Loew’s Wonder Theatres

In the early 1920s, the Paramount-Publix theatre chain had plans to build four movie palaces in the major residential areas surrounding Manhattan: Brooklyn, Queens, Jersey City, and The Bronx.

As a result of the 1925 agreement between the Loew’s and Paramount-Publix theatre chains not to trade in each other’s home territories, the plans for building the four theatres transferred to Loew’s, who added a fifth theatre to the plan in upper Manhattan.

The planned five opulent movie palaces would go on to become known as the Loew’s “Wonder Theatres”, a moniker which appears to have come from the “Wonder Morton” theatre organs that were commissioned for each of the theatres.

As of 2025 all five Wonder Theatres are still standing. One operates as a community performing arts center, another is a commercial live entertainment venue; the remaining three are currently used as churches with one of them also used for entertainment purposes outside of church services.

Here are Loew’s Wonder Theatres in chronological order:

• Loew’s Valencia in Queens, opened 12th January 1929 and designed in the Atmospheric style by theatre architect John Eberson.
• Loew’s Paradise in The Bronx, opened 7th September 1929 and designed in the Atmospheric style by theatre architect John Eberson.
• Loew’s Kings  in Brooklyn, opened 7th September 1929 and designed by theatre architect firm Rapp and Rapp.
• Loew’s Jersey  in Jersey City (New Jersey – the only Wonder Theatre located outside the state of New York), opened 28th September 1929 and designed by theatre architect firm Rapp and Rapp.
• Loew’s 175th St  in Washington Heights, Manhattan, opened 22nd February 1930 and designed by noted theatre architect Thomas Lamb, allegedly Loew’s favorite theatre architect.

As of mid-2025, Loew’s Valencia is operating as a church and being maintained very well by its owners. Loew’s Paradise in The Bronx has been shuttered since the Covid-19 pandemic and its status is unknown. Loew’s King’s in Brooklyn is managed by ATG Entertainment  and is in active use as a live entertainment and events venue. Loew’s Jersey spent 20 years under the watchful eye of volunteers agitating for its preservation, which is now happening thanks to a City of New Jersey project . Lastly, Loew’s 175th St Theatre, now known as the United Palace, is in active use and had its profile boosted by hosting the Tony Awards in 2023 .

This is a stub article; more to follow!

Additional Resources

• Loew’s Wonder Theatres  on Wikipedia.
• Loew’s Wonder Theatres  on Digital Party.
• Loew’s Wonder Theatres  on Untapped New York.