Loew’s 72nd Street closed

posted by CSWalczak on January 21, 2011 at 3:50 pm

NEW YORK, NY — The rumored closing of Loew’s 72nd Street East formerly known as Loew’s Tower East, finally occurred in December when its lease was not renewed. The theater opened in 1962 as a replacement for a far larger and more elegant Loew’s 72nd Theatre that once occupied the site. It was one of the last single screen theaters operating in Manhattan.

The theater is the latest installation on Third Avenue near East 71st Street to close down, as the entire block is now nearly vacant. The Victoria’s Secret next door to the theater closed as did a Bath and Body Works on the corner of East 72st Street. The only remaining store, Super Runners Shop, will be vacating soon, its manager John Pier said.

But the businesses weren’t forced out by the economic downturn. Their leases simply weren’t renewed, Pier said.

The owners of the Tower East building want to renovate the storefronts — most likely turning the four spaces into three, Pier said — and get new tenants.

The full story with some pictures is at DNAInfo.com.

Theaters in this post

• Loew's 72nd Street East
• Loew's 72nd Street Theatre