The Limelight, Gothic Revival church turned nightclub in Chelsea, New York City, United States
The Limelight is a former nightclub on Sixth Avenue in Chelsea, housed in a disused 19th-century Gothic Revival church building. The multi-level structure contained several dance areas, including the main hall with stained glass windows and smaller rooms on upper floors and in the basement.
The nightclub opened in November 1983 when a Canadian entrepreneur took over the former Episcopal church and converted the building into a disco venue. In the 1990s, the site became a meeting point for techno and industrial music before closing after police raids in 1996 and later reopening under new management.
The name refers both to theatrical stage lighting and to the limestone of the original church facade. Visitors dance today in a former place of worship whose religious origins remain visible in bar designs and old wooden pews.
The building with its multiple levels required visitors to climb stairs between the different dance areas. The acoustics in the former church made loud electronic music echo throughout the interior space.
A dedicated photographer documented every event at the club and created an extensive archive over the years that later appeared in books and exhibitions about nightlife in the 1990s. His images show not only famous guests but also the daily life of visitors in the different rooms.
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