View source for State Palace Theatre (New Orleans)

[[File:NOLACanalStLowes155MillionPowerbal.jpg|right|thumb|Exterior view, 2007]]
'''State Palace Theatre''' is a performing arts venue located in [[downtown New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]].<ref>{{cite web |title=State Palace Theatre|url=http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/3185|publisher=cinematreasures.org|accessdate=May 11, 2015}}</ref> It is located at the [[uptown New Orleans|uptown]] [[Lake Pontchartrain|lake]] corner of [[Canal Street, New Orleans|Canal Street]] and [[Rampart Street]]. The [[Saenger Theatre (New Orleans)|Saenger Theater]] is directly opposite the State Palace on Canal Street.
The theatre was constructed in 1926 for the [[Loews Cineplex Entertainment|Loew's Theatre]] circuit. It had a seating capacity of 3,335 and also contained a 3/13 Robert Morton organ.<ref>{{cite web |title=Loew's State Theatre|url=http://www.saengeramusements.com/theatres/nawlins/loews/loews.htm|publisher=saengeramusements.com|accessdate=May 11, 2015}}</ref> [[Lew Cody]], [[Buster Keaton]], [[Jack Mulhall]], [[Dorothy Mackaill]], [[Conrad Nagel]], [[Dorothy Phillips]], [[Lloyd Hamilton]], and Dorothy Mason were among the stars who appeared on stage with [[Marcus Loew]] when the theatre opened on Easter Sunday, April 3, 1926. It was named simply, State Theatre. The theatre showed [[silent film]]s and hosted many live performances in the early days. As time went on, the silent films were replaced with talking pictures and eventually the prized 3/13 Robert Morton organ was destroyed in a flood.
In 1976, the State Theatre was tripled. After closing as a movie house in the late-1980s, the partition was removed, and the State Theatre was restored and renamed, as the State Palace Theatre, showing classic movies and offering concerts.
The State Palace Theater was the epicenter of the [[Southern United States|Southern]] rave scene in the mid-1990s hosting the world's top DJs.  The documentary "Rise: Story of Rave Outlaw Disco Donnie" highlights the rave scene at the State Palace Theater.
The theater flooded in 2005's [[Effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans|Hurricane Katrina levee failure disaster]]. Some clean-up was done, allowing it to open for a few raves through 2007; but the building was in need of serious renovation and was closed by the fire marshal after it was sold to new owners.{{citation needed|date= June 2017}}
==Planned rebirth==
City Officials and [[Broadway South]] planned to reopen the theater for the 2010–11 season. Renovations were set to take place in the summer of 2009, but were never started.
In August 2014 it was announced the State Palace Theater had been purchased by New Orleans developer Gregor Fox. Fox confirmed the purchase to [[WWL-TV]]. Fox indicated he planned to renovate both the interior and exterior of the historic building and put the property back into commercial use.<ref>{{cite web |title=New Orleans' State Palace theater|url=http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2014/08/loews_state_palace_developer_c.html|publisher=nola.com/Times-Picayune|date=August 8, 2014|accessdate=May 11, 2015}}</ref> Fox said he wanted the space to contribute to the city's arts community and was excited about the redevelopment.
Fox decided to sell the theater in 2015, after learning the restoration he planned would cost as much as $40 million.<ref name=Litten />
A new developer, LC Hospitality Group, submitted a proposal to the Central Business District Architectural Review Committee on April 24, 2018. The proposal is to gut most of the theater's interior and construct a 9-story, 132-room hotel. The plans, drawn up by the architectural firm of Trapolin-Peer, include a parking garage.<ref name=Litten>{{cite news|last1=Litten|first1=Kevin|title=Hotel developer proposes demolition of State Palace Theatre, but will keep facade|url=http://www.nola.com/expo/erry-2018/04/af1a92c8929125/state_palace_theater_demolitio.html|accessdate=25 April 2018|work=Times-Picayune|date=24 April 2018}}</ref>
==See also==
*[[List of music venues]]
*[[Theatre in Louisiana]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commons category|State Palace Theater, New Orleans}}
*[https://abandonedsoutheast.com/2019/08/27/loews-state-palace/ Abandoned Southeast]
*[http://afterthefinalcurtain.net/2013/10/16/loews-state-theatre-state-palace-theatre/ Recent photographs by Matt Lambros]
*[http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/3185 Profile at Cinema Treasures]
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{{Music venues of Louisiana}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Music venues in Louisiana]]
[[Category:Theatres in New Orleans]]
[[Category:Cinemas and movie theaters in Louisiana]]
[[Category:Music of New Orleans]]
[[Category:Loew's Theatres buildings and structures]]
[[Category:Movie palaces]]
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