Pagoda Theatre
11 E. Broadway,
New York,
NY
10038
11 E. Broadway,
New York,
NY
10038
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This was one of the newer of the Chinatown theatres, opened in 1964, and suprisingly one of the first to close, in 1992 and was afterward torn down.
Contributed by
RobertR
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Recent comments (view all 10 comments)
The Pagoda closed in 1992. I not only found an address for it, I found the old phone number too. 964-1825 The address was:
11 E Broadway
New York, NY 10038
The Pagoda was the first purpose-built cinema in Chinatown and opened on May 29, 1964 with the filmed opera, “Chin Heung Ling.” Programs changed once a week. Most of the movies had English sub-titles and were produced in Hong Kong and/or Taiwan. Poy G. Lee was the architect. The auditorium seated 502 (352 in the orchestra and 150 in the balcony). Owner-builder Catherine Enterprises spent $400,000 on the project, including $100,000 for the ground site, which was previously occupied by a branch of Ira Haupt & Company stockbrokers. The cinema had a three-tiered pagoda jutting upward from the roof’s corner at East Broadway and Catherine Streets. At 1964 opening, the Pagoda had three Chinatown rivals, all converted from original commercial buildings: the 550-seat Governor at 5 Chatham Square, the 500-seat World at 93 Bowery, and the 700-seat Sun Sing at 75 East Broadway.
I believe the theatre actually opened a few days later, on June 1, 1964, and that the seating capacity was only 492.
Demolished in 1992, the site is now home to the Glory China Tower office building.
Damien….If you have access to C/O files, check certificate 68670. In 1970 the city lists this building as having a 532 seat theater on the first floor and 144 seats in the balcony. So this was a 676 seat theater total.
This is a photo of the former Pagoda Theater.
NY Times May 29, 1964, Friday
By SAM ZOLOTOW
“CHINATOWN TO SEE MOVIES IN PAGODA; Opening of New Theater to Follow a Dragon Dance:
After several postponements, the Pagoda Theater, a Chinese motion-picture house at 11 East Broadway, on the corner of Catherine Street, will open its doors Monday afternoon. Paul R. Screvane, president of the City Council, will be guest of honor at the ceremony, which is scheduled for 2:45 P.M".
Here is a photo of the Pagoda Theater before it was razed.
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Here it is again.
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Here’s a picture in color of the Pagoda from 6/18/74. My friends father was a part owner and we got tons of free tickets.
http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?67
“Fist of Fury” ad for the Pagoda in 1972.
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