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Online petition for Ridgewood
posted by
Michael Zoldessy
on
January 22, 2009 at 7:58 am
RIDGEWOOD, QUEENS, NY — To CinemaTreasures Staff:
Patrons, theater enthusiasts, & preservationists were dismayed when Thomas Lamb’s 1916 gem, the Ridgewood Theatre (55-27 Myrtle Ave, Ridgewood, Queens, NY) suddenly shuttered in March 2008. It was credited for being the longest continuously-operated first-run neighborhood theater in NY & potentially countrywide. It is a representation of the long-demolished first movie palace in the world, the Strand Theatre in Times Sq. The Ridgewood Theatre also saw the advent of Vaudeville, silent films, photoplays, the 1st 100% all-talking picture (Lights of New York, 1928), & Technicolor.
A Request For Evaluation has been submitted to the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission immediately after, urging the LPC to calendar the ornate terra cotta facade & some interior spaces for a public hearing, which would determine the site’s eligibility as a NYC Individual Landmark & Interior Landmark, respectively. A letter campaign & online petition drive has also been conducted, to increase the likelihood of obtaining landmark status. As of Jan 2009, the LPC has released a statement to the media stating they may soon calendar the theater, which is an important first step towards landmarking. However, this is the time when increased advocacy needs to be applied to the LPC.
The link is here.
I would greatly appreciate your help.
Thank you,
Michael Perlman (NativeForestHiller)
Queens Preservation Council, Bd of Dir.
Friends of Ridgewood Theatre, Chair: www.myspace.com/ridgewoodtheatre
Comments (3)
RECENT PRESS COVERAGE
“Queens Residents Push For Landmarking of Ridgewood Theatre,” (Interview with Michael Perlman, Chair of Friends of Ridgewood Theatre), NY 1 News, Jan 23, 2009:
http://www.ny1.com/Default.aspx?ArID=92744
“Ridgewood Theatre May Be Landmarked: LPC To Hold Hearings In Near Future,” Times NewsWeekly, Jan 15, 2009: View link
“City Eyes Ridgewood Theatre Landmark,” Ridgewood Ledger, Jan 15, 2009: View link
UPDATE: Great News, but your help is still essential, so please continue signing our petition and posting a comment! On Tuesday, February 17, 2009, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission will make a motion to calendar the Ridgewood Theatre’s facade. This is the first step, and then comes a public hearing at a later date, followed by a motion to designate the theater an Individual Landmark. Testimony will be taken during a future public hearing. Stay tuned!
View link
The Landmarks Commission today voted to formally consider the designations of West Park Presbyterian Church, Fort Washington Presbyterian Church and Audubon Park Historic District in Manhattan; Ridgewood Theatre in Queens, and Brooklyn Union Gas Co. Building in Brooklyn.
The press release in its entirety is as follows:
View link