The sign in Ed Soler’s picture refers to a new building on the esat side of 8th Avenue between 53rd/54th, for which the land has already been cleared and construction has begun. The site is on the east end of the block and does not affect any of the structures in the photo, none of which are endangered any time in the forseeable future. The hotel on the corner is still in operation, the Divine Bar is still around, and just east of that is the “Studio 54” Theater which also is active. You can search this query in a composite view of Google Maps “260 w. 54th st new york” and see the block. “Studio 54” is just to the right of the construction site, next is a commercial low-rise, then the Divine Bar/ex-David, then the hotel on the corner.
It was an OTB at one time but is now occupied by American General Financial. The high roof can still be seen in the rear but the facade is gone, blended into the rest of the complex.
It is now a Central American/ Hatian nightclub. Very scary looking structurally, not well taken care of. The marquee sign in the parking lot fell over in a storm a few years ago, could have been Hurricane Floyd or the nasty July ‘02 hail/lightning storm.
I think this was almost next to the Studio 54 site. I used to laugh at the sign in front of it that was there around 1995…“Closed for Technical Difficulties, Projector Broken.” Uh-huh.
Could someone elaborate on the difference between the Criterion Theater and the Roundabout in the early 90’s(1991-92?)? I remember it was known collectively as the “Criterion Center” then and the Roundabout at the Criterion had room for meetings and stage shows. I saw a production of Hamlet there in early 1992 where Elizabeth McGovern had a non-publicized “wardrobe malfunction” which was entertaining to us high-schoolers. I remember 1940’s era escalators and Moderne looking signs inside which seemed authentic. Was this once part of the Criterion movie theater? Later, in 1996, I attended a business meeting there.
As for demolition, a bit of a misnomer if you mean ripped to the ground, which it was not, though most of the interior walls and fixtures were removed.
It looks like some Deco/Art Moderne type restaurant will open on the 45th St side of the building, borrowing details from the original structure.
Demolished? Not exactly, the Cerberus was far from the first tenant of this brick pile which looks to date back to the 20’s or 30’s. Certainly, the theater part was gutted out, and in 1993 when I moved to Washington, the place was really desolate looking. I think street level had shops, but the side street still had the Cerberus marquee. It was once a fancy parking garage, I heard, but a real nice Barnes and Noble occupies the building now.
The sign in Ed Soler’s picture refers to a new building on the esat side of 8th Avenue between 53rd/54th, for which the land has already been cleared and construction has begun. The site is on the east end of the block and does not affect any of the structures in the photo, none of which are endangered any time in the forseeable future. The hotel on the corner is still in operation, the Divine Bar is still around, and just east of that is the “Studio 54” Theater which also is active. You can search this query in a composite view of Google Maps “260 w. 54th st new york” and see the block. “Studio 54” is just to the right of the construction site, next is a commercial low-rise, then the Divine Bar/ex-David, then the hotel on the corner.
Very interesting. I wonder what movie was playing there at the time. The castle was not a permanent fixture and was probably a tie-in.
It was an OTB at one time but is now occupied by American General Financial. The high roof can still be seen in the rear but the facade is gone, blended into the rest of the complex.
It is now a Central American/ Hatian nightclub. Very scary looking structurally, not well taken care of. The marquee sign in the parking lot fell over in a storm a few years ago, could have been Hurricane Floyd or the nasty July ‘02 hail/lightning storm.
I think this was almost next to the Studio 54 site. I used to laugh at the sign in front of it that was there around 1995…“Closed for Technical Difficulties, Projector Broken.” Uh-huh.
Could someone elaborate on the difference between the Criterion Theater and the Roundabout in the early 90’s(1991-92?)? I remember it was known collectively as the “Criterion Center” then and the Roundabout at the Criterion had room for meetings and stage shows. I saw a production of Hamlet there in early 1992 where Elizabeth McGovern had a non-publicized “wardrobe malfunction” which was entertaining to us high-schoolers. I remember 1940’s era escalators and Moderne looking signs inside which seemed authentic. Was this once part of the Criterion movie theater? Later, in 1996, I attended a business meeting there.
As for demolition, a bit of a misnomer if you mean ripped to the ground, which it was not, though most of the interior walls and fixtures were removed.
It looks like some Deco/Art Moderne type restaurant will open on the 45th St side of the building, borrowing details from the original structure.
Demolished? Not exactly, the Cerberus was far from the first tenant of this brick pile which looks to date back to the 20’s or 30’s. Certainly, the theater part was gutted out, and in 1993 when I moved to Washington, the place was really desolate looking. I think street level had shops, but the side street still had the Cerberus marquee. It was once a fancy parking garage, I heard, but a real nice Barnes and Noble occupies the building now.