The New 42nd Street, Inc. – the guide of Broadway’s major theater company

Nonprofit organization in New York dedicated to revitalizing 42nd Street, operating theaters and supporting arts education for young audiences.

New 42nd Street in the Broadway theater district

Overview
History
1990s Theater Redevelopment
List of theaters
Broadway musical discount tickets – On sale now!

Overview of The New 42nd Street, Inc.

42nd Street with the New 42nd Street signage

New 42nd Street (often called “New 42”) is a nonprofit established in 1990 by New York State and New York City to revitalize the historic theaters along 42nd Street and help transform Times Square into a welcoming destination.

Its mission includes long-term stewardship of seven historic Broadway theaters on West 42nd Street and the operation of two signature initiatives on the block: the family-focused New Victory Theater and the New 42 Studios. The organization’s headquarters are also located on 42nd Street.

History of The New 42nd Street, Inc.

Founded to help reclaim and reimagine West 42nd Street

Today, New York City welcomes more than 60 million visitors a year, with Times Square and the Broadway theater district among its most popular draws. In the late 1980s, however, parts of Times Square were plagued by crime and adult businesses, and many theaters had shifted to films or television use—or sat vacant.

In the early 1990s, Mayor Rudy Giuliani, working with state and city partners, advanced a plan to improve public safety and reactivate seven historic theaters on West 42nd Street. To lead this effort, the nonprofit New 42nd Street was established to manage restoration, leasing, and programming that would welcome residents and visitors of all ages and backgrounds.

Learn more about the history of Broadway >>

The theater redevelopment in the 1990s

Which theaters were included?

Seven historic 42nd Street theaters slated for redevelopment

The seven historic venues on West 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues were the Victory Theater (now the New Victory Theater), Apollo Theatre, Lyric Theatre, Times Square Theater, Selwyn Theatre (now the Todd Haimes Theatre), Liberty Theatre, and Empire Theatre. New 42 worked to restore or reposition these properties so they could once again serve audiences with world-class entertainment.

1) The first restoration: Victory → New Victory Theater

Then: Victory Theater / Now: New Victory Theater

Originally built in 1900, the Victory Theater changed hands many times and spent decades in disrepair. New 42 acquired the building in 1990 and led an $11.4 million restoration (not billions), reopening it in 1995 as the New Victory Theater—an Off-Broadway venue devoted to high-quality family programming including theater, circus, puppetry, opera, and dance. The New Victory remains operated by New 42 today.

2) Creating today’s Lyric Theatre

Then: Apollo and Lyric / Now: Lyric Theatre

Next, New York State and City took title to the adjacent Apollo (1910) and original Lyric (1903). After careful dismantling and preservation, the two were combined into a single, large modern Broadway house that opened in 1998 (debuting as the Ford Center for the Performing Arts and later renamed; today it is the Lyric Theatre).

Learn more about the Lyric Theatre >>

3) Liberty Theatre’s building: home to Madame Tussauds and more

Then: Liberty Theatre / Now: Dave & Buster’s and attractions

The 1904 Liberty Theatre’s structure was incorporated into a mixed-use entertainment complex that opened in 2000, bringing attractions such as Madame Tussauds New York and Dave & Buster’s to West 42nd Street.

4) Selwyn Theatre → Todd Haimes Theatre

Then: Selwyn Theatre / Now: Todd Haimes Theatre

Opened in 1918, the Selwyn saw long periods of inactivity. New 42 acquired it in 1992 and later transferred operating rights to Roundabout Theatre Company, which undertook a roughly $24 million restoration. The venue reopened in 2000 as the American Airlines Theatre and was renamed the Todd Haimes Theatre in 2023 to honor Roundabout’s longtime artistic leader.

Learn more about the Todd Haimes Theatre >>

5) Times Square Theater: still awaiting a full revival

Opened in 1920, the Times Square Theater struggled to find long-term use, serving at various times as a film and special-events venue. Since the 1990s, multiple redevelopment plans have been proposed; as of recent years, the building has remained closed to regular public performances while ownership and development plans have evolved.

6) Empire Theatre → AMC Empire 25

Then: Empire Theatre / Now: AMC Empire 25

The 1912 Empire Theatre was transformed into today’s AMC Empire 25 multiplex. To preserve the historic façade, the 1998 project famously moved the landmarked theater building about 168 feet (roughly 51 meters) along 42nd Street before integrating it into the new complex.

*Click to view larger image

Empire Theatre relocation during AMC Empire 25 construction

During construction, the historic Empire Theatre structure was placed on rails and carefully rolled to its new position before being incorporated into the AMC complex. The move covered about 168 feet and required careful, staged work over multiple hours.

New 42 headquarters and facilities on 42nd Street

In 2000, New 42 opened a 10-story performing arts hub on West 42nd Street. The building includes offices for New 42 and other nonprofits, the New 42 Studios (rehearsal spaces used by commercial and nonprofit productions), and—until 2019—the Duke on 42nd Street, a 200-seat Off-Broadway theater that hosted rentals and festivals. New 42 continues to support the city’s performing arts through its venues, studios, and education programs.