Williamsburg’s Rainbow Theater Getting Gutted, Built Up

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A reader sent in these photographs of Williamsburg’s Love Chapel (formerly the Rainbow Theater), one of the few depression-era theaters left in the borough. She was worried the historic theater was being demolished: “I spoke to someone on the team who said everything has already been torn up inside – no depression era theater chairs left intact, etc! Such a shame. I know the front marquee is still existing underneath a stuccoed cross, which would light up in rainbow colors, and I believe there is some kind of magnificent rainbowed dome/ceiling fixture in the theater, but I was not able to see it.” Turns out the building will not be demolished but it is getting mostly gutted. The DOB approved this permit to former Scarano architect Nataliya Donskoy for a “conversion into a mixed use building.” The permit allows a partial demo of the existing structure and the construction of new floors within the shell of the building, as well as modifying the existing shell as required. The application also states: “There will be two building sections proposed, six stories on Meserole Street and four stories with mezzanine on Graham Avenue.” Considering the frontage on Graham Avenue already is four stories, we wonder if some of the original structure will be demolished and built back up. You can see a property outline of the building after the jump, including a picture of what it looks like along Messerole. The theater was up for sale in 2009 for $10 million, but public records show it never sold.
The Love Chapel is Up for Sale [Brownstoner] GMAP


This portion of the building, fronting Merserole, will have six stories. Both photos via Property Shark.

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