Paradise Theater (Bronx) facts for kids
In 2010
|
|
| Address | 2417 Grand Concourse The Bronx, New York City United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°51′37″N 73°53′54″W / 40.860337°N 73.89842°W |
| Owner | First Paradise Theaters Corp. |
| Operator | World Changers Church International New York |
| Type | Atmospheric theatre |
| Capacity | 3,885 |
| Current use | Church |
| Construction | |
| Opened | September 7, 1929 |
| Rebuilt | 1973, 1975, 1981, 2000, 2005, 2009 |
| Years active | 1929-1994, 2005-2020 |
| Architect | John Eberson |
The Paradise Theater, once known as Loew's Paradise Theatre, is a grand old movie theater. It is located at 2417 Grand Concourse in the Bronx, New York City. It was built in 1929, when huge, fancy movie theaters were very popular. Later, it also hosted live shows and concerts. In 2012, a church called World Changers Church International New York started using the building for its services.
Contents
A Look Back
The Grand Opening
The Loew's Paradise Theatre first opened its doors on September 7, 1929. People came to see the film The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu. There was also a live stage show called "Cameos". A British organist named Harold Ramsey played a huge "Wonder Organ".
The Paradise was first planned by the Paramount-Publix theater chain. They wanted to call it the Venetian Theatre. But Paramount-Publix left the project before building began. Then, Loew's Theatres, New York's biggest movie theater chain, took over. The Paradise was promoted as one of the five "Loew's Wonder Theatres".
The first "Wonder Theatre" opened in January 1929. It was Loew's Valencia Theatre in Jamaica, Queens. The Loew's Paradise Theatre in the Bronx opened on the same day as Loew's Kings Theatre in Brooklyn. Other "Wonder Theatres" included Loew's Jersey Theatre in Jersey City, New Jersey, Loew's Pitkin in Brooklyn, and Loew's 175th Street Theatre in Washington Heights, Manhattan.
The Loew's Paradise Theatre was one of the last theaters built in the Atmospheric style. This was near the end of the "movie palace" building boom. The theater's architect, John Eberson, was famous for this design. It made the inside of the theater look like an outdoor villa courtyard under a night sky. The Paradise is one of the best examples of his work that still exists.
Changes Over Time
When the Great Depression started, live shows stopped at the Paradise. It became a regular movie theater. In the late 1940s, a concrete floor was put over the orchestra pit. This added more seats. It also covered the organ. The organ was later moved to the Loew's Jersey Theatre.
Over the years, many parts of the Paradise went missing. By the late 1960s, it was only open for evening shows. The theater was divided into two parts in 1973. Then it was split into three screens in 1975, and four screens in 1981. These changes hid most of the original inside of the theater.
The Paradise Theatre closed in 1994 and was empty for six years. In 2000, work began to fix it up. But this work stopped because of a problem with who owned it. A new owner took over and finished the repairs. The theater reopened in October 2005 for live shows and special events.
Famous people like Bernie Williams played guitar there in 2007. Charlie Wilson of The Gap Band also performed there in 2009. In 2012, a church called World Changers Church New York leased the building. The church stopped services in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They later moved to a new place. As of April 2023, the building was empty.
The building was named a New York City Landmark in 1997. It was also named a New York City Interior Landmark in 2006. This means it is a very important building that should be protected.
Design and Style
Outside the Theater
The outside of the theater on the Grand Concourse had rules about signs. This made the front of the theater look simpler. Above the entrance, there was once a special clock made by Seth Thomas. Every hour, a figure of St. George would fight a fire-breathing dragon. Sadly, the dragon and St. George were stolen over the years. Only the saint's horse remains.
Inside the Theater
The Lobby
You enter the main lobby through bronze doors. The ceiling has three domes with painted pictures. These pictures show Sound, Story and Film. In the middle of one wall, under a statue of Winged Victory, was a large marble fountain. It had a child figure riding a dolphin. At the bottom of the main staircase, there was a painting of Marie Antoinette and a copy of Anne of Cleves.
The Auditorium
The main theater room was designed to look like a 16th-century Italian garden. It felt like you were outside under a Mediterranean moon, with stars twinkling in the ceiling. Clouds even seemed to pass by. Fake vines, cypress trees, stuffed birds, and statues lined the walls. The safety curtain had a painting of a Venetian garden. This made the garden feeling continue even when the curtain was down.
See also
- List of New York City Designated Landmarks in The Bronx
- Kent Theater
