Valencia Theatre

Valencia Theatre is a historic former cinema and current church at 165-11 Jamaica Avenue in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, New York City. Designed by theater architect John Eberson, it opened in January 1929 as the first completed member of Loew's five Wonder Theatres in the New York metropolitan area. The venue was developed during the peak of the American movie-palace era, when large suburban and neighborhood theaters combined motion pictures with vaudeville, elaborate interiors, live orchestral accompaniment, and architectural spectacle. The building occupies an L-shaped site extending from Jamaica Avenue along Merrick Boulevard toward 89th Avenue. Its public-facing lobby section is relatively narrow, while the auditorium and stage house occupy the rear. The exterior is distinguished by a Spanish and Mexican Baroque design using yellow brick and elaborate terracotta ornament. Its facade includes a recessed entrance, an octagonal ticket booth, a marquee, decorative pilasters, cherub heads, volutes, floral motifs, lancet windows, and a curving parapet with multiple finials. The auditorium was designed as an atmospheric Spanish garden. Its walls contain towers, balconies, railings, statues, parapets, and Churrigueresque ornament, while the blue ceiling was painted to suggest an open sky with stars. A cloud machine once produced drifting mist across the ceiling. At roughly 3,500 seats on two levels, the Valencia was one of the largest entertainment venues in Queens. Its program initially combined first-run motion pictures with live stage entertainment, including vaudeville. The theater's connection to Loew's distribution network gave it a regional first-run advantage: films shown there could receive a temporary exclusive showing in a broad area of Long Island. It also participated in Loew's practice of circulating stage productions from Manhattan's Capitol Theatre through a chain of affiliated Wonder Theatres. The theater experienced technical and programming changes during its early years. In 1930, Loew's installed a Trans-tone wide-screen system, and the venue continued presenting both movies and live entertainment at a time when many cinemas were narrowing their programming. Live shows were discontinued within approximately five years of the opening, although the building remained an important cinema. Like the other Wonder Theatres, Valencia originally contained a Wonder Morton pipe organ made by the Robert Morton Organ Company. The four-manual, 23-rank instrument was removed in the 1960s and later relocated to the Balboa Theatre in San Diego, where it was restored. Following World War II, the Valencia gradually declined as attendance weakened and the cost of operating a very large movie palace increased. It closed as a theater in June 1977. The Tabernacle of Prayer for All People then assumed occupancy for a nominal fee and spent approximately $250,000 renovating the building. The congregation moved into the former theater in October 1977, after which the Valencia functioned primarily as a church rather than a commercial cinema. The building remains notable for its architecture and survival. It is one of the few atmospheric theaters in New York City designed by Eberson and is related stylistically to his Paradise Theatre in the Bronx. The Valencia is also one of the surviving Loew's Wonder Theatres, alongside such historically significant venues as the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn and the Jersey Theatre in Jersey City. Its continued use by a religious congregation has helped preserve much of the structure, although the building's present function differs substantially from its original role as a movie palace.

Valencia Theatre emerged from the expansion of large movie palaces into New York City's outer neighborhoods during the 1920s. In December 1926, builder Ralph Riccardo acquired the Jamaica Avenue site, which was subsequently connected with Paramount-Publix's theater-development plans. Allied Owners Inc. later took control of the development arrangement, while Loew's Theatres assumed the relevant leases in 1927 and took over the site in February 1928. The financing and leasing structure required the theater to be built and operated through agreements involving Allied Owners, Paramount-Publix, and Loew's. John Eberson designed the theater, with assistance from his son Drew during construction. The building was conceived as an atmospheric movie palace with Spanish and Mexican Baroque exterior ornament and an auditorium intended to resemble an open-air Spanish garden. Thompson-Starrett began construction in June 1928. The name Valencia was selected for its Spanish associations and exotic sound. The theater opened in January 1929 with the talking picture White Shadows in the South Seas and live vaudeville. It reportedly accommodated thousands of patrons on its opening day and attracted audiences from Jamaica, other parts of Queens, and Long Island. During its early operating period, the Valencia held an important place in Loew's regional exhibition network. It received first-run films and at times had a temporary geographic monopoly over those films, preventing their simultaneous presentation at other Loew's venues in a large part of Long Island. It also received stage productions circulated from Manhattan's Capitol Theatre through Loew's Wonder Theatre chain. The programming initially combined films and live entertainment, including multi-act vaudeville. In 1930, the theater received a Trans-tone wide-screen installation. By the early 1930s it remained one of the New York-area Loew's venues still presenting both movies and vaudeville, although live stage programs were discontinued within roughly five years of the opening. The auditorium contained approximately 3,500 seats split between orchestra and balcony levels. Its painted sky, stars, theatrical lighting, Spanish architectural details, chandeliers, and cloud machine created an immersive environment characteristic of Eberson's atmospheric theaters. A Wonder Morton pipe organ, manufactured by the Robert Morton Organ Company, accompanied performances. The instrument had four manuals and 23 ranks of pipes. It was dismantled in the 1960s and moved to the Balboa Theatre in San Diego, where it was later restored. After World War II, the Valencia entered a long period of decline. The economics of operating a very large movie palace became increasingly difficult, while attendance fell. The theater closed in June 1977. The Tabernacle of Prayer for All People acquired occupancy for a nominal fee and invested approximately $250,000 in renovations. The congregation moved into the building in October of that year, and the former cinema subsequently operated as a church. The Valencia's architectural significance has remained central to its identity. It is one of New York City's surviving atmospheric theaters designed by John Eberson and one of the five venues originally associated with Loew's Wonder Theatres in the metropolitan area. Its Spanish-inspired facade and elaborate auditorium have made it an important surviving example of the movie-palace period. The building is a New York City designated landmark and continues to be used by the church occupying it.

• 1977

  Cinema closes and church occupancy begins

  [1]Valencia Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The theater closed in June because of high costs and low attendance; the Tabernacle of Prayer for All People began occupying the renovated building in October.

• 1960

  Wonder Morton organ removed

  [1]Valencia Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The theater's original pipe organ was disassembled and relocated to the Balboa Theatre in San Diego.

• 1933

  Loew's defaults on mortgage loan

  [1]Valencia Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Loew's defaulted on the theater's mortgage loan in June, reflecting the complex financing structure used for the Wonder Theatre development.

• 1930

  Wide-screen presentation introduced

  [1]Valencia Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Loew's installed a Trans-tone wide-screen system at the theater.

• 1929

  Theater opens

  [1]Valencia Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Valencia Theatre opened with White Shadows in the South Seas and vaudeville, becoming the first completed Loew's Wonder Theatre in the New York area.

• 1928

  Construction begins

  [1]Valencia Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Thompson-Starrett began construction on John Eberson's Spanish-themed atmospheric theater.

• 1927

  Development transferred into the Wonder Theatre program

  [1]Valencia Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Allied Owners Inc. became involved in developing the site, and Paramount-Publix reassigned the Valencia lease to Loew's as part of the creation of the Wonder Theatre group.

• 1926

  Site acquired for theater development

  [1]Valencia Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Ralph Riccardo acquired the Jamaica Avenue site that later became the Valencia Theatre property.

A grand neighborhood movie palace that combined first-run cinema, live entertainment, and immersive Spanish-themed architecture; since 1977, it has been preserved primarily as a church and historic landmark.

• Cinema programming · 1929

  First-run film exhibition

  The Valencia originally functioned as a major first-run cinema serving Jamaica, Queens, and surrounding parts of Queens and Long Island. Through Loew's exhibition network, it could receive films before many nearby venues and at times held a temporary regional exclusivity for a first run.

• Live entertainment · 1929

  Vaudeville and live stage shows

  Film screenings were initially paired with live stage entertainment, including vaudeville acts and programs circulated from Loew's Capitol Theatre network. Live presentations remained part of the theater's early identity but were discontinued within approximately five years of opening.

• Religious venue use · 1977

  Church services

  Since 1977, the former movie palace has been used by the Tabernacle of Prayer for All People. The congregation renovated the building and converted its operational use from commercial cinema to worship and church activities.

• 1977

  Conversion from cinema to churchStrategy

  Background

  Declining attendance and the high cost of operating a large movie palace led to the closure of the commercial theater.

  Action taken

  The Tabernacle of Prayer for All People took occupancy for a nominal fee, funded renovations, and began using the building for worship.

  Aftermath

  The building survived as a functioning church rather than being demolished or converted into another commercial use, preserving its historic architecture.

  Source

• 1977

  Valencia Theatre closes as a cinema[1]Valencia Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The theater ceased commercial operation in June after years of declining attendance and high operating costs.

• 1977

  Tabernacle of Prayer for All People takes occupancy[1]Valencia Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Tabernacle of Prayer for All People took over the former theater for a nominal fee, renovated it, and began using it as a church in October.

• 1930

  Trans-tone wide-screen system installed[1]Valencia Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Product generation

  Loew's introduced a Trans-tone wide-screen system at the Valencia as the theater adapted to changing film-presentation technology.

• 1929

  Valencia Theatre opens as a Loew's Wonder Theatre[1]Valencia Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Valencia opened in Jamaica, Queens, as the first completed Loew's Wonder Theatre in the New York area. Its inaugural program combined the talking picture White Shadows in the South Seas with vaudeville performances.

1. 1Valencia Theatreen.wikipedia.org