
City - New York, NY - The New Amsterdam Theater 1905

by Mike Savad
Title
City - New York, NY - The New Amsterdam Theater 1905
Artist
Mike Savad
Medium
Photograph - Colorized Photo
Description
Hand colored photo from 1905
Original title: New Amsterdam Theatre
Photographer: Detroit Publishing
Location: 205 W 42nd St, NY
New Amsterdam Theater was built on October 26, 1903, it was a highly anticipated structure, it fell under the Art Nouveau style, using an ornate Beaux-Arts Gingerbread motif. The interior was even more elaborate, it made you think that royalty lived there. It was designed by Henry Herts and Hugh Tallent. In its day, the NY Times gave a review of the building and called it "The House of Beautiful". It's located right off Times Square and its only two years old when this photo was taken.
The years weren't kind to this building, over time, the stripped off all the ornamental parts, replaced the sign with the one they have on it now. The depression didn't help this building either. It was empty for a while, until 1993, it looked abandoned with the interior in terrible shape. It wasn't until a large corporation took over, its the one where a big mouse is in charge, they revitalized it and it still in operation. In fact its one of the oldest Broadway theaters that's still in use.
With Times Square being so close, the commercial aspect was creeping up, and displacing residential sectors. People started moving away from this area, which left that church (the Central Baptist Church), empty. They moved the congregation further away into another church which I believe is still in use today. This church was razed in 1912. In fact most of these buildings are gone today. In this scene its really easy to see the theater, but today, its the smallest one there, and it practically hidden against the huge skyscrapers that surround it.
As a side note, the building is tall and has theaters inside, and on the roof, that building in the back is the main theater, its a less glamorous 41st st.
Uploaded
June 3rd, 2023
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