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Once-grand Qns. theater to be apt. building
posted by
Michael Zoldessy
on
January 19, 2011 at 7:40 am
FLUSHING, NY — There are updated plans for the apartment complex that will go up at the RKO Keith’s.
Boymelgreen had intended the building to have 200 massive luxury condo units, “but in the current market that just didn’t make sense,” said Thompson, who bought the dilapidated wreck for $20 million.
“We increased the number of units and they will be market-rate rentals, which better fit in with what makes sense for Flushing.”
Read the full story in the New York Post.
Comments (3)
I’ll believe it when I see it.
Having been involved in the original effort to have it landmarked, I do not consider this a victory.We can view the lobby but know what was lost behind it. Lamb did very few atmospherics NY had 2 & for all intents & purposes it has none thanks to the unlamented Queens Borough President Donald Manes. He hated landmarking with a passion.The other atmospheric which he was responsible for its demolition was the Loews Triboro in Astoria NY.Despite the landmarks preservation voting favorably on both he overruled them. I was also involved with that effort(Keiths). His actions left a sour taste in my mouth re politics for many years after that.The theater has been a blight on the neighborhood for almost a quarter of a century thanks to him. I will believe it when I see it but if & when it is finished I will always have a feeling of regret for what might have been were it not for Mr Manes.
A footnote: Manes committed suicide shortly after the Keiths as he was about to become named in a big scandal.Payback is you know what.
The saga continues. The local community planning board approved the plans the other night. Now it goes before 1 or 2 other bodies. If approved, demolition work will start by the end of the year. I intend to get a piece of brickwork as a souvenir as I go by it on the way to work each day. I always thought a movie version of the musical Follies being shot there would be fabulous but I guess it is not to be. A sad ending to a once beautiful theater. NY loses another