United Palace Theater

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United Palace Theatre
South facade of the theatre
Address
4140 Broadway
City
New York City
Architect Thomas W. Lamb
Owned by Christ Community United Church
Capacity 3,293 [1]
Opened 1930
Previous names Loew's 175th Street Theatre
Current use Church; Live Music Hall
www.theunitedpalace.com
Coordinates: 40°50′46″N 73°56′18″W / 40.84616, -73.93845

The United Palace theater, originally known as Loew's 175th Street Theatre, is one of the 3 Loew's Wonder Theaters in New York City.[2] Located at 175th Street and Broadway in Manhattan, New York City, the theatre was designed by Thomas W. Lamb[2] for vaudeville and movies and opened in 1930.[3] When the theater opened, its auditorium was the third largest in the United States. [4] Its architectural style is described by the AIA Guide to New York City as "Cambodian neo-Classical"[5] and by David W. Dunlap as "Byzantine-Romanesque-Indo-Hindu-Sino- Moorish-Persian-Eclectic-Rococo-Deco."[1]

A look at the inside of what has been called a "delirious masterpiece"
A look at the inside of what has been called a "delirious masterpiece"[2]

By the 1960's, after the great movie palaces had all closed down,[1] the 175th St. Theatre was purchased by Rev. Ike's Christ United Church in 1969.[2] The historic theatre has been exquisitely restored and is still maintained for concerts (performances in 2007 included Björk,[3] Iggy and the Stooges [3] and Modest Mouse[1], The Black Crowes, The Arcade Fire, and Sir Simon Rattle conducting the Berlin Philharmonic in The Rite of Spring), recitals, classes and lectures.

While the church still owns the theater, the recently started rock concerts are put on by a third party, Andy Feltz, formerly of the Beacon Theater.[1]


[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e Dwyer, Jim (2007-05-02), “With Indie Rock on 175th St., City’s Reinvention Rolls Uptown”, The New York Times, <http://select.nytimes.com/2007/05/02/nyregion/02about.html> 
  2. ^ a b c d Dunlap, David W. (2001-04-13), “Xanadus Rise to a Higher Calling”, The New York Times, <http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E07E2DE1531F930A25757C0A9679C8B63> 
  3. ^ a b c Atamian, Christopher (2007-11-11), “‘Rite of Spring’ as Rite of Passage”, The New York Times, <http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/arts/11atam.html> 
  4. ^ Renner, James. Images of America: Washington Heights, Inwood, and Marble Hill. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
  5. ^ White, N. & Willensky, E. (2000). AIA Guide to New York City (4th edition). New York: Three Rivers Press.

[edit] External links