentially saved for good. (At least the exterior of the RKO Bushwick and Pitlkin will live on). Instead, with the Paradise, we have nothing but some photos and some memories.
The same held true for the conversion of palaces to discos. Loew’s Commodore (The Saint), The Miller (Xenon), the Gallo Opera House (Studio 54), the Academy of Music (Palladium) and the Forum (Club USA) were all successfully converted to discos and they survived for many more years than they otherwise would have. Ironically, for me, this was how I first saw these theaters and contributed greatly for my appreciation of the palaces of yesteryear. Alas, all but one (Studio 54), eventually met the wrecking ball, but not before I got to see them and enjoy them in a very different way than they were originally meant for.
The sad reality is that virtually none of the old true palaces will ever become venues for showing films again. We have to find creative ways to find new uses for them, whether they be as performing arts spaces (which can include films), churches, or clubs. Unfortunately, the Paradise was never given these options.
Out of the 10 theaters listed; the only one that appears to be a “True” movie palace is our very own Wonder Theater; the Loew’s Jersey. The Oaks in Berkeley appears large enough but the description is scant and it doesn’t appear to be anywhere in the same league as the Jersey. It appears that it is safe to say that the Loew’s Jersey is the best of the this country’s historic Movie Palaces whose main function continues to be showing films. We can argue that many other theaters are grander (The Loew’s Paradise, Loew’s 175th Street, Loew’s Valencia, Loew’s Kings, Radio City, New Amsterdam, Atlanta Fox, Oakland Fox, Uptown in Chicago, etc.) But none of these theaters show movies consistently anymore (if at all). We’re very lucky to have this theater.
Can’t wait to see Nosferatu on Saturday night!
I dream of the day that a replica of the original marquee is installed and the unfortunate current one is dumped. Then the Loew’s Jersey will truly have been restored!
Yes, I forgot about the Brooklyn Paramount. I predict that, eventually, this theater will be restored as well. It has too much history for LIU to be able to destroy. Now that they have built a new Athletic center they have no more need for this space, but the question of course is always “How much would a restoration cost?” and “Who is going to pay it?”. Brooklyn continues to develop and I think it will eventually happen, but the Kings has to be absorbed first.
Thanks Gabe, I want to make sure that you don’t think that I was denigrating the Loew’s Jersey by putting it at number five. It is actually a testament to the incredible collection of theaters that the Loew’s Wonder Theaters consist of. I agree with you that Loew’s Jersey is probably the greatest movie palace in the country that still shows movies as its primary purpose.
I also whole heartedly agree with you that it is really impossible to compare theaters like The Jersey, The Loew’s Paradise, Loew’s Valencia, Loew’s 175th Street, Loew’s Kings, Radio City, The Hollywood and The New Amsterdam. They are so different from one another and represent the top of the fields in their respective styles.
Check out the Loew’s Canal page on CT. This hidden gem on Canal Street in Chinatown is about 2,200 seats and has been closed as a theater for decades. Per comments the interior is remarkably intact though all of the seats have been removed. The exterior was just declared a landmark and it’s current owner says that he wants to restore it into a community arts center. My fingers are crossed, but this theater has the potential to be one of New York’s most beautiful restored theaters.
I’m bringing several friends of mine from Manhattan to see Nosferatu at the Loew’s Jersey. I can’t wait to hear the organ!
Hi Gabe DF, it’s so wonderful to see such enthusiasm for this theater. I went about 3 years ago to see The Day the Earth Stood Still. Patricia Neal actually came out on stage after the movie for some Q & A. It was a wonderful evening but it was apparent that there was still much to do in the theater. I think the Loews Jersey is one of the most beautiful theaters in the country, however, I respectfully disagree with your view about how beautiful.
Among the 5 Loew’s Wonder theaters, I would put the Loew’s Jersey at number 5. I think the Loews Kings (which I have visited in its unrestored state) will blow all other theaters away after its multi million dollar renovation is complete. The Loew’s Paradise in the Bronx and Loew’s 175th Street are both fully restored and are spectacular. Even the Loews Valencia (while currently serving as a church) IMO is a more beautiful theater. That said, I am eagerly looking forward to see the recent renovations. I will be attending the October 23rd showing of Nosferatu.
How incredible that ALL FIVE Wonder theaters survived and all have been restored or in progress.
I would also put the Uptown Theater in Chicago on the most beautiful list; even in decay.
In Manhattan, The Hollywood theater is amazing, as is the New Amsterdam and, of course, Radio City. Even the Loew’s Canal, whose exterior was recently landmarked may prove to be another gem. New York is blessed with a great many remarkable theaters that still exist even though only the Loews Jersey still shows films.
Another sad loss for Asbury. Few cities have destroyed more of their architectural treasures as Asbury Park has. In the general scheme of things, the Baronet is not a major loss; Asbury has lost a great many far, far grander properties, but it is a significant loss nonetheless. One of the things that makes Asbury Park different is its history. The more you erase, the less it has to offer. At least The Paramount appears to have been saved and is secure. That is something to be truly grateful for.
BobbyS, I invite you to stroll through the Bronx on your next visit. Riverdale (in the West Bronx) is one of NY’s finest neighborhoods. Arthur Avenue, right in the center, is a really fun area with a great collection of Italian Restaurants. The areas around Yankee Stadium, the Bronx Zoo and The Botanical Gardens are now thriving. City Island is a New England village with a Bronx zip code. Woodlawn Cemetery is one of the most beautiful and historic in the country. Van Cortlandt and Pelham Bay Parks is two of the largest urban parks in the country and are quite beautiful. Getting back to theaters; The Loew’s Paradise (one of the original 5 Wonder theaters) on the Grand Concourse has now been spectacularly restored and would not have been if not for the Bronx’s turnaround.
Believe it or not, there are still people who are afraid to go to Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan because they still remember it from the old days. Same story for the Bronx. It’s been an amazing rebound. You should pop up there on your next visit. :–)
Hi Scott, believe it or not, the gentrification is city wide. Bushwick (once one of NY’s most notroious neighborhoods) is now projected to be the next Williamsburg (which also used to be a horrible area). West and East Harlem, Hell’s Kitchen, the Lower East Side, Downtown Brooklyn, Chinatown, Park Slope, Long Island City, and so many other neighborhoods that no one would live in by choice years ago are now highly desired. Brand new neighborhoods have also been created in the Financial District out of obsolete, but beautiful, pre war office buildings. FiDi is now one of the city’s fastest growing neighborhoods. the South Bronx is thriving with no abandoned buildings and virtually no remaining empty lots.
Why? It all boils down to people feeling safe. When you feel safe, you ride the subway and there is safety in numbers. You walk the streets and patronize local retailers at all hours. You have kids and send them to the increasingly good public schools. Companies stay and expand because employees increasingly love the urban environment (as opposed to the sterile suburban one). That is what needs to happen in Chicago. As much as Giuliani loves to take credit, the changes were already under way under the previous mayor Dinkins. Giuliani managed to ostracize more than half of the city in his quest for safety and we were gladly rid of him. Bloomberg, to his great credit has dramatically lowered crime (in a near depression) WITHOUT controversy. It obviously can be done; it just takes the right man/people.
Why are there no interior photos on their website? Was the interior destroyed? If not, why is it not celebrated and shown on their website?
I am searching Washington DC theaters as a possible wedding venue but am frustrated by the lack of interior photos fro this theater which, to me, implies that the interior is generic.
Hi Scott, it is just the opposite in New York. The urban areas, almost without exception, are better today than when I was growing up in the 70’s and 80’s. Crime, murder and fire were rampant back then. Times Square was a cesspool of filth and danger. The middle class voted with their feet and left the city by the hundreds of thousands. But starting with the Dinkins administration in the early 90’s, the city recovered. Today, there are few neighborhoods in the city that I would be uncomfortable walking in. There are virtually no abandoned buildings. Virtually all neighborhoods have been revived. Crime is at record lows. You can ride the subway without fear at any time. Times Square has been converted into a theme park of sorts with the Broadway Theater thriving as never before. The population continues to rise as families increasingly decide to raise their children in an urban environment and take advantage of some great public schools.
I have been to Chicago several times and I love it, though I must admit that my visits have been limited to the main tourist areas along the Magnificent Mile and the Loop. Nonetheless, Chicago is a great city and can be much greater still if it can get its gang/crime and political problems under control. I never thought it would happen in New York. I truly thought it was hopeless, yet I was proved wrong. Don’t give up hope.
Well, it looks like Don Lewis and Ayers have discovered another long lost theater! I searched the database to see if there was another Paramount listed in Newark as a former name and there is not. This theater looks rather substantial. What we don;t know is if it actually showed movies. If this photo is accurately from the early 1900’s it is possible that it was solely a vaudeville house and never actually showed films, but it looks like it was a beautiful theater nonetheless.
Even Worse! :–)
Yuk!!!! A storefront Church. What a shame.
Thanks Tinseltoes! I’m very curious as to what will happen next. I would love to see this restored as a theater, of course, not just for the Chinatown community but for all of downtown which has not one single screen theater. I know that the plan isn’t to convert this back to movies but it would be wonderful if it could have occasional screenings. There is no doubt in my mind that occasional screening along the lines of Loew’s Jersey, would be very successful; especially in a theater of this caliber.
I was in Alamogordo last week and drove past this theater. It looks like it is closed but I can’t be absolutely sure. The marquee was totally blank except for four letters in the lower left hand corner that said “PRAY”. Not a good sign. Is this now a church?
Just passed by this theater last week and it looks like it’s alive and well!
I found this article from last January (2010). I claims that the interior is actually in good shape though all of the interior seats have been removed.
Canal Street Loews To Become Cultural Center
Can the rundown Loew’s Theater at 31 Canal Street make a comeback? Originally opened in 1927, it was run by Loew’s until the 1960s. It then became an indie-run theater until 1980. Now, the NY Post reports, it may have another lease on life, as an Asian-American arts group (CREATE: the Committee to Revitalize and Enrich the Arts and Tomorrow’s Economy) hopes to revive it.
The 2,300-seat theater has been sealed off, but now the arts group has the backing of building owner Thomas Sung to move forward with their plan for a cultural arts center. On top of Sung’s support, the Lower Manhattan Development Corp. gave the group a $150,000 grant to study the project, with another $140,000 promised for planning.
The theater, aside from being stripped of its seats, is still in good shape with the its ornate terra cotta design intact. City Councilmember Alan Gerson told the Villager: “It would be the first theater opening in Chinatown in over a generation, probably several generations. It’ll bolster the arts and culture of Chinatown and it will also bolster the economy.â€
YAY!!!! The New York Landmarks Commission has officially landmarked the Loew’s Canal Theatre! This is fantastic news. What I am not clear about is if the designation was just for exterior or for the interior as well. I also haven’t heard much lately about the plan by the Chinatown developer to restore the theater to public use (though not as a theater per se). Nonetheless, this is excellent news!