Village East Cinema

Location

New York, NY

Services

Conditions Assessment

Materials Analysis

Construction Documents

Field & Lab Testing

Construction Monitoring

Materials

Plaster

Painted Finishes

Awards

2016 Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation Village Award

2016 Design Award of Excellence from the Society of American Registered Architects

 

The Villiage East Cinema, historically known as the Jaffe Art Theater, Yiddish Art Theatre, and the Yiddish Folks Theatre, is one of New York City's last remaining Yiddish theatre buildings. The structure was built in 1925-26 by Louis N. Jaffe, a developer and prominent Jewish community leader, at 12th Street and Second Avenue in the East Village. The theatre was designed in the Moorish Revival style by Harrison Wiseman and William Pogany. The design incorporates Moorish motifs with Judaic references and features extraordinary ornamental plaster work. Both the interior and exterior of the theater are designated a New York City Landmark and the structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Working as consultants to CTA Architects, JBC undertook an analysis of the ornate, deteriorating plaster ceiling. The analysis found that the ceiling surrounding the central dome was created from a repeat pattern of approximately three-foot square panels suspended from wire and hemp/plaster encased straps from a grid of iron “Chicago” bars. JBC developed a scope of work for the removal, restoration, and re-installation of the decorative plaster panels of the ceiling including the completion of technical specifications for the restoration and decorative painting of the units. Restoration work was performed from an enclosed scaffold system while the theater remained open. JBC oversaw construction, including submittal and mock-up review, to ensure high quality work meeting best practices in historic preservation.

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