Loew's Metropolitan Theatre
392 Fulton Street,
Brooklyn,
NY
11201
392 Fulton Street,
Brooklyn,
NY
11201
20 people
favorited this theater
Related Websites
Brooklyn Tabernacle (Official)
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Cineplex Odeon, Loew's Inc.
Architects: Thomas White Lamb, David K. Mesbur
Firms: Kostow Greenwood Architects LLP
Functions: Church
Styles: Adam
Nearby Theaters
Incorporating part of the huge A.D. Matthews & Sons dry goods department store at the corner of Fulton Street & Gallatin Place. The Thomas Lamb-designed Loew’s Metropolitan Theatre opened on September 16, 1918 with Dorothy Gish in “The Hun Within” plus 3 acts of vaudeville on the stage headed by Anna Chandler. The main entrance was on Fulton Street and there were secondary entrances on Smith Street and Livingstone Street. It was equipped with a Moller 3 manual 17 rank organ which in 1934 was replaced by a Moller 3 manual 32 rank organ.
In December 1978 it was converted into a four-screen theatre by Loew’s, to the plans of architect David K. Mesbur. Seating was provided for 676 in Screen 1, 698 in Screen 2, 600 in Screen 3 & 599 in Screen 4. It was taken over by Cineplex-Odeon on November 17, 1989 and was closed in July 1996.
The theatre underwent extensive renovation and restoration between 2000-2002, and it was de-quadded, returning to a single auditorium. Architectural firm Kostow Greenwood Architects LLP were the architectural firm responsible for the wonderful restoration of the theatre. It reopened in June 2002 as the new home of the Brooklyn Tabernacle.
Contributed by
William Gabel, Warren Harris
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Recent comments (view all 143 comments)
Loews Theatres was well known for it’s lack maintenance and refurbishment program during that era. It was Cineplex Odeon that really did give these old theatres a new lease of life.
Happy 100th birthday to Loew’s Metropolitan, which first opened in September, 1918, and is not only still with us, but also magnificently rejuvenated as home to the Brooklyn Tabernacle. Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Grand opening article:
The huge chandelier still exists, but now hangs deep underground in Cumberland Caverns, near McMinnieville, TN. I believe that they have the organ, as well.
Grand opening ad posted.
Please update, Cineplex Odeon took over the theatre on November 17, 1989, when Cineplex renovated the theatre after Loews operated it. The two downstair theatres was large auditorium with small screens and the sound was MONO. The two upstairs theatres the screens were better and with Dolby Stereo. Cineplex Odeon, just like the Fortway and Kenmore Quad did not put Dolby sound in all screens.
During its final years as a quad, the Metropolitan Theatre became national headlines following a deadly mass shooting that left a 19-year-old man dead, and three others injured on October 15, 1993. According to the NYPD, the shooting happened inside Screen 3, nearly an hour into the late-night showing of “Judgment Night”.
A total of 56 people attended the late-night showing of the film when it started around 9:45 PM, with the shooting happening at 10:42 PM. The deceased victim, identified as 19-year-old Lakeem Sules of Brooklyn, entered the theater alone when some of the audiences knew about him. At some point afterward, he struggled with another person (appearing to be the suspect), and gunshots were fired, killing Sules and injuring two 26-year-old men and a 23-year-old woman, with all of the injured victims surviving the tragedy. The NYPD confirmed that a total of 10 gunshots were fired and a total of three revolvers and a semi-automatic pistol were recovered at the scene.
Please correct the spelling, it’s Loews Metropolitan Theatre
If you look at the marquee, you will see it was “LOEW’S”.
A correction to the post from 50SSNIPES on the October 15, 1993 shooting. The media incorrectly tried to blame the movie for the violence. The shooting actually occurred during the trailers and the film had not even started yet. The victim did not go in alone, he had come in with friends and was spotted by neighborhood rivals as the trailers were screening.