United Palace

United Palace

Loew's 175th Street Theatre
Address	4140 Broadway (between West 175th and 176th streets) Washington Heights, Manhattan New York City United States
Coordinates	40°50′47″N 73°56′17″W / 40.846412°N 73.938193°W / 40.846412; -73.938193
Owner	United Palace of Spiritual Arts[1]
Capacity	3,350
Current use	church, concert hall/performing arts center, cinema (classic movies)
Construction
Opened	1930
Architect	Thomas W. Lamb
Website
www.unitedpalace.org
New York City Landmark
Designated	December 13, 2016
Reference no.	0656

The United Palace (originally Loew's 175th Street Theatre) is a theater at 4140 Broadway in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. The theater, occupying a city block between Broadway, Wadsworth Avenue, and West 175th and 176th Streets, is both a house of worship and a cultural center. The architect, Thomas W. Lamb, designed the theater as a movie palace, which opened on February 22, 1930, as one of five Loew's Wonder Theatres in the New York City area. The theater's interior decor, incorporating elements of numerous architectural styles, was supervised by Lamb and Harold Rambusch.

The theater was built specifically to present films and live shows, the latter of which were discontinued shortly after the theater opened. The theater operated until 1969, when the television evangelist Rev. Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter II, better known as Reverend Ike, acquired it. The theater became the headquarters of his United Church Science of Living Institute and was renamed the United Palace. Latin American music acts began using the theater in the 1990s, and the United Church began renting the theater out as an event venue in 2007. Various parts of the theater, such as the movie screen and sound system, have been upgraded gradually during the 2010s and 2020s.

The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the building as a city landmark in 2016. The church is called the United Palace of Spiritual Arts, and it offers performing arts events through the United Palace of Cultural Arts. When the Loew's 175th Street Theatre was in operation, Hollywood stars appeared at the theater to host films. In addition to concerts, the theater hosts other events such as graduation ceremonies, film shoots, meetings, recording sessions, and graduation ceremonies. Critics have written about the mixture of architectural styles used in the building's design.