Loew's Canal Theatre

When I was last at the theater, the theater proper was used as storage space for a hardware store. The architect was Thomas Lamb

Some of the orig plaster is still intact though grimy instead of gildy they are nice to you if you need to look round- the ceiling has vents/grillwork

The Canal Theatre opened in New York City on September 8, 1927. Designed in the popular Spanish baroque style, it was one of the first movie palaces to feature the “Atmospheric” style in its auditorium. Theatre seated almost 2,400 and featured a Wurlitzer organ. In 1957, the curtain came down on the Canal’s last show and theatre closed.

The Canal was in Spanish baroque style, but it did NOT have the "atmospheric" touch of an auditorium ceiling decorated like the midnight sky with floating clouds and twinkling stars. As far as I know, only two theatres in Manhattan were in the true "atmospheric" style, RKO Proctor's 58th Street (Third Avenue), which was designed by Thomas Lamb, and Loew's 72nd Street (Third Avenue), which was mostly by Lamb but with some contributions by John Eberson...The Canal was built by Loew's Theatres, which operated it until the 1960s when it became an "indie" before its eventual closure. As Loew's Canal it was never successful, probably due to its location east of the Bowery. The movies that played there were usually at the end of their circuit run.

Isn't there some way to update the descriptive lead-ins to theatres? Quite a bit is known about this "aging relic," and the "Architect: Unknown" is none less than Thomas W. Lamb.

Is this place really intact inside?

After the Canal opened, Loew's was so discouraged by the meagre boxoffice takings that it traded the theatre to an independent circuit in exchange for the Commodore, which was much better situated on Second Avenue in the heart of the East Village. When the Depression came along, the "indie" went bankrupt and Loew's bought back the Canal in a public auction for practically nothing and resumed operating it, but as a subsequent run to the Commodore.

I think I was in this theater some months ago, maybe you guys can help. If I was, it has been converted to retail space. If not, it is another theater on Canal Street (unlisted here) that I was in.
It looks like it may be a different one that I was in, but maybe someone can shed some light on the one I was in, if this isn't it. I don't think it is the same theater as the "Canal St Theater" because from the photo in this listing, the area in front of it doesn't look like the "chaos" of Chinatown. The street looks way to quiet.
The theater I was in was on Canal St, in the "Chinatown section". It's in the really congested area somewhere west of Centre St, but I don't know the exact cross street. It's on the same block as Burger King and McDonalds on the north side of the street. It's about mid block, and you enter into the "junk store" it is now through what used to be the lobby. You then enter what was the auditorium. It was not a large theater, but all the plasterwork still exists on the ceiling. Does anyone know anything about this theater?

The theatre you saw on Canal Street was once known as the Major, and had other names over the years. It was on the north side of Canal Street, just east of Broadway. The ex-Loew's Canal is a long walk from there, and several blocks east of The Bowery.

Thanks Warren. I figured as much, as the street in front of the "Major" certainly doesn't look like the quiet street in front of the Canal theater in the photo above. Any other information on the "Major" anyone has would be greatly appreciated since it's not yet listed on this site.
I tried searching the net for some more info on the "Major", and it brought me actually back to this site and another post by you on March 19th under the "Pix" Theater!
http://cinematreasures.org/theater/6496/

Maybe someone should make a listing for the "Major" on this site, using this little bit of info we have. Eventually, maybe others can add a little more info if they know anything as we go along. At least we now know it was also called the "Cinema Giglio" also at one time, and that it seated about 599, and it's address is 277 Canal St. I don't know if that's enough to make an entry on this site, but I guess it's a start. I don't want to "steal" your information and take credit for it, so if you want to do the honors....
It's interesting to go into that store it is now because, much of the ceiling plasterwork is still there. I didn't even kow it was a theater when I first went in the store, but once inside it was screaming "theater", that's how I discovered it. I already sort of picked up on it in the former lobby area. I guess the owners of the store were wondering why I was constantly looking at the ceiling instead of their merchandise! Alot of the ornamentation still exists in both the lobby and what was the small auditorium. When I went back outside, sure enough, there was a marquee too (which I totally didn't notice), that's how I really knew I was just in a theater.

Bway, please list it. You don't need all vital information as long as you have a name and address, as well as other details that you found.

Loew's Canal is real spooky inside (I visited in July 2004). A mostly elderly staff are at the counter, behind which are a few shelves sparsely filled with radios and other electronics. Exactly what they sell and to who is a bit mysterious (I was obviously not a serious customer, and the did not give me a product and price list); but there is a fair amount of activity going on (deliveries, telephones, staff wandering about).

But it's WELL worth a trip. A lot of the original (terra cotta) is still on the walls, with splintered wood beams showing through. The ceiling has arches -- hints of a very dignified and ornate past. There is the smell of death and the dampness of a neglect roof: one way or the other, I can't imagine the place lasting in that dream state forever.

- Charles

Charles, were you actually in the auditorium, or just in the store, which occupies the former entrance and lobby?

Oh, just the store -- I only got glimpses of the rest. Possibly what's left to see is less than the glimpses suggest.

- Charles

I live near the "Canal." The front is an electronics store run by an elderly lady. The auditorium is an active warehouse with fork-lifts running out of a side entrance. It's funny, sometimes you can see roosters (probably fighters) hanging out near the back of the auditorium on the Ludlow side, near the alley.
You gotta love this town!
-Kev

What are the days and hours that fork-lifts are "running out of a side entrance?" I want to go there to see the interior of the auditorium. Have you done so already? Please give us a report on its condition.

I was inside ABC United Trading Corp tonight -- and I took a few photographs (hastily and at funny angles, but feel free to ask me for copies). The place sells all sorts of electronics and household devices (microwaves, boomboxes, toasters). Despite it's card ("Wholesale distributors and exporters") ABC United Trading Corp was eager to sell a $59 GE microwave to this bicyclist (they let me bring the bike inside).

Upstairs is a very neatly appointed high-end home entertainment, home audio equipment place www.royalmusicinema.com Been there for 8 years, I was told.

There are certainly are no seats, no balcony etc. that I could see. There are unpainted cinderblock walls next to perfect terracotta elegant toilets and mirrors and exit signs. A lot of the ceiling looks perfect dingy, but not damaged.

In short, there are many untouched bits, not from a preservationist urge as much as a lack of an urge for destruction. If the upstairs is any basis to judge, the building is structurally okay, despite the damp feel and parts of the lower-floor ceiling that look like plaster is missing.

- Choilly

tilyou1@aol.com

Unless the ABC store has been expanded since my last visit several years ago, it occupies only the entrance lobby. You would not be able to see the auditorium from there. It had been sealed off by a brick wall at the rear of the store...Even in its heyday, the Canal Theatre was unsuccessful due to its location well east of the Bowery, so I doubt that anyone would be interested in restoring it. The neighborhood has not changed much over the decades. Except for residents, it becomes deserted after dark.

-- it occupies only the entrance lobby

That's just the retain operation. Behind that the theater is used as warehouse for its wholesale trade.

It's easy to see if ask to visit the hi-end audio component store, which is as fancy as the rest of the place is shabby, and is upstair in the back in what may have been the balcony.

www.royalmusicinema.com is the website of the audio store.

tilyou1@aol.com

Here are four images of the auditorium of Loew's Canal, taken from different vantage points:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/126-2669_IMG.jpg
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/126-2625_IMG.jpg
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/126-2628_IMG.jpg
www.18.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/126-2629_IMG.jpg

I've lately been experiencing LENGTHY delays connecting and/or posting to this website. Is there a problem, or could there be something wrong with my computer?

Don't adjust your tv screen. We will control the vertical and the horizontal. You have just entered the Outer Limits. Its not your computer Warren, the website has a mild flu.

A rare 1945 view of the marquee. During this time, the Canal did split weeks of programs that were near the ends of their Loew's and RKO circuit runs. The modern marquee was probably installed prior to 1942, when wartime restrictions against such work went into effect:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/137-3779_IMG.jpg

A Wurlitzer organ Opus 1699 Style 235 SP was installed in the Canal Theater on 8/13/1927.

When "Cat On a Hot Tin Roof" opened this was advertised as part of the Island Circuit
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/Maggie.jpg

There was an old movie house in Chinatown Ny located on the Bowery I think on the corner of Hester Street and they showed Chinese films exclusively up until a few years ago. Perhaps Warren might know about this place and if it is still around

Muray, the closest I could find on the site is this one, which was on Canal:
http://cinematreasures.org/theater/10372/

Here's an aerial view of the intersection of Hester and Bowery. ALl four of the old buildings are still there, but I don't know which one the theater was in:

Click here for link

Since the Canal was built by Loew's and spent most of its active life under Loew's management, I think that the name should be listed as Loew's Canal. I don't know of any theatre historian who calls it just the Canal. It's always Loew's Canal.

Warren, I realize now that when you wrote this...

"Unless the ABC store has been expanded since my last visit several years ago, it occupies only the entrance lobby. You would not be able to see the auditorium from there. It had been sealed off by a brick wall at the rear of the store"

...you were no doubt correct. What I saw when I got past the electronics counter and walked to the stairs that led to "Royal Music" (which occupied what presumably had been the balcony) was apparently just the lobby filled with metal shelves containing air conditioners and boom boxes, etc., so I never got to see the actual theater. That would explain why on my way out as I descended the stairs you could still see the stain glass "EXIT" signs. What I misinterpreted as the theater was the place between the EXIT signs and the exit -- which means the theater proper must be gigantic.

You will be happy that you might be wrong on one point, however -- apparently there is a not-for-profit organization in Chinatown looking for a performance space, and would be happy to consider the Canal if the current owners would cooperate.

Charles

Thanks for the info! A 2200 seat theater is nothing to sneeze at, sos you are right, it must be quite large.
And from the great photos Warren posted of the interior auditorium, it is/was quite impressive. I wish we could dig up some current photos of the inside.

The ABC store has closed as of June and the building now appears to be completely vacant. With all of the construction of new condos/apartments in the neighborhood - I fear the worst.

The first c/o that I find for 31 Canal Street is dated September 8, 1927. It doesn't specify if the building was new or altered. The c/o was issued to A.J. Benline. A motion picture theater with balcony was located here at that time. Seating was 1481 on the first floor and 833 in the balcony.

There was a Chinese theater called the Rosemary right near the Manhattan Bridge, I believe.

The Canal was all new when it first opened in September, 1927. It was not "altered" from anything. I don't know what previously occupied the underlying ground, but probably antiquated residential or commercial buildings.

This is from the LA Times, dated 9/11/32:

UNION WAR BLAMED IN BOMBINGS

Two Theaters Damaged by Blasts – Official Points to Leniency on Picketing

Picketing “for no good reason” which has been “virtually sanctioned” by local judges, was given tonight by William F.X. Geoghan, District Attorney of King’s County, as the underlying cause of the two theater bombings which occurred early today in Manhattan and Brooklyn. The statement was made in connection with the bombing of the Forty-sixth-street Theater, New Utrecht Avenue, Brooklyn, and the Canal Theater, 31 Canal Street, New York, both operated by the Loew’s chain.

The bombings, which took place at a time when the theaters were empty, were believed by police investigators to be a direct result of the union war being waged by members of the Moving Pictures Operators’ Union No. 36, affiliated with the American Federation of Labor, and the Empire State Moving Picture Operators’ Union, an independent organization recognized by the state. It is believed that the attack was not aimed particularly at the Loew’s chain but that the two theaters were merely selected as a convenient battleground.

The Theater is now part of a new Lower East Side Historic District voted in last month by the local Community Board.

A point of clarification regarding the status of the Lower East Side Historic District. Community Board 3's approval is just an early step toward designation. It is now in the hands of the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Unitl they designate it (and the City Council approves it), the theater is unprotected. Emails in support of designation can be sent to comments@lpc.nyc.gov

I am a native born New Yorker and passed the movie house on The Bowery for many years that showed Chinese films exclusively--it was not near Canal Street.It bothers me to this date that no one knows about this theatre.

Muray that theater is the Music Palace and was recently demolished to make way for a hotel. It was at the corner of Bowery and Hester. Info is at http://cinematreasures.org/theater/8362/

We went to the theater two weeks ago and the ABC store that occupied the former lobby was still closed. Somebody in a shop in front told that he went inside the auditorium some years ago and beautiful architecture is still there. If anybody has news or see something happening, we would be really interested to know !

I've walked by the last two morning and the back stage door entrance has been open with Chinese workers moving stuff in/around. Not really sure what is going on. Can't really see much from the doorway and the workers didn't speak any english. Will continue to enquire.

For years, the theater has been used as a warehouse. Hence all the moving around and forklifts from time to time. Did it look like it was being emptied out? If so, that could be an indication of something different.

For about 98.5% of its cinematic lifetime, this was known as Loew's Canal, and I think that its main name in the introduction should be that. Without the vision and financing of Loew's, the Canal would probably never have been built.

It appeared as if they were moving things in.

The Department of Buildings lists this building as a warehouse and no recent permits have been issued for any type of work. As chinowitz posted, your probably just seeing normal warehouse activity. The function should be Warehouse, but there is no choice for warehouse on the function list. There is a choice for Storage on the function list and maybe that could be used instead of unknown.

I originally thought the CANAL had closed in the mid-fifties but a CANAL theatre appears in an ad for TELEFON in the NYT in January 1978. Does anyone know the final closing date?

The Major Theatre on Canal Street near Broadway was known as the Canal in its final years. That's probably the theatre mentioned, but I'm not 100% certain. I believe that the Major/Canal closed around 1979-80.

I just viewed blueprints and mechanicals for this theater at Columbia's Avery Libary. They have two full sets of architectural drawings for this 2,313 seat tri-level theater showing specs and details of elaborate decorative plaster, grillwork, and terracotta; a copper roof; skylights; a marquee naming it Loew's Canal; etc. Truly magnificent. Hopefully some of these details still remain on the interior.

Live in the area and I'm told it's for sale now for condos, for big money. Hope not. Warren's fotos are down I guess.

Interesting. How reliable is your source? Did s/he quote a dollar figure?

Since this was built by Loew's and operated by Loew's for most of its life, couldn't this be listed as Loew's Canal? And its ending for the "t" word was "re"-- Loew's Canal Theatre (not Loew's Canal Theater)...Here are new direct links to previously displayed images of the auditorium:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/126-2669_IMG.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/126-2625_IMG.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/126-2628_IMG.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/126-2629_IMG.jpg

Anyone interested in meeting up outside the theater location? Possibly interested in opening up a musical theater with a recording studio. Or if for nothing else, to see if it still stands and in what condition.

Meeting up outside is unlikely to result in gaining entrance to the interior, which has been closed to the public for decades except for the small portion of the lobby used for retail. I would suggest that you contact the building's owner and try to arrange a viewing. Good luck! You're going to need it.

I'd be interested in meeting up, 4hope. email me at cpldc@aol.com

I'm very interested in this baby....who do I contact to get a tour of the inside?

ok,i understand that access and information will be rough.I also understand that the theater probably is gone.But...this may have slipped trough the cracks and may be able to be purchased.I will email you chinowitz,but i will do the first step.I just had a deal fall through in a theater in paducah,the columbia,which was amazing.Bottom line is that this theater has no history.Again,that area in the 70's was not the nicest.I am gonna try to get in.The idea for a music theater with a recording studio is a no brainer,new york has nothing like that.It would be a live venue with only the control room of the studio.

Ooops. Sorry 4hope. My email is chinowitz@aol.com

My idea.....if anyone is interested.....would be my way of sharing with the community. I'd restore it to it's original beauty, and it would be the home of the NYC bellydance community....one of the most beautiful features of this divine city. I've got a big crowd cheering me on...no matter where my dream ends up.

New York City Property Search shows current ownership by VJHC Development Corporation, with the property classified as a "miscellaneous warehouse." Something is apparently abrew, as the market value was reported as $837,000 for 2007/2008, but has nearly doubled to a "tentative" $1,620,000 for 2008/2009.

Interesting info....thanks Warren. : )

VJHC Development Corporation apparently has some connection with the privately owned Abacus Federal Savings Bank, a private Chinese bank headquartered in the USA and especially active in NYC areas with large Chinese populations, including Manhattan's Chinatown and Flushing, Queens. Thomas Sung, president of Abacus, is very active in NYC politics and has made substantial contributions to election campaigns.

The non-profit organization in Chinatown looking to build an arts center in the neighborhood has been in discussions with VJHC about the site.

That area like most of new york city needs to find ways of encouraging artist development.If a beautiful old theater can transform the neighberhood in a positive way,everyone wins.

That poor theatre needs a lot of TLC, a community effort maybe? The work needed at this location is nothing to sneeze at...perhaps a little too much for my humble attempt.
I'm in awe over the structural beauty...but way too much damage for me to handle.

Did you get inside the auditorium? What type of damage are you talking about? Did you take pictures?
Would love to hear more.
J

This is a side by side "then and now" photo of the Loew's Canal Theater building. The "then" photo might be circa 1940.

"Side by side" it appears that the building has somewhat survived 80 plus years.Of course the "side by side" of the interior is unlikely to be as pretty.What makes this possibly different then so many of the destroyed theaters,especially in new york city, is a possibility that the size and shape of the space may have escaped retail,or church re use.Light manufacturing or storage may have spared this.Only a guess without a set of keys.4hope

The "sbs" images show only the narrow entrance and lobby that led to the auditorium behind it. The lobby ran just to the depth of the adjacent buildings. The auditorium portion extends to Ludlow Street, where it has side exit doors, which were used for the warehouse entrance.

I've been told that what appears to be black-painted windows on the Canal Street facade is actually rare black terracotta tile.

I believe that the three arched "windows" above the entrance were just for ornamentation. I don't think that there was anything behind them. The lobby had a low ceiling, with probably nothing above it strong enough to support anything.

If the interior auditorium exists in a manner that keeps the integrity of the original design,then the accustics will be in place,based on the assuption that the ceiling height is left in place.It is always the exterior(not finished internal dimensions)walls that determine the frequency response of any room.There original dimensions would have had a minimum of 50 foot ceilings.The interior sides were far enough apart to break up standing waves,and of course you had chairs and carpets for absorption.If the frame has been left intact,you very likely could have the largest untapped performance center in manhatten.With the bonus of the chinatown location,this could and should become a place for music.My question is,does the space still stand.

Warren,
The lobby actually has a high ceiling...probably 25 feet.

4Hope - the entire builing is still standing. The lobby is well worn, no idea what the state of the auditorium is - but it's big!

Just a question to warren.Would you think its fair to say that this theater may still be standing, having lucked out with a "luck of the draw" set of circumstances,to actually still be whole and not broken apart.If not here,where?

Twenty-five feet is not high for the lobby of a large theatre. The one at the Loew's Valencia in Jamaica is three stories high. I still don't think that there was anything above the ceiling of the Canal's lobby. I shall have to look in descriptive articles that I have somewhere...I would not hazard a guess about what remains of the original auditorium and its decorations, but I'm not optimistic. I'm sure that most of it has been removed and/or stolen by this time.

According to architectural blueprints in the Thomas Lamb archives, there was a rather significantly sized fan room housing electrical and mechanical equipment behind the Canal Street facade above the lobby entrance.

The marquee and vertical in the "sbs" photo were later replaced. Here's an image from 1945. I don't know when the actual work was done. It might have been recently or just prior to America's entry into WWII: http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/137-3779_IMG.jpg

let me get all this straight.Even though the description above the main auditorium being used for storage or light mauufacturing, your opinion is that the main theater space with or without a lobby, has likely been compromised and no longer exists as a large open room.Do you then believe that every theater,except possibly the church re-use ones in harlem,are all gone or destroyed in new york city?

Hi. I'm interested in this thread, because I've been trying to learn more about the mural on the Ludlow side. It represents movie-going, among other things, and maybe it was created in the 1970s?, but it would correspond to the Ludlow side of the theatre. One of the pix I took last week is on Flickr here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wotba/2495866480/
Does anyone know about the mural or if the mural had anything to do with a commemoration of the theatre? It's quite a bit larger than what you see here. I'm intrigued about what could still exist inside.

Can this theater turn out to be one of the most amazing hidden gems of New York? The old photos are spectacular. It appears from prior comments that much of the lobby ornamentation remains though it is in bad shape. No one, however, has been able to definitively comment on the status of the auditorium. Through benign neglect, it is possible that it is all still there. One can hope. I do hope that someone is able to get access soon and report back as to what is left and in what condition.

Chinatown is rapdidly gentrifying and the Financial District (the neighborhood just to the south) is rapidly becoming New York's wealthiest zip code with all of the new high end condos opening. Chinatown is a quick walk from the booming areas of the Lower East Side and FiDi. This site is becoming more valuable by the day.

In June, 1959, the Canal was part of a group ad for Circuit Theatres, all of which were formerly operated by Loew's. The Canal was the only one in Manhattan and presenting "Separate Tables" & "China Doll." The others were the Grand and Burnside in the Bronx and Hillside and Willard in Queens, all showing "Count Your Blessings" & "The Two-Headed Spy."

From looking at Warren's picture posting of April 10th, The Canal theatre had a beautiful auditorium.

I just looked at Warren's photos anew and, yes, what a spectacular theater! And a big mystery. What is still behind the facade? How much is left? As the area continues to gentrify and the Financial District directly to the south continues to develop as a high end residential area, can this theater be returned to an entertainment use? How much of the original detail is left? What condition is it in? I could be wrong but I believe the retail store that operated where the entrance was is no longer in business so there is no one to ask. I think this is New York's biggest movie palace mystery and, potentially, its biggest hidden gem waiting to be polished!

I too, live in the neighborhood and have walked by this for years. What a rare jewel! I hope it is intact and someone can find a way to save it! Here is a little bit more info I found-
Great shot of it in the 40's:
http://knickerbockervillage.blogspot.com/2008/06/loews-canal-sept-24-1935.html
And here is the Google Street View:
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=40.714556,-73.990753&spn=0.000565,0.001094&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=40.714556,-73.990753&
panoid=PmsAAAHkl0RG-cYgNX_5-g&cbp=12,14.835666617385016,,0,-22.489517467852547

Thanks Tim for the photo. It's actually from 1935! I love how you can see the signs for "Chop Suey" and also the Hebrew lettering on another store front. The melting pot in action!

It's frustrating that no other information has come forward about this theater, its condition, its current ownership or its potential future, but if i find out any additional infor, I will be sure to post it here.

This is the Loew's Canal Theatre's property profile on the NYC Dept of Buildings website:

http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/PropertyProfileOverviewServlet?boro=1&houseno=31+&street=Canal+Street&requestid=0&s=A03C41B885B461E4F46BD08866A7430E

The Canal Theatre is New Building #404, filed for in 1926, which is NB 404-26

These are the Certificate of Occupancies on file:

C of O, Sept 8, 1927:
http://a810-cofo.nyc.gov/cofo/M/000/012000/M000012914.PDF

C of O, Sept 20, 1927:
http://a810-cofo.nyc.gov/cofo/M/000/012000/M000012974.PDF

C of O, Nov 26, 1962 (when retail took over the first story):
http://a810-cofo.nyc.gov/cofo/M/000/056000/M000056730.PDF

Why did they need one C of O on the 8th Sept and then another on the 20th? Seems curious.
i've also always wondered what a smoke stack that big is doing there. i mean that theater must have had a righteous big coal burning boiler or something.
I've been up the fire escape (missing many steps) on the other side of the building, and it has a similar layout as the front in order to evacuate each side of the balcony seating, but the roof is unreachable.
@31 Canal above your terracotta black tile fake façade you have a set back and a louver which is typical building exterior for a mechanical room. Inside it appears they have built a loft for storage instead of the original 25ft. lobby ceiling.
Where are the Thomas Lamb plans available? Does anyone know where best where to view these?

Thomas Lamb's plans can be viewed and photographed at the Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/indiv/avery/ If you visit, I would appreciate it if you can keep me posted.

These are the e-mail addresses:

avery@libraries.cul.columbia.edu
avery-drawings@libraries.cul.columbia.edu
Archivist Janet Parks: jsp1@columbia.edu

KSwizz....Do you have any knowledge on the current condition of the interior for this theater?

negative i wish, other than the darkness of the garage on the bottom left of the ludlow side of the building. this appears to be used as a 2 van(parallel) garage and storage for a dozen paint buckets. My last look inside that garage revealed only a wall on the right with a door where i'd imagine the back/side offings of the theatre to be located. The only thing this says to me is that its most likely that only a small portion of the "backstage" or loading dock is being used currently and/or disturbed.
What is the name of the non-profit in talks with T. Sung/VJHC?

See my post from Feb 15, 2008. I went to Avery and viewed the full blueprints. Behnd the terracotta facade is a massive mechanical room. This was maybe one of the 1st buildings in NY with an 'air conditioning' or 'air cooling' system. The 'smoke stack' is a cooling tower.

lol,
This is what this mural is about.

To Chinowitz: Thank you for your reply! When you visited the Avery Library, did you take any digital photos of the historic blueprints? It would be useful in any preservation efforts.

Enjoy. Points of interest for me include(See if you find them all): slat walks and associated ladders, organ loft, heating mushrooms, theatre vault, Baudelot cooling tower (btw which isn’t the appropriate style of cooling tower for this application typically I don’t think. Dismantled today), exit tunnel & dressing rooms(currently demolished), trap doors x3!, future orchestra pit, organ pipe backlighting, 21 circuit main chandelier!, sky-walk, 3 styles of external brick-work, creative HVAC plenum use, air washer humidifier, coal chute and coal burning boiler flue detail, indirect ceiling lighting and cove lighting strips, mosaics, projector trajectory, strangely located green room, coat of arms(quartered rampant lions & fleuretty Semme-de-lis is there a real person referenced in this coat of arms?), rose dial compass (nautical feel), ornamental iron diffusers, re-designed cosmetic room, drinking fountain, Steel sub-contractor identified, 11 fire hoses, 2339 seating capacity, sump vent to roof (I wish this were common practice). Anyhow those plans are a trove to be sure. And they are only half of the ones available for this theatre.
There are 20,000 sets of plans and prints at the Avery from the offices of T. Lamb alone. Donated after being stored in a theatre basement throughout John J. McNamara tenure at the helm of the T. Lamb architects.

Thank you so much for sharing these. If we could only get a sense what the current condition of the building is.

To KSwizz: Hi! Thank you for sharing these amazing historic blueprints. Two questions...

In order to help preserve the Loew's Canal Theatre for future generations, it would be much appreciated if you would permit me to upload your photos to flickr, and place them in a photoset. You would receive credit, if you prefer. Please let me know if that will be possible. Also, do you have any photos available in a higher resolution to read the specifications on the blueprints? Please reply here or e-mail me at unlockthevault@hotmail.com and let me know. Thanks! - Michael

P.S. Do you have any scans of the Ridgewood Theatre by Thomas Lamb?

Thanks, KSwizz. You got much better images than I got from the blueprints. How do you know that dressing rooms are demolished?

If I gather correctly what you are really asking by your question, then strictly speaking I don’t know. In fact the current state of the brick work displays no signs of demolition and it’s more likely that they omitted the tunnel and dressing rooms from the final As Built all together. The only visible penetration of the North wall is the Sliding Fire Door and there is no indication of there ever having been a staircase up to serve any dressing rooms (or a green room) on a second story.

The images I have total 400MB but are downloadable in their actual full (average 8 Mega pixel) size from the Picasa site… so knock yourself out. Credit goes to The Avery @ Columbia and are posted for research purposes only.

Thank you very much for your help! Progress lies ahead.

There seems to be conflicting reports on whether the interior of the auditorium is intact or not. ANyone know for sure?

I'm confused as well B'way. From what I can gather from reading all of the above posts, it appears to me that the interior is still therea and that this theater might be salvagable. I think it could be Manhattan's greatest "secret" theater.

This from a blog article about Chinatown development...True?

http://macaulay.cuny.edu/seminars/chin08/index.php/Project_for_Revitalization

"When walking through Chinatown, new buildings are popping up left and right while older buildings are at the same time being knocked down. One building in particular was an incredible historic relic that was in pristine condition before it was destroyed last year. The Loews Canal Theatre, which served as a movie theatre, was built in 1927. It was in business well into the 1970's until its eventual closure in 1980. It could have become a truly interesting piece of Chinatown's "Historic Chinatown" segment of the area to be created but instead it was demolished to make room for a luxury condominium building."

Nonesense, this theater is still very much standing. Nothing is being torn down in this economic environment; especially for new condos! I still think this theater is still standing behind its facade, mostly intact. I do agree that it could be a wonderful addition to Chinatown's cultural and economic life, but we need to find out what kind of shape it is in.

Glad to hear that, thanks for the correction Luis.

I am so glad folks are trying to save this theatre. In the 1950's I grew up on nearby Orchard Street between Canal and Hester. I would spend Saturday afternoons seeing a double feature (Martin & Lewis, etc), a dozen cartoons and a serial, perhaps even the News of the Day newsreel. My mother took me to see Blackboard Jungle there I guess it was 1955 just before she passed away the next year. I think I paid twenty five cents. Once I won a coloring contest. They would give out promotional sketches and you would color them in, I won a doll and I am a guy! I often go back to walk the neighborhood and walk by that place. Sol

it's gonna take 2-3 million just to renovate this building. if in 2004 "posted by Northernspy on Jul 31, 2004 at 8:25pm" reported dampness, you can imagine the damaged state the interior is. no small time no-name non-profit is gonna be able to raise that.

I have no doubt the owner of this building is gonna wait until he gets cited by the DOB for failure to maintain, and after that for the building to collapse in order to collect his insurance money so he can walk away from the property.