Paradise Roof Garden
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Hammerstein's | |
 Hammerstein's Roof Garden, William Glackens | |
 Interactive map of Paradise Roof Garden | |
| Address | 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue New York City United States |
|---|---|
| Owner | Oscar Hammerstein I |
| Operator | Oscar and Willie Hammerstein |
| Type | Broadway, Vaudeville, Roof Garden |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1899 |
| Demolished | 1915 |
Hammerstein's Roof Garden (1899–1915) was the official name of the semi-outdoor vaudeville venue that theatre magnate, Oscar Hammerstein I, built atop the Victoria Theatre and the neighboring Theatre Republic, commonly known then as the Belasco Theatre. Unlike Hammerstein’s first roof garden theatre, which crowned his failed Olympia Theatre, the Paradise Roof Garden was able to rise to prominence and contend with its rivals for the better parts of two decades.[1] For New York City theatre-goers, the name Hammerstein’s grew to encompass both the Victoria and its roof garden.[2] From 1904 to 1914 it was run by Willie Hammerstein, who put on highly popular vaudeville acts.[3]
The construction of the Victoria suffered from an anemic budget, and as a result, its roof garden developed incrementally. It opened in 1899 as the Venetian Terrace Roof Garden and featured a “‘grand promenade’ in the style of Monte Carlo.”[4] The middle of its three tiers consisted of boxes; the third, an open-air café. In compliance with the city’s building code, Hammerstein added eight exits and two elevators to his “solid steel and concrete construction” before summer season of 1902 commenced.[5] He also gained permission to install a roof that could open or close to accommodate the weather.[6]
The bulk of the theatre rested over the Victoria, leaving the roof of the Belasco free for novelty features, including a pond, a Dutch-style dairy farm, and a windmill. The “Mute Revue” consisted of garden displays that paid tribute to the theatrical hits of the closing season.[7] Just in time for the opening of the summer season of 1907, the entire venue was upgraded: the house was repainted in white and blue with splashes of red, and the boxes were remodeled and decked with geraniums.