1. Broad Street Ballroom
The Broad Street Ballroom at 37-41 Broad Street was originally the headquarters of the Lee-Higginson Bank, a landmarked building. The company did not use the building long, as scandals soon plagued the firm, and the building was sold to the New York Stock Exchange, and later to the Public National Bank and Trust Company. The building was purchased by MetSchools, Inc. a private education company to renovate the building for a Pre-K to Grade 8 private school. Long out of the public eye, the former banking hall was renovated and turned into the Broad Street Ballroom.
DEMOLISHED: Roseland Ballroom
Demolition of Roseland Ballroom
Roseland Ballroom, which saw the likes of Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald, also hosted female prize fighting, weddings, yo yo and sneezing competitions and more. The original location on 51st Street opened in 1917, financed by Frank Yuengling of the D. G. Yuengling & Son beer family. A beer company getting involved on the distribution side was not uncommon practice at the time–in 1903 Pabst Blue Ribbon opened the Pabst Grand Circle Hotel at what is now Columbus Circle, which included a hotel and restaurant as well. Roseland moved to its second location on 52nd Street in 1956, with its recognizable street art style facade–when its original spot was demolished.
Nirvana, Madonna, Beyonce and Metallica also performed in the second location. Lady Gaga was the last performer in residence at Roseland Ballroom and the venue closed on April 7, 2014. The venue had a slow demolition, starting in August 2014 and continuing into 2015. Its future is fairly certain however: a high rise condo is going up in its place.
Next, check out 7 music venues in NYC with a quirky history. This article also written by Benjamin Waldman, Samantha Sokol, Lynn Lieberman, and Corey William Schneider.
