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The Brooklyn Tabernacle
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Kostow Greenwood Architects
This major renovation restored a decaying
theater to its former glory
© Whitney Cox Photographer |
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The Loew’s Metropolitan Theater,
designed by architect Thomas W. Lamb, opened in 1918 with
a capacity of nearly 4,000 seats. The theater underwent a
renovation in 1948, converting it into a movie palace, and
a more drastic renovation in 1978, redesigning it as a quadruplex
movie theater. Vacant for many years, the building suffered
from extensive deterioration.
The Brooklyn Tabernacle purchased the
decaying theater and three adjacent buildings in 1997. The
revitalization of the spaces included the restoration of the
Fulton Street lobby, restoration of the theater auditorium
with modifications to accommodate their choir and congregation,
two new lobbies, a 300-seat dining hall, Sunday School classrooms,
choir rehearsal space, a bookstore, and administrative offices.
This project presented several challenges.
The architects had to unify the exterior of the building with
facades on three different streets. The historic spaces within
the building needed to meet certain technical requirements.
Lastly, the client needed a new building program. The renovation
of the exterior created a singular identity for the project,
while the interior unified four separate buildings.
A fragment of fabric discovered during
demolition provided the color scheme for the interior’s
decorative painting as well as the custom fabric designs for
the seating and acoustical panels. The Loew’s Metropolitan
Theater re-opened in May 2002 as the new home for the Brooklyn
Tabernacle. The theater now serves as the church’s sanctuary,
seats 3,200 people and showcases the Tabernacle’s 250-voice
choir.
Formal name
of Project:
The Brooklyn Tabernacle
Location:
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Gross square
footage:
150,000 sq. ft.
Owner:
The Brooklyn Tabernacle
www.brooklyntabernacle.org
Architect:
Kostow Greenwood Architects
560 Broadway, New York, NY 10012
Tel. (212) 334-0116
www.kostowgreenwood.com
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