4. Paramount Theater
The Paramount Theater in Staten Island’s Stapleton District first opened in October 1930 and served as one of the borough’s premiere theaters. The Art-Deco-style building could hold up to 2,300 patrons and was constructed on the site of Cornelius Vanderbilt‘s childhood farmhouse. Despite a major renovation in the 1960s, the theater eventually closed in 1977 and later reopened as a nightclub and then, briefly, as a concert venue. In 1980, however, it closed its doors permanently.
After the site was sold in 2008, restoration plans began in an effort to reopen the venue. However, the process stopped in 2010 and didn’t begin again until 2016 with the ultimate goal of turning the building into a restaurant, catering hall, and events venue; in the meantime, the site has served as the backdrop for many shows, including Gotham and Marvel’s The Defenders. Today, filmmakers can rent the space for filming.