4. United Palace Theatre
Photo via Open House New York from United Palace Theater
The United Palace first opened its doors in 1930 as one of the five Loews Wonder Palaces. Back then, it functioned as a vaudeville house and movie theater until preacher Rev. Ike purchased and restored the property. In honoring his legacy, the Palace now houses the United Palace House of Inspiration (UPHI) as well as the United Palace of Cultural Arts (UPCA), a nonprofit arts and cultural center that hosts a variety of events throughout the year. Its theater, with close to 3,400 seats, is the fourth largest in Manhattan.
This year, the United Palace is also part of the “ARTNOIR : City of Cultural Exchange” program, which will focus on ten sites throughout the city and the roles they’ve historically played in cultural exchange; it is the first featured program by OHNY that will highlight NYC’s multicultural communities. Find out more here.