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Times Square Theatre (New York City, New York)

USA / New Jersey / West New York / New York City, New York / West 42nd Street, 215-219
 theatre, cinema

3-story Neo-Classical theater completed in 1920. Designed by Eugene De Rosa for the Selwyn brothers, it was converted to a movie theater in 1933. Notable productions include Strike up the Band (1930), Private Lives (1931). It remained in use as a movie theater until closing in 1990, when the City and State of New York took possession of the Times Square Theater. In 1992, it was one of six 42nd Street theaters to come under the protection of the New 42nd Street organization. It was not immediately restored or renovated, as the theater lacks any entrances not directly on 42nd Street, rendering it more difficult to use for loading of scenery and props, therefore the Times Square is the last of the 42nd Street theaters to be redeveloped.

Since 1992, the theater has been the focus of a number of development proposals that were later abandoned. In 2005, the Times Square Theater was leased to Eckō Unltd., which planned to make it a store for clothing and other urban youth market items. In 2009, the company walked away from its lease. In 2012, a long term lease was signed to make the theater home to a "4D" film presentation called Broadway Sensation, dedicated to the history of Broadway, but this was also cancelled due to financial troubles.

The facade of the theater is faced in limestone, with the ground floor mostly obscured behind painted brick while waiting for redevelopment. At the center of the 2nd-3rd floor, a colonnade of six Corinthian columns front a recessed space with carved panels at the top. The very wide end bays on either side of the colonnade are framed by wide piers and have large, multi-pane windows set within stone enframements topped by cornices. Additional pilasters lead to a large round-arch at each bay, with carved faces as keystones. The roof line is marked by a dentiled cornice.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   40°45'24"N   73°59'16"W
This article was last modified 8 years ago