The Palladium (originally called the Academy of Music) was a movie theatre, concert hall, and finally nightclub in New York City. It was located on the south side of East 14th Street, between Irving Place and Third Avenue.
Designed by Thomas W. Lamb, it was built in 1927 across the street from the site of the original Academy of Music established by financier Moses H. Grinnell in 1852. Opened as a deluxe movie palace by movie mogul William Fox, the Academy operated as a cinema through the early 1970s.
Beginning in the 1960s, it was also utilized as a rock concert venue, particularly following the June 1971 closure of the Fillmore East. It was rechristened the Palladium on September 18, 1976, with the Band live radio broadcast, and continued to serve as a concert hall into the following decade.
In 1985, the Palladium was converted into a nightclub by Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager, after their success with Studio 54. Japanese architect Arata Isozaki redesigned the building’s interior for the club.
The Palladium closed in August 1997 following its purchase by New York University. In August 1998, the building was demolished in order to build a twelve-story residence hall that students affectionately referred to as Palladium Hall.
These photos captured clubgoers partying at the opening of the Palladium in New York City on May 14, 1985.
