Both rendering Courtesy of Ethan Rosch of 19d Design & Production, courtesy of Roseland. Designed in 2002 for the updated look. Apparently rink was gone before that year.
Roseland, 12th Street and Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Original)
Roseland, 1658 Broadway, New York, NY (Original NY location)
Roseland, 239 West 52nd Street, New York, NY (current location)
Iceland, 239 West 52nd Street, New York, NY (Ice rink, original)
Gay Blades Ice Rink, 239 West 52nd Street, New York, NY (Ice rink, final)
Roseland was a well known classical ballroom and has rich history to it. About every website out there is mentioned the Roseland. Even it is recorded in Wikipedia. You may wonder why I am including this Roseland Ballroom on this list. That is because Louis Brecker began Roseland originally on 12th and Chestnut in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1917. Frank Yuengling, a known Philadelphia brewer who invested $20,000 for such a building. He had to relocate to New York because of the "Blue Law" which required stores and entertainment places to be closed on Sundays in honoring the LORD. New York State was more flexible on the Blue Law so the ideal for Louis to relocate was to New York City. He originally set up at 1658 Broadway at 51st Street in Manhattan, a borough of New York City, opening on December 31, 1919 on the second floor of this 5 storys building. This is another coincidence that it is a Continental celebration of the Roseland of New York City THIS week (at the time I made this profile it was on December 26, 2019). So, happy anniversary Roseland!
The name Roseland became of that because of the rose color on everything right down to the napkins, plates, cloths, walls, etc.
The Roseland at the time was entering the height of big band/orchestra that people wore formal attire, tables and chairs and big dance floors just like you seen in the movies! Can you name a few? Sure. I will name one, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. If you watch the beginning, that is the ideal of what it was like back then. It was the happening place at the time for New York as it was with Studio 57 in 1970s. You get the idea.
Big names played at Roseland as if it was Broadway for big band orchestra ballroom. The likes of Louis Armstrong, Count Basie (with his famous "Roseland Shuffle"), and Chick Webb as well as Vincent Lopez, Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, and Glenn Miller. (All as of Wikipedia as I quote with minor revisions in italics.)
Louis Brecker pioneered marathon dancing as well as he had contests there including yo-yo, female fight matches, and even weddings at the venue where people met each other and married there. Pretty common even with roller skating rinks, they do that.
Louis Becker even had Hostesses Dancing which you pay a certain amount of money per dance or a time period. He charged 11 cents per dance or 1.50 USD per half hour. That is not escorting. But more of a Taxi Dancing. There were about 150 to 200 hostesses at a night. Common there until 1950s. Usually attractive women dress in evening casual dress and a certain style to attract men.
Now you know the background prior to the next stage of about Roseland that was a rink. This is where history is...
Then the original New York Roseland was demolished in 1956 after it moved to its new home on 239 West 52nd Street, a building that Brecker earlier had converted from an ice-skating rink to a roller-skating rink. The story was this that Brecker purchased the former Iceland Ice Rink franchise and converted to a roller-skating rink. This building was built in 1922 at a cost of US$800,000. Iceland ice-skating franchise paid that amount to built. Huge increase of cost!
But Louis Brecker converted and on the opening night of the new roller rink. However, nothing said about closing the roller rink.
The history about the ice rink. Iceland opened this rink, One thousand skaters were admitted on opening night of November 29, 1922. But in 1932, the company, Iceland that owned several franchises bankrupted and closed then reopened as Gay Blades Ice Rink. Later, in 1956, Louis Brecker purchased and converted to roller rink providing enough room and the timing of popularity of roller skating in 1950s through 1980s.
It was proven popular with that many skaters in such a narrow tract building as you can see in the photo. Nevertheless, it was almost exact the size of an NHL rink! 80-by-200-foot rink! The interior even described by TIME magazine on January 7, 1957, "Purple-and-Cerise tentlike décor that creates a definite harem effect." Cerise is a Deep Cherry Red color hue. Those two colors are of the Babylonian of Revelations 17 colors or close to it. Yes, quite a rare to see a roller rink in Time magazine! It was at a time usually in Billboard magazine.
It was very sensual to it because it even had tent-like décor that created a harem effect- a limited cozy space for women of Islam religion would use according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
The rink also act as a Ballroom dancing. Many early 20th Century rinks were originally ballrooms and were added as a roller rink as well as trends of activities changed throughout the years.
1950s (and on) Rock-n-Roll and Disco were not allowed as the owner attempt to maintain as true Ballroom Dancing with orchestra music. Or Big Bands. But in 1981, Louis Brecker's death and his daughter eventually sold the building Albert Ginsberg after managing Roseland. Albert took a huge risk to introduce Disco to the venue and invites violence because of the music. Meaning bringing younger crowds. In 1984, on the dance floor, a teenager was shot to death and in 1987, a 34 year old Harlem man was fatally shot in the lobby because of the shooter stepped on the victim's friend's foot and started an argument with the shooter and got shot to death. Then for the third major crime that ended the "Disco Nights" was in 1990, that an Utah tourist Brian Watkins was killed in the subway, four of the eight suspects (members of the FTS gang) were found partying at Roseland after the shooting. That shooting put the nail in coffin. It appeared that Albert Ginsberg was not listening to the previous owner not to have any Rock-n-Roll and Discos at the venue.
Because of all this, likely was the reason for Albert to sell to another Ginsberg -- Laurence Ginsberg, who filed plans in 1996 to tear down the venue and replace it with a 42-story, 459-unit apartment building.
Sadly, the rink was already closed with this New York native Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta had last performance at this venue on April 7, 2014. This concert officially closed the venue forever.
At the time of closing, over 70 million persons visited Roseland ever since its opening. Large exposures in the media such as news, newspapers, movies, and television, and the news have cemented Roseland known to the world as, "World's Greatest Ballroom".
There is an excellent blueprint I retrived! Finally I get a blueprint for a rink! After 750 rinks, I finally found a blueprint. I would love to collect rink blueprints! This you should see how the revision was made to Roseland in 1980-ish. I believe it was renovated for rock bands and disco music. They rink floor was clearly outlined in a perfect oval ends. If you look at the first floor where the big dance floor was located, you should see the posts supporting the building clearly in oval. That was clearly where the skate floor half-walls were located. Many rinks are rectangular with straight ends but not this one. It was truly curved. See renderings.
Rink Size: N/A Floor: N/A Floor Layout: N/A
Building Size: N/A Built: N/A
Type of Building: Free Span Building, three storys (Stories)
Roof: Flat
Acres:
Operated: 1917 to April 7, 2014 (Overall)
Original location in Philadelphia: 1917 to 1919
Original location on 1658 Broadway, New York: December 31, 1919 to 1956
Final location AND skating rink: 1956 to April 7, 2014. (Rink likely have closed prior to that closure date).
Iceland franchise at the final location (52nd Street): November 29, 1922 to 1932
Gay Blades Ice Rink: 1932 to 1956.
Reason for Closure: profit loss, crime, and choice of music. New owner plans to built a high-rise apartment complex.
Wanted: Information regarding photographs of rink itself, sign saying roller skating. Exactly why sold each time? Why final closing in 2014?
Sources: Wikipedia, Eventful, Website Archives, Ballroom Echoes by Lon A. Gault,
"Romp at the Met". Time. January 7, 1957. First floor where rink was located. (PDF)
Basement floor of the facility (PDF), The Balcony level (PDF), Night Club VIP website.,
Another archives saved,
© 2019 - 2020 Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved.
Roseland, 1658 Broadway, New York, NY (Original NY location)
Roseland, 239 West 52nd Street, New York, NY (current location)
Iceland, 239 West 52nd Street, New York, NY (Ice rink, original)
Gay Blades Ice Rink, 239 West 52nd Street, New York, NY (Ice rink, final)
Roseland was a well known classical ballroom and has rich history to it. About every website out there is mentioned the Roseland. Even it is recorded in Wikipedia. You may wonder why I am including this Roseland Ballroom on this list. That is because Louis Brecker began Roseland originally on 12th and Chestnut in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1917. Frank Yuengling, a known Philadelphia brewer who invested $20,000 for such a building. He had to relocate to New York because of the "Blue Law" which required stores and entertainment places to be closed on Sundays in honoring the LORD. New York State was more flexible on the Blue Law so the ideal for Louis to relocate was to New York City. He originally set up at 1658 Broadway at 51st Street in Manhattan, a borough of New York City, opening on December 31, 1919 on the second floor of this 5 storys building. This is another coincidence that it is a Continental celebration of the Roseland of New York City THIS week (at the time I made this profile it was on December 26, 2019). So, happy anniversary Roseland!
The name Roseland became of that because of the rose color on everything right down to the napkins, plates, cloths, walls, etc.
The Roseland at the time was entering the height of big band/orchestra that people wore formal attire, tables and chairs and big dance floors just like you seen in the movies! Can you name a few? Sure. I will name one, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. If you watch the beginning, that is the ideal of what it was like back then. It was the happening place at the time for New York as it was with Studio 57 in 1970s. You get the idea.
Big names played at Roseland as if it was Broadway for big band orchestra ballroom. The likes of Louis Armstrong, Count Basie (with his famous "Roseland Shuffle"), and Chick Webb as well as Vincent Lopez, Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, and Glenn Miller. (All as of Wikipedia as I quote with minor revisions in italics.)
Louis Brecker pioneered marathon dancing as well as he had contests there including yo-yo, female fight matches, and even weddings at the venue where people met each other and married there. Pretty common even with roller skating rinks, they do that.
Louis Becker even had Hostesses Dancing which you pay a certain amount of money per dance or a time period. He charged 11 cents per dance or 1.50 USD per half hour. That is not escorting. But more of a Taxi Dancing. There were about 150 to 200 hostesses at a night. Common there until 1950s. Usually attractive women dress in evening casual dress and a certain style to attract men.
Now you know the background prior to the next stage of about Roseland that was a rink. This is where history is...
Then the original New York Roseland was demolished in 1956 after it moved to its new home on 239 West 52nd Street, a building that Brecker earlier had converted from an ice-skating rink to a roller-skating rink. The story was this that Brecker purchased the former Iceland Ice Rink franchise and converted to a roller-skating rink. This building was built in 1922 at a cost of US$800,000. Iceland ice-skating franchise paid that amount to built. Huge increase of cost!
But Louis Brecker converted and on the opening night of the new roller rink. However, nothing said about closing the roller rink.
The history about the ice rink. Iceland opened this rink, One thousand skaters were admitted on opening night of November 29, 1922. But in 1932, the company, Iceland that owned several franchises bankrupted and closed then reopened as Gay Blades Ice Rink. Later, in 1956, Louis Brecker purchased and converted to roller rink providing enough room and the timing of popularity of roller skating in 1950s through 1980s.
It was proven popular with that many skaters in such a narrow tract building as you can see in the photo. Nevertheless, it was almost exact the size of an NHL rink! 80-by-200-foot rink! The interior even described by TIME magazine on January 7, 1957, "Purple-and-Cerise tentlike décor that creates a definite harem effect." Cerise is a Deep Cherry Red color hue. Those two colors are of the Babylonian of Revelations 17 colors or close to it. Yes, quite a rare to see a roller rink in Time magazine! It was at a time usually in Billboard magazine.
It was very sensual to it because it even had tent-like décor that created a harem effect- a limited cozy space for women of Islam religion would use according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
The rink also act as a Ballroom dancing. Many early 20th Century rinks were originally ballrooms and were added as a roller rink as well as trends of activities changed throughout the years.
1950s (and on) Rock-n-Roll and Disco were not allowed as the owner attempt to maintain as true Ballroom Dancing with orchestra music. Or Big Bands. But in 1981, Louis Brecker's death and his daughter eventually sold the building Albert Ginsberg after managing Roseland. Albert took a huge risk to introduce Disco to the venue and invites violence because of the music. Meaning bringing younger crowds. In 1984, on the dance floor, a teenager was shot to death and in 1987, a 34 year old Harlem man was fatally shot in the lobby because of the shooter stepped on the victim's friend's foot and started an argument with the shooter and got shot to death. Then for the third major crime that ended the "Disco Nights" was in 1990, that an Utah tourist Brian Watkins was killed in the subway, four of the eight suspects (members of the FTS gang) were found partying at Roseland after the shooting. That shooting put the nail in coffin. It appeared that Albert Ginsberg was not listening to the previous owner not to have any Rock-n-Roll and Discos at the venue.
Because of all this, likely was the reason for Albert to sell to another Ginsberg -- Laurence Ginsberg, who filed plans in 1996 to tear down the venue and replace it with a 42-story, 459-unit apartment building.
Sadly, the rink was already closed with this New York native Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta had last performance at this venue on April 7, 2014. This concert officially closed the venue forever.
At the time of closing, over 70 million persons visited Roseland ever since its opening. Large exposures in the media such as news, newspapers, movies, and television, and the news have cemented Roseland known to the world as, "World's Greatest Ballroom".
There is an excellent blueprint I retrived! Finally I get a blueprint for a rink! After 750 rinks, I finally found a blueprint. I would love to collect rink blueprints! This you should see how the revision was made to Roseland in 1980-ish. I believe it was renovated for rock bands and disco music. They rink floor was clearly outlined in a perfect oval ends. If you look at the first floor where the big dance floor was located, you should see the posts supporting the building clearly in oval. That was clearly where the skate floor half-walls were located. Many rinks are rectangular with straight ends but not this one. It was truly curved. See renderings.
Rink Size: N/A Floor: N/A Floor Layout: N/A
Building Size: N/A Built: N/A
Type of Building: Free Span Building, three storys (Stories)
Roof: Flat
Acres:
Operated: 1917 to April 7, 2014 (Overall)
Original location in Philadelphia: 1917 to 1919
Original location on 1658 Broadway, New York: December 31, 1919 to 1956
Final location AND skating rink: 1956 to April 7, 2014. (Rink likely have closed prior to that closure date).
Iceland franchise at the final location (52nd Street): November 29, 1922 to 1932
Gay Blades Ice Rink: 1932 to 1956.
Reason for Closure: profit loss, crime, and choice of music. New owner plans to built a high-rise apartment complex.
Wanted: Information regarding photographs of rink itself, sign saying roller skating. Exactly why sold each time? Why final closing in 2014?
Sources: Wikipedia, Eventful, Website Archives, Ballroom Echoes by Lon A. Gault,
"Romp at the Met". Time. January 7, 1957. First floor where rink was located. (PDF)
Basement floor of the facility (PDF), The Balcony level (PDF), Night Club VIP website.,
Another archives saved,
© 2019 - 2020 Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved.