By: Manuel Polanco
The historic Loew’s Paradise Theater is set to undergo remodeling, with more details to be unveiled on Nov. 10, during an open house. The theater will be renamed the Paradise Performing Arts Center. This new look will turn the theater into a nonprofit performance art center that can serve the community in a variety of ways such as hosting parties and community events.
Originally opened in 1929, this Bronx theater is the second-largest theater in New York City (NYC). Built by Austrian architect John Eberson, the theater was one of The Bronx’s crown jewels, heralded for its beauty and craftsmanship. It has been closed as a working theater since 1994 but was used as a church in the 2000s.
The theater became a historical landmark in 1997 for its exterior look, then in 2006 for its interior look. “The theater served as a first-run movie house through the mid-twentieth century before declining attendance led to subdivision in 1972 and eventual closure in 1994 […]The building’s National Register listing acknowledges both its architectural significance and its place in the cultural history of the Bronx.”
A New York Times article talking about the theater noted that “it is the second-largest theater in New York after Radio City Music Hall. “In the same way that Radio City had the Rockettes, the Paradise had the Birds of Paradise, women with feathers in their hair and costumes doing a whole live floor show before the feature film,” he said. “That was the thing they used to do.”
This restoration is being headed by the non-profit group Paradise Performing Arts Center (PPAC) and the EverGreene Architectural Arts, who were responsible for the restoration of Brooklyn’s Loews King Theater. Scott Perrin, Peter Martin, and Charles Piazza are leading the way with the remodeling, and all have experience in the theater world and real estate.
Perrin is a Tony-nominated Broadway producer and co-owner of the Triad Theater. “I and my partners were all interested in restoring the Paradise, a 1929 Movie Palace, and the Loews Wonder Theater to its 1929 beauty,” Martin replied when asked why he wanted to join the committee. “The space is already spectacular, but we have some great new ideas for the theater while preserving its original beauty.”
When asked whether this would increase the chances of more theaters opening, Martin said he’s not sure it would increase the number of theaters in the Bronx, but restoring iconic movie palaces like the Paradise has proven to be a tremendous economic catalyst for the cities where they have been restored. Often new restaurants, stores, jobs, hotels, and other cultural centers tend to develop after a city’s main theater has been restored to its original beauty.”
Beyond improving the historical landmark’s appearance, the main goal is to involve the community and make it the focal point of this grand reopening.
The goal of this new remodeling is to help segway community events like film screenings, graduations, and concerts to bring people together. The team hopes to widen the exposure of this remodeling and bring more investors on board.
“It’s going to take a village to bring this goal to fruition, but we’ve accomplished the first step, and we invite everyone to join us to achieve all the potential of this worthy vision which will celebrate the arts and uplift the community,” Perrin said. “I also think we’re going to profoundly impact countless young people in The Bronx by giving them access to arts and culture in their neighborhood.”
Further plans for the theater are set to be unveiled on November 10th and an open house will be open for people to explore the new and improved theater. They hope to be finished with remodeling by 2029 and celebrate the 100th anniversary of the theater with a new look. The cost of the renovation is $50 million dollars.
Martin shared his view on what Paradise’s legacy is.
“We’d like the legacy to be for the Paradise & the Bronx to have a world-class non-profit performing arts center that reflects what the community would like to see, as well as introducing new programming and iconic artists to the theater.”
For more information on the Paradise Theatre, visit their website https://paradisepac.org/