The 42nd street area will never be the same...All its amazing theaters (think Selwyn, Lyric or Empire, Ziegfeld follies, Houdini shows, etc.) were brutaly destroyed to make room for a "family friendly" environment. Giuliani's clean up time had come and all of this old NY had to go.
Only the Amsterdam Theater still stands (and a couple of theather fronts that were miraculously saved)...completly transformed by Disney. Some of the photos featured here were taken a few months before all the theaters went down...as the city had commisioned artists to display messages on the old time canopes.
You will also find here images of 8th avenue (the "Deuce") and Times square, all were taken between 1993 and 1997. The strip shows and peep shows, the porn theaters (Show World, Peep Land, The Playpen, etc.) before they were gone and as destruction had just started.
- © G.Alessandrini - All rights reserved -
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| North west corner of 8th avenue and 42nd street |
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| The remains of The Nugget. Just before total destruction. |
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| Here and below, the 42nd street theater fronts |
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| North west corner of 8th avenue and 42nd street...again |
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| And after the destruction... |
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| A new era has begun. Cranes and construction everywhere. |
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| 8th avenue, The Deuce, is dead. All the porn shops have closed. |
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| Mc Hales - An institution... |
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| Show World, still in activity with its infamous "triple treat" theater ! |
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| The Smiths Bar on 8th avenue...A must for a real Times Square late night experience at the time ! |
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| A couple of views of the old Hot Dog and soda fountain shop on the 42nd street strip |
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| 8th. ave and 42nd street...one more time, later on...with a giant ad for the Godzilla movie. |
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