The Palladium (originally called the Academy of Music) was a movie theatre, concert hall, and finally a nightclub in New York City. It was located on the south side of East 14th Street, between Irving Place and Third Avenue.
- Venue
- Palladium (New York City)
- Address
- 126 E. 14th Street, New York, NY 10003
- Town
- New York, US
The Palladium (originally called the Academy of Music) was a movie theatre, concert hall, and finally a nightclub in New York City. It was located on the south side of East 14th Street, between Irving Place and Third Avenue. Designed by Thomas W. Lamb, it was built in 1927 across the street from the site of the original Academy of Music established by financier Moses H. Grinnell in 1852. Opened as a deluxe movie palace by movie mogul William Fox, founder of the Fox Film, the academy operated as a cinema through the early 1970s. Beginning in the 1960s, it was also utilized as a rock concert venue, particularly following the June 1971 closure of the Fillmore East. It was rechristened the Palladium in September 1976, and continued to serve as a concert hall operated by Ron Delsener until 1982. In 1985, the Palladium was converted into a nightclub by Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager, after their success with Studio 54. Japanese architect Arata Isozaki redesigned the building's interior for the club. Peter Gatien owned and operated the club from 1992 until 1997. The Palladium closed in August 1997 following its purchase by New York University. In August 1998, the building was demolished in order to build a twelve-story residence hall that students affectionately referred to as Palladium Hall. The residence hall typically houses 960 residents, primarily sophomores with approximately 120 MBA students. Two floors in the basement and sub-basement house the Palladium Athletic Facility. The Academy of Music opened as a movie palace at 126 East 14th Street. By the 1970s it had become a music venue for rock and roll acts. Seating 3,400, it was popular with both mainstream bands and upcoming acts which could open a major bill. Many bands performed at the venue in the middle of large arena and stadium tours, due to the prestige of the theater and the excellent acoustics. The sound systems used for shows were by local rental companies when the touring acts did not carry their own. Amo