I continue to have hope for our abandoned palaces and most of all for The Uptown which, in my opnion is one of the two most spectacular unrenovated movie palaces in the country:
The other? The Loew’s Kings which has finally commenced its $70MM restoration with a projected completion date of 2014. This will add yet another theater to New York’s collection of, arguably, the largest and best collection of restored palaces in the world. Among them, Radio City, The Hollywood, The New Amsterdam, The Beacon, The St. George, Loew’s Paradise, Loew’s Valencia, The Elmwood, Loews 175th Street, The Apollo, among others. I woud also include the two palaces in Jersey City (Loews Jersey and The RKO Stanley to the list) Still to come? The Staten Island Paramount, Loew’s Canal, The Brooklyn Paramount, RKO Keiths Richmond Hill, Loew’s Shore, The Jackson and many others.
New York has criminally lost some of the most beautiful theaters ever built. Among them the Roxy, The original Ziegfeld, The Center, The Capitol, The Rivoli, Proctors East 59th Street, Loew’s 72nd Street, The Triboro, The Paramount, the Loews State, The Academy of Music, and on and on. However, due to the sheer volume of palaces built, New York has been able to retain an embarassment of riches.
Chicago needs to use the Kings as its inspiration and save this remarkable and irreplaceable structure. Unfortunately, Chicago’s finances are in terrible shape, but New York has correctly noted that you cannot stop investing in the future when times get tough. New York did that in the 70’s and 80’s and almost died. Despite the current economic troubles, our city continues to invest hundreds of millions in new parks, museums, theaters, bike lanes, plazas etc that contribute to the quality of life that make (tax paying residents) stay here and move here.
Below is the story from the NY Post:
LONG LIVE KINGS OF FLATBUSH
Plans to turn Brooklyn’s biggest movie theater — the once-majestic Loews Kings in Flatbush — into “the next Apollo” should become reality by 2014, officials say. Borough President Marty Markowitz is expected to announce during his State of the Borough address tonight that architects and contractors have finally begun site-preparation work on the city’s $70 million plan to restore the 82-year-old historic jewel to its former glory. The theater, which seats 3,195, closed its doors in 1978.
Construction is set to begin next year.
Markowitz â€" who has led a community effort to restore the theater â€" says in prepared remarks that when complete, the site will be “a state-of-the-art, 21st century performance venue” and “the pride of Flatbush and all of Brooklyn.”
Part of the Loews Kings' legacy is its A-list of former employees — among them Barbra Streisand and Sylvester Stallone, who worked as ushers. It’s also where Markowitz attended high-school graduation and took his first date. After decades of failed attempts to rejuvenate the site, the city last year tapped Houston-based ACE Theatrical Group to restore the historic theater to its original French-Renaissance-style, so that ACE could present up to 250 concerts, theatrical performances and community events annually.
I continue to have hope for our abandoned palaces:
Brooklyn’s incredible Loew’s Kings has finally commenced its $70MM restoration with a projected completion date of 2014. This will add yet another theater to New York’s collection of, arguably, the largest and best collection of restored palaces in the world. Among them, Radio City, The Hollywood, The New Amsterdam, The Beacon, The St. George, Loew’s Paradise, Loew’s Valencia, The Elmwood, Loews 175th Street, The Apollo, among others. I woud also include the two palaces in Jersey City (Loews Jersey and The RKO Stanley to the list) Still to come? The Staten Island Paramount, Loew’s Canal, The Brooklyn Paramount, RKO Keiths Richmond Hill, Loew’s Shore, The Jackson and others.
New York has criminally also lost some of the most beautiful theaters ever built. Among them the Roxy, The original Ziegfeld, The Center, The Capitol, The Rivoli, Proctors East 59th Street, Loew’s 72nd Street, The Triboro, and on and on. However, due to the sheer volume of palaces built, New York has been able to retain an embarassment of riches.
Philadelphia cannot let the opportunity to retain at least ONE restored palace slip through its fingers. Philadelphia is a City of History, a City of Culture, a City of Architecture. It should (and I believe it is) a City of PRIDE. Save the Boyd! Restore the Boyd!
Below is the story from the NY Post:
LONG LIVE KINGS OF FLATBUSH
Plans to turn Brooklyn’s biggest movie theater — the once-majestic Loews Kings in Flatbush — into “the next Apollo” should become reality by 2014, officials say. Borough President Marty Markowitz is expected to announce during his State of the Borough address tonight that architects and contractors have finally begun site-preparation work on the city’s $70 million plan to restore the 82-year-old historic jewel to its former glory. The theater, which seats 3,195, closed its doors in 1978.
Construction is set to begin next year.
Markowitz â€" who has led a community effort to restore the theater â€" says in prepared remarks that when complete, the site will be “a state-of-the-art, 21st century performance venue” and “the pride of Flatbush and all of Brooklyn.”
Part of the Loews Kings' legacy is its A-list of former employees — among them Barbra Streisand and Sylvester Stallone, who worked as ushers. It’s also where Markowitz attended high-school graduation and took his first date. After decades of failed attempts to rejuvenate the site, the city last year tapped Houston-based ACE Theatrical Group to restore the historic theater to its original French-Renaissance-style, so that ACE could present up to 250 concerts, theatrical performances and community events annually.
To all of the naysayers, the Brooklyn Borough President will announce tonight during his State of the Borough address that site prep work has begun and full restoration will begin next year with a 2014 opening of this $70MM project! YAY!!!!!!
News clip from Curbed.com below:
In the long life of Brooklyn’s neglected Loew’s Kings Theater, which shuttered in 1978, a year is practically nothing. So fans can start getting excited right about now for the theater’s restoration and reopening as a performance venue. The site prep work for the Flatbush project has begun, Brooklyn Borough Prez Marty Markowitz is expected to tell the world in tonight’s State of the Borough address, and construction on the $70M project should start next year, right on (the delayed version of the) schedule. The venue could ultimately host 250 events per year.
I very much appreciate all of your efforts to save the Ridgewood, but I am not sure what you are disagreeing with. It is a simple fact that not all of the old movie palaces can or could be saved. There were simply too many of them. Real estate is worth a lot in this city. Restoration costs a lot of money and we cannot expect private developers to just throw money out the window just because they’re nice. In these bad economic times you also cannot rely on government grants and tax benefits. So what do we do? You try to save the most promising and most beautiful of the old theaters. After 30 years, we have finally saved the Loews Kings (along with the Uptown in Chicago) probably the most spectacular unrenovated theater in the country. This DID come with city tax breaks, but this theater is extraordinary and deserved them. The Brooklyn Paramount has the advantage of being held by LIU and so I have great hope that this will someday be restored. The Loew’s Canal is now held by an investor who wants to create a community performing arts center for Chinatown. The Loew’s Shore is in the rapidly developing entertainment area of Coney Island and may be able to serve as a concert venue and performance space. The Jackson is now held by an Indian businessman who hopes to cater to his community while at the same time restoring this special theater. The RKO Richmond Hill, though incredibly, substantially intact, is in a poor location to serve as an arts venue. It’s hard to see how this theater could ever be restored without significant outside help. The Ridgewood you know very well. I have greatly admired your work. It is too late for the RKO Keiths Flushing, but I am grateful that a piece of it will remain. I also worry long term about theaters like the Paris (a very special gem) and the Ziegfeld which in my opinion should be landmarked as the epitome of the modern Movie Palace in addition to its illustrious history as the home to an incredible amount of movie premieres and engagements. Again, kudos to you NativeForestHiller for your passion and your persistence.
No Larry, I do not, but….My passion is for the architecture of these palaces. If the lobby is truly restored and saved, then that is a wonderful thing. All that is left of the Loew’s Triboro, another spectacular theater, is the shell. Everything was lost. Would you rather lose everything here? Not me. At least here, the incredible lobby will still be here and a piece of Flushing history will be preserved. We have to pick our battles. Not every theater can be saved. The best of the remaining theaters that can be saved are the Loews Kings (already in progress), the Brooklyn Paramount (a fairly good chance as it is held by LIU), the Loews Canal (newly landmarked), the Loews Shore (newly landmarked) and the RKO Keiths Richmond Hill (who knows) and the Jackson (currently under new ownership and claims of renovation. The Ridgewood is also apparently a lost cause as it is becoming a supermarket, but this was the least “palace like” of all of the the aforementioned theaters.
It looks like the deal to convert to residential is back on! The auditorium will be gone, but the new developer promises to “fully restore” the lobby to its full grandeur. let’s not kid ourselves. This theater was not going to be restored in its entirety. We have to be grateful that at least a significant portion with remain of this spectacular palace. All the more reason to make sure that we save the Loews Kings, the Loews Canal, the RKO Keiths Richmond Hill and the Brooklyn Paramount. These theaters can realistically be saved. p.s. I know that the Kings has already be saved, but I’ll fully believe it when I see actual progress.
The article below appeared today in Crains New York Business:
The landmarked but badly rundown RKO Keith’s Theatre in the heart of Flushing, Queens will be reborn as a huge apartment complex with 357 rental units and 360 parking spaces, according to a new filing by the project’s developer, Patrick Thompson.
Developer Shaya Boymelgreen, the previous owner of the site, had planned to build a condominium tower there. Last month, Mr. Thompson submitted an application with the city’s Board of Standards and Appeals for changes to the development, which he first proposed after taking over the property last year.
His new application calls for a big increase in the number of units and a slight increase in commercial space, to 17,460 square feet from 10,957 square feet. Previously, the development, located on Northern Boulevard, was approved for 200 units and 229 parking spaces. The 314,000-square-foot project is estimated to cost $160 million.
The BSA is expected to vote on the amendments in March after Community Board 7 meets and provides its recommendation for the plan on Jan. 18. CB 7 approval is not needed for BSA approval, but it will be taken into consideration, said Howard Goldman, Mr. Thompson’s land use attorney for the project.
“We’ve made the rounds with local politicians and will meet with the Community Board,†said Mr. Thompson, who has built several smaller condo projects in Manhattan. RKO would be his largest project to date and his first in the outer boroughs. “We think everything will be acceptable.â€
Mr. Thompson decided to make the proposed RKO Plaza a market-rate rental project because the condo market in Flushing has been slow, and condo prices have yet to recover.
“It’s hard to build a condo project in today’s market environment,†he said, noting several projects in the area are sitting idle. “Local politicians are warmly receiving a rental and believe there is a need for rental building in Flushing.â€
“For years, this RKO Keith site has been neglected and has fallen into a state of severe disrepair, causing concern for local residents,†said Councilmember Peter Koo in a statement. Mr. Koo acknowledged meeting Mr. Thompson but refrained from supporting the project until the CB meeting next week. “It is my hope that through a process of community input and governmental negotiations, renovation can begin to improve its current abhorrent condition.â€
Mr. Thompson hopes to start construction of the project later this year. But construction financing is contingent upon BSA approval.
Mr. Thompson, who said the theater’s lobby will be preserved under his plans, took over the property last year when he paid $20 million for the mortgage from Doral Bank, after Mr. Boymelgreen defaulted on the loan.
I too saw the Wizard of Oz here when it was re-released. I think it might have been the last film that I saw there and it was spectacular. Sad to say, there weren’t that many other people in the audience which is why we have the Best Buy theater today. This was a truly great theater in a modern sense. Just like The Ziegfeld, though the Ziegfeld has more of a true palace feel. At least we still have that.
I will not give up hope for the Uptown. I want to remind everyone that the Loew’s Kings in Brooklyn was also closed for over 30 years before finally beginning a $70MM restoration which will take at least 4 years. Granted, New York’s budget is in much better shape than Chicago’s, but assuming the theater remains structurally sound, I have hope that it will be around long enough to be be reborn. After the Kings is restored, it will likely rank among the top 3 restored theaters in the country. The Uptown (when restored) would easily join that rank.
The Shore theater was LANDMARKED yesterday by the city of New York! What great news for the city, for Brooklyn and especially, for Coney Island! I really think that a restored palace could actually do well is this fast rising entertainment center; especially of the concert variety. Hopefully, others will share that vision and make it happen.
I still find it ridiculous that the claim is still made that the theater is “too far gone” to be saved. It was open as a theater a scant 2 years ago! The Loew’s Kings was abandoned for 30 years and it is now being restored, the New Amsterdam’s roof had caved in and it was spectacularly restored. I’m sure there are problems, but it really hurts the theater’s prospects to grossly exaggerate it actual condition.
Club USA was the Forum Theatre and it was a spectacular club, the likes of which New York will likely never see again. There are simply no more old movie palaces (well, one) hanging around waiting to have a disco ball hung over the orchestra. But back in the day: Studio 54 (Gallo Opera House), Xenon’s (Henry Miller), Palladium (Academy of Music), Club USA (The Forum), Bond’s International Casino (forget the theater name) and the most spectacular of them all, The Saint (The Loew’s Commodore. They were all very creative adaptive reuse of old theater spaces and discos kept them around many years longer than they otherwise would have lasted, but alas, only Studio 54 is still around today. The only true palace worthy of the name which could assume a legendery disco mantle would be Loews Canal but the land is just too valuable and besides, any effort should be geared towards bringing the Loews Canal back into a performing arts use. The Times Square Theatre, however……why not make it a dazzling spectacle of a club? There is no better location.
oldjoe, I stand by my comment. The United Palace does have a very successful track record over the years of holding successful concerts including a great many sell outs. That said, of course there is no comparison to the Beacon as a concert venue due to its location. Also, lets not forget that the United Palace’s main function is NOT a concert hall. It operates primarily as a church. The Beacon’s sole purpose is as a concert/performance space. As theaters go, the Loews’s 175th is much better than the Beacon and that is great praise as the Beacon is a beautiful theater in its own right, but the Loews……
Well Al, you may not know why but obviously many other people do. The United Palace has a highly successful record of concerts. This theater is incredibly accessible via Subway. Who needs a car in Manhattan? While the location doesn’t begin to compare with the Beacon’s, it is by no means horrible. We do agree that this theater is among the most beautiful ever built and we are very lucky to still have it with us.
We have to look at we we HAVE accomplished. We HAVE saved so many palaces: The Hollywood, Radio City, The Ziegfeld, The New Amsterdam, The Beacon, the Paris, remarkably all five Loew’s Wonder theaters (Valencia, 175th St, Paradise, Jersey and Kings), The St. George, The Elmwood and just recently the Jackson was purchased and the owner said he would restore it. Still to come? The Loew’s Canal, the Brooklyn Paramount and the The Staten Island Paramount. Still possibles? The RKO Keiths Flushing and the RKO Keiths Richmond Hill. New York still has the country’s largest treasure trove of remaining movie palaces. We will lose a few, but I believe we will keep about 90% all of those remaining. I am most pessimistic about the RKO Keiths Flushing and yes, the Ridgewood.
Hey tlsloews, I share your frustration but it is not a fair statement to say that “no one can even try to save it” People have, but this is a very challenging building to save. The truth hurts, but this theater is not in a prime neighborhood. While the theater is historic, except for the facade (which was recently landmarked) the interior itself is just not that interesting. It has none of the grandeur of any other theaters that have been saved or should be saved. Theaters like the RKO Keith’s Flushing, RKO Keiths Richmond Hill, Loew’s Canal, Brooklyn Paramount and others are far more deserving architecturally. Who can be expected to invest their own money without an expectation to make it back? This theater is a tough sell. There is a reason why the Loew’s Kings was able to get tens of millions for restoration. It is truly a palace in every sense of the word. Sadly, the Ridgewood is a historic neighborhood theater that has great sentimental value but not much else.
While the Beacon is an excellent alternative to Radio City for the Tony’s I can’t help but be disappointed that they didn’t follow through with the original plan to host the Tony’s at the Loew’s 175th Street Theatre.
While the Beacon is an excellent alternative to Radio City for the Tony’s I can’t help but be disappointed that they didn’t follow through with the original plan to host the Tony’s at the Loew’s 175th Street Theatre.
I feel like responding to Profjoe’s comment about the Saint. While I agree that the Saint embodied all of that was wrong with the promiscuous sex of the 80’s, it doesn’t take away that it was, in fact, one of the greatest discoteques ever built and lasted a little over 10 years, a significant part of its history. I had the pleasure of attending at the very tail end of its life and dancing under the dome was such an incredible experience. While sex may have been going on in the balcony, many, if not most were there to dance and dance they did. I’ve had the pleasure to have danced in many of New York’s storied clubs (many former theaters): Studio 54, Palladium, Club USA, The Roxy, The Limelight, The Red Parrot, Xenon’s, Bond’s International Casino, and on and on. None came close to the Saint which combined a stunning deteriorating theater with top notch lighting and special effects. The cherry on the banana split? No drinks were allowed on the dance floor. There were just four access points into the dome and they were manned to make sure the floor were always clean. Loved it and really, really miss it.
I think John’s Bargain Store still had a store on West 14th Street in Manhattan as late as the early 90’s.
Wow! What a beauty and what a shame.
Good luck NFH! I greatly admire your tenacity and dedication to saving this historic theater.
I continue to have hope for our abandoned palaces and most of all for The Uptown which, in my opnion is one of the two most spectacular unrenovated movie palaces in the country:
The other? The Loew’s Kings which has finally commenced its $70MM restoration with a projected completion date of 2014. This will add yet another theater to New York’s collection of, arguably, the largest and best collection of restored palaces in the world. Among them, Radio City, The Hollywood, The New Amsterdam, The Beacon, The St. George, Loew’s Paradise, Loew’s Valencia, The Elmwood, Loews 175th Street, The Apollo, among others. I woud also include the two palaces in Jersey City (Loews Jersey and The RKO Stanley to the list) Still to come? The Staten Island Paramount, Loew’s Canal, The Brooklyn Paramount, RKO Keiths Richmond Hill, Loew’s Shore, The Jackson and many others.
New York has criminally lost some of the most beautiful theaters ever built. Among them the Roxy, The original Ziegfeld, The Center, The Capitol, The Rivoli, Proctors East 59th Street, Loew’s 72nd Street, The Triboro, The Paramount, the Loews State, The Academy of Music, and on and on. However, due to the sheer volume of palaces built, New York has been able to retain an embarassment of riches.
Chicago needs to use the Kings as its inspiration and save this remarkable and irreplaceable structure. Unfortunately, Chicago’s finances are in terrible shape, but New York has correctly noted that you cannot stop investing in the future when times get tough. New York did that in the 70’s and 80’s and almost died. Despite the current economic troubles, our city continues to invest hundreds of millions in new parks, museums, theaters, bike lanes, plazas etc that contribute to the quality of life that make (tax paying residents) stay here and move here.
Below is the story from the NY Post:
LONG LIVE KINGS OF FLATBUSH
Plans to turn Brooklyn’s biggest movie theater — the once-majestic Loews Kings in Flatbush — into “the next Apollo” should become reality by 2014, officials say. Borough President Marty Markowitz is expected to announce during his State of the Borough address tonight that architects and contractors have finally begun site-preparation work on the city’s $70 million plan to restore the 82-year-old historic jewel to its former glory. The theater, which seats 3,195, closed its doors in 1978.
Construction is set to begin next year.
Markowitz â€" who has led a community effort to restore the theater â€" says in prepared remarks that when complete, the site will be “a state-of-the-art, 21st century performance venue” and “the pride of Flatbush and all of Brooklyn.”
Part of the Loews Kings' legacy is its A-list of former employees — among them Barbra Streisand and Sylvester Stallone, who worked as ushers. It’s also where Markowitz attended high-school graduation and took his first date. After decades of failed attempts to rejuvenate the site, the city last year tapped Houston-based ACE Theatrical Group to restore the historic theater to its original French-Renaissance-style, so that ACE could present up to 250 concerts, theatrical performances and community events annually.
I continue to have hope for our abandoned palaces:
Brooklyn’s incredible Loew’s Kings has finally commenced its $70MM restoration with a projected completion date of 2014. This will add yet another theater to New York’s collection of, arguably, the largest and best collection of restored palaces in the world. Among them, Radio City, The Hollywood, The New Amsterdam, The Beacon, The St. George, Loew’s Paradise, Loew’s Valencia, The Elmwood, Loews 175th Street, The Apollo, among others. I woud also include the two palaces in Jersey City (Loews Jersey and The RKO Stanley to the list) Still to come? The Staten Island Paramount, Loew’s Canal, The Brooklyn Paramount, RKO Keiths Richmond Hill, Loew’s Shore, The Jackson and others.
New York has criminally also lost some of the most beautiful theaters ever built. Among them the Roxy, The original Ziegfeld, The Center, The Capitol, The Rivoli, Proctors East 59th Street, Loew’s 72nd Street, The Triboro, and on and on. However, due to the sheer volume of palaces built, New York has been able to retain an embarassment of riches.
Philadelphia cannot let the opportunity to retain at least ONE restored palace slip through its fingers. Philadelphia is a City of History, a City of Culture, a City of Architecture. It should (and I believe it is) a City of PRIDE. Save the Boyd! Restore the Boyd!
Below is the story from the NY Post:
LONG LIVE KINGS OF FLATBUSH
Plans to turn Brooklyn’s biggest movie theater — the once-majestic Loews Kings in Flatbush — into “the next Apollo” should become reality by 2014, officials say. Borough President Marty Markowitz is expected to announce during his State of the Borough address tonight that architects and contractors have finally begun site-preparation work on the city’s $70 million plan to restore the 82-year-old historic jewel to its former glory. The theater, which seats 3,195, closed its doors in 1978.
Construction is set to begin next year.
Markowitz â€" who has led a community effort to restore the theater â€" says in prepared remarks that when complete, the site will be “a state-of-the-art, 21st century performance venue” and “the pride of Flatbush and all of Brooklyn.”
Part of the Loews Kings' legacy is its A-list of former employees — among them Barbra Streisand and Sylvester Stallone, who worked as ushers. It’s also where Markowitz attended high-school graduation and took his first date. After decades of failed attempts to rejuvenate the site, the city last year tapped Houston-based ACE Theatrical Group to restore the historic theater to its original French-Renaissance-style, so that ACE could present up to 250 concerts, theatrical performances and community events annually.
To all of the naysayers, the Brooklyn Borough President will announce tonight during his State of the Borough address that site prep work has begun and full restoration will begin next year with a 2014 opening of this $70MM project! YAY!!!!!!
News clip from Curbed.com below:
In the long life of Brooklyn’s neglected Loew’s Kings Theater, which shuttered in 1978, a year is practically nothing. So fans can start getting excited right about now for the theater’s restoration and reopening as a performance venue. The site prep work for the Flatbush project has begun, Brooklyn Borough Prez Marty Markowitz is expected to tell the world in tonight’s State of the Borough address, and construction on the $70M project should start next year, right on (the delayed version of the) schedule. The venue could ultimately host 250 events per year.
I very much appreciate all of your efforts to save the Ridgewood, but I am not sure what you are disagreeing with. It is a simple fact that not all of the old movie palaces can or could be saved. There were simply too many of them. Real estate is worth a lot in this city. Restoration costs a lot of money and we cannot expect private developers to just throw money out the window just because they’re nice. In these bad economic times you also cannot rely on government grants and tax benefits. So what do we do? You try to save the most promising and most beautiful of the old theaters. After 30 years, we have finally saved the Loews Kings (along with the Uptown in Chicago) probably the most spectacular unrenovated theater in the country. This DID come with city tax breaks, but this theater is extraordinary and deserved them. The Brooklyn Paramount has the advantage of being held by LIU and so I have great hope that this will someday be restored. The Loew’s Canal is now held by an investor who wants to create a community performing arts center for Chinatown. The Loew’s Shore is in the rapidly developing entertainment area of Coney Island and may be able to serve as a concert venue and performance space. The Jackson is now held by an Indian businessman who hopes to cater to his community while at the same time restoring this special theater. The RKO Richmond Hill, though incredibly, substantially intact, is in a poor location to serve as an arts venue. It’s hard to see how this theater could ever be restored without significant outside help. The Ridgewood you know very well. I have greatly admired your work. It is too late for the RKO Keiths Flushing, but I am grateful that a piece of it will remain. I also worry long term about theaters like the Paris (a very special gem) and the Ziegfeld which in my opinion should be landmarked as the epitome of the modern Movie Palace in addition to its illustrious history as the home to an incredible amount of movie premieres and engagements. Again, kudos to you NativeForestHiller for your passion and your persistence.
No Larry, I do not, but….My passion is for the architecture of these palaces. If the lobby is truly restored and saved, then that is a wonderful thing. All that is left of the Loew’s Triboro, another spectacular theater, is the shell. Everything was lost. Would you rather lose everything here? Not me. At least here, the incredible lobby will still be here and a piece of Flushing history will be preserved. We have to pick our battles. Not every theater can be saved. The best of the remaining theaters that can be saved are the Loews Kings (already in progress), the Brooklyn Paramount (a fairly good chance as it is held by LIU), the Loews Canal (newly landmarked), the Loews Shore (newly landmarked) and the RKO Keiths Richmond Hill (who knows) and the Jackson (currently under new ownership and claims of renovation. The Ridgewood is also apparently a lost cause as it is becoming a supermarket, but this was the least “palace like” of all of the the aforementioned theaters.
It looks like the deal to convert to residential is back on! The auditorium will be gone, but the new developer promises to “fully restore” the lobby to its full grandeur. let’s not kid ourselves. This theater was not going to be restored in its entirety. We have to be grateful that at least a significant portion with remain of this spectacular palace. All the more reason to make sure that we save the Loews Kings, the Loews Canal, the RKO Keiths Richmond Hill and the Brooklyn Paramount. These theaters can realistically be saved. p.s. I know that the Kings has already be saved, but I’ll fully believe it when I see actual progress.
The article below appeared today in Crains New York Business:
The landmarked but badly rundown RKO Keith’s Theatre in the heart of Flushing, Queens will be reborn as a huge apartment complex with 357 rental units and 360 parking spaces, according to a new filing by the project’s developer, Patrick Thompson.
Developer Shaya Boymelgreen, the previous owner of the site, had planned to build a condominium tower there. Last month, Mr. Thompson submitted an application with the city’s Board of Standards and Appeals for changes to the development, which he first proposed after taking over the property last year.
His new application calls for a big increase in the number of units and a slight increase in commercial space, to 17,460 square feet from 10,957 square feet. Previously, the development, located on Northern Boulevard, was approved for 200 units and 229 parking spaces. The 314,000-square-foot project is estimated to cost $160 million.
The BSA is expected to vote on the amendments in March after Community Board 7 meets and provides its recommendation for the plan on Jan. 18. CB 7 approval is not needed for BSA approval, but it will be taken into consideration, said Howard Goldman, Mr. Thompson’s land use attorney for the project.
“We’ve made the rounds with local politicians and will meet with the Community Board,†said Mr. Thompson, who has built several smaller condo projects in Manhattan. RKO would be his largest project to date and his first in the outer boroughs. “We think everything will be acceptable.â€
Mr. Thompson decided to make the proposed RKO Plaza a market-rate rental project because the condo market in Flushing has been slow, and condo prices have yet to recover.
“It’s hard to build a condo project in today’s market environment,†he said, noting several projects in the area are sitting idle. “Local politicians are warmly receiving a rental and believe there is a need for rental building in Flushing.â€
“For years, this RKO Keith site has been neglected and has fallen into a state of severe disrepair, causing concern for local residents,†said Councilmember Peter Koo in a statement. Mr. Koo acknowledged meeting Mr. Thompson but refrained from supporting the project until the CB meeting next week. “It is my hope that through a process of community input and governmental negotiations, renovation can begin to improve its current abhorrent condition.â€
Mr. Thompson hopes to start construction of the project later this year. But construction financing is contingent upon BSA approval.
Mr. Thompson, who said the theater’s lobby will be preserved under his plans, took over the property last year when he paid $20 million for the mortgage from Doral Bank, after Mr. Boymelgreen defaulted on the loan.
I too saw the Wizard of Oz here when it was re-released. I think it might have been the last film that I saw there and it was spectacular. Sad to say, there weren’t that many other people in the audience which is why we have the Best Buy theater today. This was a truly great theater in a modern sense. Just like The Ziegfeld, though the Ziegfeld has more of a true palace feel. At least we still have that.
I will not give up hope for the Uptown. I want to remind everyone that the Loew’s Kings in Brooklyn was also closed for over 30 years before finally beginning a $70MM restoration which will take at least 4 years. Granted, New York’s budget is in much better shape than Chicago’s, but assuming the theater remains structurally sound, I have hope that it will be around long enough to be be reborn. After the Kings is restored, it will likely rank among the top 3 restored theaters in the country. The Uptown (when restored) would easily join that rank.
The Shore theater was LANDMARKED yesterday by the city of New York! What great news for the city, for Brooklyn and especially, for Coney Island! I really think that a restored palace could actually do well is this fast rising entertainment center; especially of the concert variety. Hopefully, others will share that vision and make it happen.
ummm. I insulted it first! :–)
WooHoo! Excellent news! I still wonder about the true condition of the interior.
It’s the Republican and Fox News approach: Repeat lies often enough and a gullible public will believe it’s true to the detriment of all.
I still find it ridiculous that the claim is still made that the theater is “too far gone” to be saved. It was open as a theater a scant 2 years ago! The Loew’s Kings was abandoned for 30 years and it is now being restored, the New Amsterdam’s roof had caved in and it was spectacularly restored. I’m sure there are problems, but it really hurts the theater’s prospects to grossly exaggerate it actual condition.
Club USA was the Forum Theatre and it was a spectacular club, the likes of which New York will likely never see again. There are simply no more old movie palaces (well, one) hanging around waiting to have a disco ball hung over the orchestra. But back in the day: Studio 54 (Gallo Opera House), Xenon’s (Henry Miller), Palladium (Academy of Music), Club USA (The Forum), Bond’s International Casino (forget the theater name) and the most spectacular of them all, The Saint (The Loew’s Commodore. They were all very creative adaptive reuse of old theater spaces and discos kept them around many years longer than they otherwise would have lasted, but alas, only Studio 54 is still around today. The only true palace worthy of the name which could assume a legendery disco mantle would be Loews Canal but the land is just too valuable and besides, any effort should be geared towards bringing the Loews Canal back into a performing arts use. The Times Square Theatre, however……why not make it a dazzling spectacle of a club? There is no better location.
oldjoe, I stand by my comment. The United Palace does have a very successful track record over the years of holding successful concerts including a great many sell outs. That said, of course there is no comparison to the Beacon as a concert venue due to its location. Also, lets not forget that the United Palace’s main function is NOT a concert hall. It operates primarily as a church. The Beacon’s sole purpose is as a concert/performance space. As theaters go, the Loews’s 175th is much better than the Beacon and that is great praise as the Beacon is a beautiful theater in its own right, but the Loews……
Well Al, you may not know why but obviously many other people do. The United Palace has a highly successful record of concerts. This theater is incredibly accessible via Subway. Who needs a car in Manhattan? While the location doesn’t begin to compare with the Beacon’s, it is by no means horrible. We do agree that this theater is among the most beautiful ever built and we are very lucky to still have it with us.
We have to look at we we HAVE accomplished. We HAVE saved so many palaces: The Hollywood, Radio City, The Ziegfeld, The New Amsterdam, The Beacon, the Paris, remarkably all five Loew’s Wonder theaters (Valencia, 175th St, Paradise, Jersey and Kings), The St. George, The Elmwood and just recently the Jackson was purchased and the owner said he would restore it. Still to come? The Loew’s Canal, the Brooklyn Paramount and the The Staten Island Paramount. Still possibles? The RKO Keiths Flushing and the RKO Keiths Richmond Hill. New York still has the country’s largest treasure trove of remaining movie palaces. We will lose a few, but I believe we will keep about 90% all of those remaining. I am most pessimistic about the RKO Keiths Flushing and yes, the Ridgewood.
Hey tlsloews, I share your frustration but it is not a fair statement to say that “no one can even try to save it” People have, but this is a very challenging building to save. The truth hurts, but this theater is not in a prime neighborhood. While the theater is historic, except for the facade (which was recently landmarked) the interior itself is just not that interesting. It has none of the grandeur of any other theaters that have been saved or should be saved. Theaters like the RKO Keith’s Flushing, RKO Keiths Richmond Hill, Loew’s Canal, Brooklyn Paramount and others are far more deserving architecturally. Who can be expected to invest their own money without an expectation to make it back? This theater is a tough sell. There is a reason why the Loew’s Kings was able to get tens of millions for restoration. It is truly a palace in every sense of the word. Sadly, the Ridgewood is a historic neighborhood theater that has great sentimental value but not much else.
While the Beacon is an excellent alternative to Radio City for the Tony’s I can’t help but be disappointed that they didn’t follow through with the original plan to host the Tony’s at the Loew’s 175th Street Theatre.
While the Beacon is an excellent alternative to Radio City for the Tony’s I can’t help but be disappointed that they didn’t follow through with the original plan to host the Tony’s at the Loew’s 175th Street Theatre.
I feel like responding to Profjoe’s comment about the Saint. While I agree that the Saint embodied all of that was wrong with the promiscuous sex of the 80’s, it doesn’t take away that it was, in fact, one of the greatest discoteques ever built and lasted a little over 10 years, a significant part of its history. I had the pleasure of attending at the very tail end of its life and dancing under the dome was such an incredible experience. While sex may have been going on in the balcony, many, if not most were there to dance and dance they did. I’ve had the pleasure to have danced in many of New York’s storied clubs (many former theaters): Studio 54, Palladium, Club USA, The Roxy, The Limelight, The Red Parrot, Xenon’s, Bond’s International Casino, and on and on. None came close to the Saint which combined a stunning deteriorating theater with top notch lighting and special effects. The cherry on the banana split? No drinks were allowed on the dance floor. There were just four access points into the dome and they were manned to make sure the floor were always clean. Loved it and really, really miss it.
Does anyone know the “official” reason for dumping the Loew’s 175th for the Beacon?