The Richard Rodgers Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 226 West 46th Street, between Broadway and 8th Avenue, in New York City. The theatre was built by Irwin Chanin in 1925 and was originally called Chanin's 46th Street Theatre. Chanin almost immediately leased it to the Shuberts, who bought the building outright in 1931 and renamed it the 46th Street Theatre. In 1945, the theatre was taken over by Robert W. Dowling. In 1960, it was purchased by the producer Lester Osterman, who sold it to producers Stephen R. Friedman and Irwin Meyer in 1978. In 1981, the Nederlander Organization purchased an renovated the venue and in 1990 renamed the house to honor the composer Richard Rodgers.