Film Center Building

The Film Center Building stands on Ninth Avenue as a direct remnant of a time when the film industry sought cheaper space outside the busy hub of Times Square. Completed in 1929, the structure was specifically designed to house the practical needs of movie companies, containing nearly one hundred specialized fireproof vaults for storing volatile cellulose nitrate film. These small, windowless rooms were scattered throughout the building to keep the highly flammable materials separated and secure. While the industry eventually shifted to safer film stocks and moved toward Hollywood, these obsolete vaults remained behind the walls for decades until a major renovation repurposed that space into modern offices.