Bronx Theatre
436 East 149th Street,
Bronx,
NY
10455
436 East 149th Street,
Bronx,
NY
10455
1 person
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Another loss.
This building is indeed being converted in to 3 star boutique hotel. Complete details available at this link:
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/manhattan-developer-hard-work-boutique-hotel-forgotten-south-bronx-opera-house-e-149th-st-article-1.1061219
Except for the facade, there doesn’t appear to be any of the interior left to save though the history of its former life will part of the interior decoration of the new hotel property.
Wasn’t there another Bronx Theater at Melrose Avenue and East 151st Street that was opened by Keith in 1909? Does anyone know anything about this theater? I believe I located a 1909 article describing some of it’s interior decorations. (“Trenton Advances Ceramic Interests to Extent Never Before Approached in U.S.” in the Trenton Evening Times, Sept. 7, 1909, p. 1)
On a recent visit, we discovered that the office building seems to be in the process to be converted into an hotel. Unfortunately, the auditorium has just recently been demolished.
Listed at 438 E. 149 in the 1960 yellow pages.
Here is a new link for the undated photo.
The Bronx Theater can be seen in this undated photo.
Here is a photo of the Bronx Theater. It appears to be from the early 1970s.
THEATRE LOSES LICENSE; Bronx Movie House Where Girl Was Raped Is Closed
NY Times April 6, 1943
The license of the Bronx Opera House, has been suspended by License Commissioner Paul Moss. The manager of the theatre and seven youths are in custody in connection with the raping of a 17 year old worker in the theatre last month. Chief Assistant District Attorney Sylvester Ryan described the theatre as a rendezvous for degenerates and thugs.
8 SENTENCED FOR RAPE; Bronx Youths Denounced by Court for Attack in Theatre
NY Times June 8, 1943
Judge Harry Stackell sentenced eight youths in Bronx County Court yesterday to indeterminate terms in the reformatory for the rape of a 17-year-old girl on March 11 in the Bronx Opera House, a motion picture theatre. Six of the youths were convicted by a jury and two pleaded guilty during the trial.
Four photographs of the Bronx Theatre I took in June 2005:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/226186895/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/226187423/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/226188287/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/226188864/
To view recent pics of this old building, see my web page at:
View link
I would rather see an old theater become a church then a 99 cent store or supermarket.