Loew's Theatre, New Rochelle
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Loew's Theatre is a historic movie theater located on Main Street in the Downtown section of the city of New Rochelle in Westchester County,
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
. During the 1920s, the "Golden Age" of the movies, there was a tremendous boom in the construction of motion picture houses and theaters built in New Rochelle during this period were only slightly less elaborate than the grand movie palaces found in big cities. Loew's Theatre at 585–599 Main Street was built in 1926, and the RKO Proctor's Theater across the street was built the following year. Both buildings share the basic design of a long, two-story facade containing shops at the street level, with the entrance to the theater itself emphasized by decorative elements and the marquee. The design inspiration for the Loew's is Spanish, interpreted through elements such as clay tile roofs and a baroque parapet over the entrance. The 2,500 seat building was designed by leading theater architect
Herbert J. Krapp Herbert J. Krapp (1887, New York City, - 1973, Florida) was a theatre architect and designer in the early part of the twentieth century. Krapp was an apprentice with the Herts & Tallant firm until 1915. Between 1912 and 1916 Krapp began working d ...
. The theater featured vaudeville and live stage shows with renown performers and celebrities such as Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Bette Davis, George and Gracie Burns, Sophie Tucker, and George and Gracie Burns,
Sophie Tucker Sophie Tucker (born Sofia Kalish; January 13, 1886 – February 9, 1966) was an American singer, comedian, actress, and radio personality. Known for her powerful delivery of comical and risqué songs, she was one of the most popular entertaine ...
, George M. Cohen, Olivia de Havilland and
Will Rogers William Penn Adair Rogers (November 4, 1879 – August 15, 1935) was an American vaudeville performer, actor, and humorous social commentator. He was born as a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, in the Indian Territory (now part of Oklahoma ...
. The Loews Theatre site mirrors the tale of many early American suburbs. New Rochelle, mostly known as a bedroom community serving New York, saw tremendous growth and success during the first half of the 20th century. At that time the Loews theater was part of a flourishing downtown benefitting from its affluent residents and proximity to the city. The theater has since been made obsolete by inventions such as the television and VCR, and by newer, larger movie facilities with multiple screens and cutting edge technology. In July 2012 the New Rochelle Business Improvement Program won a $500,000 grant from the New York State Main Street Program to further the restoration of historically significant buildings in the downtown business district. The restoration of the Loew's Theatre facade was the first project to be funded by this grant. Extensive terracotta and other original architectural details which had been hidden for decades were also uncovered and restored to their original state. In June 2016, developer RXR Realty proposed a $120 million plan for a “28-story building with 280 apartments, a 277-space parking garage and retail storefronts." Leasing began in June 2019. The developer has "restored the historic facade and marquee" and added "a new 10,000-square-foot arts and cultural space" including a
black box theater A black box theater is a simple performance space, typically a square room with black walls and a flat floor. The simplicity of the space allows it to be used to create a variety of configurations of stage and audience interaction. The black ...
, but has been criticized for the "mixed space" not including municipal-income-generating "things like hotel space," "office and residential," and adequate public parking.


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Loew's TheatreCinema Treasures
{{Coord, 40, 54, 24.9, N, 73, 47, 5.8, W, display=title Theatres completed in 1926 Movie palaces Cinemas and movie theaters in New York (state) Buildings and structures in New Rochelle, New York Tourist attractions in Westchester County, New York 1926 establishments in New York (state) Loew's Theatres buildings and structures Thomas W. Lamb buildings