Proctor's Theater
Also known as: Proctor's Palace; RKO Proctor's Theater
Why it's listed
Proctor's Theater occupies a corner at South Broadway and Prospect Street in downtown Yonkers, facing Washington Park and City Hall. Built between 1914 and 1916 for vaudeville showman F. F. Proctor, it combines a 2,300-seat auditorium with a five-story office building that forms its terra cotta and limestone Neoclassical facade. Architect William E. Lehman, who specialized in theaters, designed it. It opened in January 1916 as Proctor's Palace, offering vaudeville with short films, and became the RKO Proctor's Theatre in 1929, mainly showing movies until closing in the mid-1970s. The facade, upper floors and much of the gilded ceiling survive, though storefronts have replaced the lobby and marquee, the orchestra seating is gone and part of the auditorium was converted to commercial space. Its listing rests on its role in the history of vaudeville and moviegoing and on its architectural character. The office portion remains occupied.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is significant for entertainment, as a large-scale vaudeville and movie venue in Westchester County reflecting the growth of both forms of entertainment. It is also significant for architecture, as a distinctive, largely intact Neoclassical building in a prominent downtown location. It was also one of the largest entertainment venues in the region and was part of F. F. Proctor's theater chain.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 08001083, listed November 21, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 53 S. Broadway, Yonkers |
|---|---|
| County | Westchester County |
| Listed | November 21, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08001083 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1914-16 |
| Architect / builder | Lehman, William H. |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Neoclassical |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The theater has been closed since the mid-1970s, while the office building remains occupied. The marquee and lobby were removed for retail conversion, and plans were underway for the City of Yonkers to acquire and restore it as a performing arts center. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.93420, -73.89890 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 08001083.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7247507
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.