Times Square Theater

New York, NY

The former Times Square Theater, built and opened in 1920, is a Landmark-quality historic theater in the heart of Manhattan’s midtown theater district. In its early days, the theater staged notable shows, such as George and Ira Gershwin's Strike Up the Band in 1930 and Noël Coward's Private Lives in 1931. In 1934, the theater was converted to a cinema and remained such until it closed in 1990, and the City and State of New York took possession. Two years later, it became one of six theaters protected by the New 42nd Street organization. Now undergoing an adaptive reuse development to become a retail space, much of its most significant historical architectural features will be preserved.

We joined the project as the Preservation Architect for the design and oversight of the temporary removal and salvage of the decorative plaster and related ornaments for off-site storage, restoration and reinstallation into a rooftop addition. The proposed temporary removals required review and approval by the New 42nd Street’s Historic Preservation Committee, as well as the NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYC EDC). Following exterior restoration and facade lifting and adaptive reuse, the plasterwork will be reinstalled in the rooftop addition, following all new construction and front facade lifting and additions (designed by others).

Client
Stillman Development International
John Tiedemann Inc.                                  

Services
Existing conditions documentation, Construction Documents, NYC EDC review and approval, DOB Filing and Construction Administration

Project Team
Preservation Engineer: Old Structures Engineering, PC
Materials Conservator: Jay Cardinal Consultants
Master Plaster: Iconoplast Design
Construction Manager: Shawmut Design and Construction
Architect: Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners LLP
Structural Engineer: Silman
Architectural Conservator: Integrated Conservation Resources                    

Completion
Phase I (Temporary Removals): 2019
Phase II (Reinstallation): 2021

Additional Resources
Project website >
Time-lapse video >