The 42nd street area will never be the same…Some of its amazing theaters (think Selwyn, Lyric or Empire, Ziegfeld follies, Houdini shows, etc.) were brutaly destroyed to make room for a “family friendly” environment. Giuliani’s clean up time had come and all of this old NY had to go.
Only the Amsterdam Theater still stands widely transformed by Disney (as well as a a very few theathers and theater fronts that were miraculously saved and rebuilt (or partialy moved). Some of the photos featured here were taken a few months before most theaters were torn down or transformed…and as the city had commisioned artist Jenny Holzer to display messages on the old time canopes of 42nd street.
You will also find here various images the “Deuce”, 8th avenue and Times square, all were taken between 1993 and 1998. The strip shows and peep shows, the porn theaters (Show World, Peep Land, The Playpen, etc.) before they were gone and as destruction had just started. As well as some of the obvious signs of the total transformation of this great New York area that was coming up. And finally, shots of the surrounding Broadway theaters with the plays of that time: Rent, Grease, Chicago, Titanic…Please en joy and share !
– © G.Alessandrini – All rights reserved worlwide for all images on this site –
Peepland original token
Here and below, the 42nd street theater fronts
The Selwyn Theater
The Empire Theater
The Liberty Theater
The Lyric Chatter
The Amsterdam Theater
Victory Theater
42nd street
42nd street
The Empire / 42nd street
North east corner of 8th avenue and 42nd street
The remains of The Nugget. Just before total destruction.
And after the destruction…
42nd street / 8th avenue
Times Sqaure
42nd street / Broadway
A new era has begun. Cranes and construction everywhere;
8th avenue is dead. All the porn shops have closed.
The infamous Hotel Carter
Show World (8th between 42nd and 43rd st.)
Show World, still in activity with its infamous “triple treat” theater !
Show World original token
Times Square
Empty Times Square ! (During a simulation of terrorist attack – 1990’s -)
The Smiths Bar on 8th avenue…A must for a real Times Square late night experience at the time !
The Playpen (Ideal Theater)
8th. ave and 42nd street…one more time, later on…with a giant ad for the Godzilla movie.
Times Square after the snow storm
Chicago, The musical
Grease, The musical
Rent at the Nederlander theater
Phantom of the Opera at the Majestic Theater
Les miserables at the Imperial
Times Square
Times Square “TKTS”
Street preacher on 42nd street
Please also see:Night and the City Meat Market (Meat packing District) 1990’s
