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Jackson Heights, Queens, New York Theaters
posted by
jflundy
on
November 19, 2009 at 10:38 am
NEW YORK, NY — The New York Daily News has printed a story on the closure of two Houses, the Eagle and the Jackson Triplex. Warren G. Harris has kindly provided this link.
What’s left of the Eagle Theater’s once majestic marquee is rusting. Signs on the Jackson Triplex advertise films the movie house will never show.
Both of the small Jackson Heights movie theaters have closed within the last six months due to financial problems. And though many locals mourn the loss of cinemas in the neighborhood, others see it as a golden opportunity.
Read more in the New York Daily News.
Comments (4)
I hope the 1939 Eagle/Earle Theatre (73-07 37th Road) and the 1924 Jackson Triplex (40-31 82nd Street) reopens as movie theaters, while any future owner would respect and restore their Art Deco and Italian Renaissance architectural features, respectively. They are a “diamond in the rough” with so many theaters demolished and shuttered today, and Queens cannot afford to lose anymore. We need someone with a creative vision, and has the community at heart.
Can someone please take a few up to date photos of the both theaters? I am seeking photos of the following:
I will give you a photo credit, since I may be interested in featuring them in a few places as part of a preservation & revitalization campaign.
Preservation-minded parties should contact me, and I will provide advice on how to restore the theaters (funding opportunities) and make it viable. This approach has been successful for numerous theaters countrywide. Thank you!
I remember in the 80’s, that the owner of the adult movie theatre I worked at in New Jersey, also owned (or leased) the Earle, the Polk, and also the Globe in the Bronx, as well as a few others. (Cinema Kings Highway, and Mayfair? come to mind) I hope these two can be saved from the fate that the Polk recently saw.
Thank you for your comment! The demolition of the Polk Theatre was a shame, so let’s hope that history won’t repeat itself. Would you be able to reach out to the former owner of the theater you worked at, and ask for some photos of the following theaters below?
As part of a preservation and revitalize campaign, can some of my fellow theater enthusiasts assist me? I would appreciate high-quality exterior and interior photos, which illustrate the Italian Renaissance style of the Jackson Triplex, and Art Deco style of the Eagle/Earle Theatre. Photos of the streetscape which show them as a central unit of a commercial complex, and wide-angles and details of the facades would be great, as I’d like to feature them on flickr and give you credit.
Also, any historic photos and newspaper clippings, which would strengthen our preservation cause, would be much-appreciated. Please e-mail me at
Thank you,
Michael Perlman
Four Borough Preservation Alliance Corp, Queens VP
Rego-Forest Preservation Council, Chair
Out of curiosity, how much might it cost to rent or lease a theater like this? What would operating costs be like on a daily or monthly basis, initial renovations aside of course. I haven’t been to this theater in about 2 years and I know it could use some elbow grease to buff it up. I’d love to start a small business in the next year or so and have had many a daydream about a small theater like this one. I’ve lived in Jackson Heights all my life and would love to stay in my own backyard.