Daryl Roth Theater (New York City, New York)

 theatre, interesting place, 1907_construction

4-story Neo-Classical theater originally completed in 1907 as the Union Square Savings Bank. Designed by Henry Bacon, it has been adaptively reused as the Daryl Roth Theater/DR2. The former Union Square Savings Bank consists of brick walls and piers, with steel girders and cast-iron columns supporting the upper floors. The fireproof banking floor rests on segmental-arches of terra-cotta with concrete filling. The building is clad in Troy white granite.

The principal facade fronts Union Square East. It major feature is the monumental portico, with granite steps; four fluted Corinthian columns supporting the entablature and parapet; and a coffered ceiling. The frieze is embellished with carved wreaths surrounding a beehive, the symbol of savings banks, and incised letters with the original bank name. The cornice has dentils, egg and dart moldings, and carved faces of lions, which are aligned above each column. The parapet wall is comprised of a solid central section with incised lettering of the year of the incorporation of the original bank in Roman numerals. It is flanked by balustrades and solid walls at the ends of the facade. The wall immediately behind the portico contains a large vertical entryway with a surround featuring an egg and dart molding on three sides and a surmounting cornice. Immediately to the left of the entrance is incised, gilded lettering: "Union Square Savings Bank, formerly the Institution for the Savings of Merchants' Clerks, incorporated April 12, 1848." The wall is framed by corner piers and
flat, Corinthian pilasters aligned with the end columns of the portico.

The East 15th Street facade, enframed by broad corner piers and a continuation of the principal facade' s entablature and parapet, is divided into five bays by flat pilasters with Corinthian capitals. Each bay contains a vertical window opening filled with geometrically-patterned windows with bronze frames. Above each window is a carved panel featuring swags and medallions, except for the easternmost bay in which a window was cut into the panel sometime after the building' s completion. The frieze also contains incised lettering of the bank' s name. A door opening is located in the base below the easternmost window. In addition, wrought-iron fences, which match the geometrical patterning of the windows above, were placed at the base of the building below the window sometime after construction.

In 1982, the financially ailing United Mutual Savings Bank was purchased by the American Savings Bank, which was itself declared insolvent and closed by New York State banking regulators in 1992 as a result of bad commercial real estate loans. The building at 20 Union Square East remained vacant until 1998. Two years earlier, it was acquired by American theater producer Daryl Roth, who devised plans to turn the bank into an off-Broadway venue. The theater can accommodate 300 seated or 499 standing patrons.

Fuerza Bruta was produced at the Daryl Roth Theatre from 2006 to 2016, while Striking 12 ran from November to December 2006. Gloria: A Life opened at the theater in October 2018 and closed in March 2019. 44: The Musical will play a limited engagement at the Daryl Roth Theater beginning October 14, 2025.

www.darylroththeatre.com/
www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/downloads/pdf/reports/unionsqbk.pd...
www.urbanarchive.org/sites/9t69kZcHYYM