Today I drove by the Jefferson Theater site. The theater was once located between Marcy and Nostrand Aves. It is now a part of the multi-block Marcy Playground. Both sides of Myrtle Ave are completely razed on this block.
The is Grandview is now Morton Funeral Home, Ridgewood Chapels. The Ridgewood Folly also occupied this site, to the left of the Grandview where the parking lot is now.
The Madison Theatre is now the Liberty Dept Store as many of you know. The Liberty Dept Store takes up most of the orchestra level and inner and outer lobbies of the old RKO Madison Theatre.
Thanks SG. I assume the closed Evergreen Airdrome that was dormant in the 20’s was then bought by the Bank that built the Chase Manhattan Bank building (now Banco Popular) on that site. (I guess this should really be talked about in the Evergreen Theater section, but since we brought it up here). What I never understood is why when the city auctioned off the property that the Evergreen theater was on around 1930, the new buyer decided to raze the building, and then build the non-descript one story store building that now houses CTown on it’s site. Was the Evergreen theater building in that bad a shape that they couldn’t convert it to stores? Why tear down a more substantial building to build a one story store? I could see them tearing it down for a more profitable building, even a store under apartments, but never understood why they spent money to tear down a large building, and then just replace it with a non-descript one story building, unless the Evergreen structure was in such bad shape (after only 15-20 years old) or burned or something.
I know this has nothing to do with this theater, but didn’t know where to ask….
I am trying to find out about the building that now houses the Roxy Concert Hall in Times Square. It oviously was a theater at one time before becoming a Dance Hall and COncert Hall. I don’t know if it was a movie theater or not, but does anyone know the name of that “Roxy”. I have seen a number of concerts there, and was a bit facinated with the building (which is pretty trashed).
Peter…
Especially with these type of congregations that is especially true. The owners of the Valencia did cover/remove some of the “nudity”, etc from some of the Valencia’s ornamentation.
Wouldn’t be ironic if when the Valencia closed around 1977, one of it’s last movies was “The Exorcist II” released that year. Ironic enough if the Exorcist itself was played in the Valencia in 1973….
Oh, and one more thing. Did anyone ever find out whether the Valencia is still capable of playing movies like the 175th St Theater is? That one, as mentioned above, is also a church now, very similar in style, but they rent it out occasionally for movies, and other functions – or has the Valencia only held church services for the last few decades?
What was the original paintjob on the ceiling? I assume there were murals or clouds painted there originally? That’s the only thing they seemed to paint one color now! Anyone know of any vintage photos of the Valencia?
Just to add, of course the Valencia’s main auditorium was never meant to be lit up as bright as it is needed to be lit up for a church. The original colors had to be much more subdued (which will be hard to tell from black and white vintage photos).
Well, I guess we should be happy it’s being maintained, but wow, it is a bit gaudy with that paintjob. Thanks for the link. Here’s a direct url to it: http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=9940
I had never been in the Valencia when it was still a theater (nor as a church either), but when I passed by once on the side street, and the “emergency” exit doors were open once, I took a peak inside. The way it is painted it appears as if you almost need sunglasses to sit in that theater. It was a bit overwhelming and bright. Don’t get me wrong, I am glad that the theater is being maintained, even if not a theater anymore, but they sure used some bright and shiny colors when they last repainted it!
I am not upset at all. Actually, I want to thank Sally for her input. Your last post explains the Triangle furniture Building too. I would never have learned that unless Sally posted about that location. I have always thought that building was “different” and now I know why. This explains the high ceiling.
And the mystery of the mysterious Ridgewood Folly has also been solved. This is all good.
Nah, it was a seperate theater (and a historic one at that) so it should keep it’s own section.
I wish we could go back and delete all the VG Nichols stuff though from when Sally mistakenly stated that the Folly was at the VG Nichols building at 55-05 Myrtle. Other than that, it is a seperate theater, and deserves it’s own section, as the other than sharing the location with the Grandview, has nothing to do with the Grandview Theater. The were seperate theaters, and I do believe the Folly building was where the parking lot is now, and the Grandview was built on the corner, actually a different lot.
Thank you SG Cogan. A dance eporium and sports arena can explain what I have witnessed as the store having a “high ceiling”, and the marquee, and it not being your typical “apartments over stores” building. To this day, I don’t believe those windows above the VG Nichols store are apartments, and don’t look like them observing from the street. This doesn’t explain the map (or whatever Sally was looking at) that she mentioned she saw that the Triangle site was a theater on that map (and a saloon). Any information on that Triangle site would be appreciated.
I guess we can now ask cinematreasures to change the address above to 659 Granndview Ave. It was on the site of or next to the Grandview Theater, however is not the same building, nor the same theater. The Ridgewood Folly is an important theater, as it was the first to show movies in Ridgewood.
Lost memory, the while the Avenues like Seneca and Grandview did keep their old numbers, it’s because they extended out of the “Queens section of Ridgewood that was served from the Brooklyn Post office”. It would have been too confusing to have part of the system on let’s say Seneca to be in the old system, then jump to the new numbering section in the section that was served by the Brooklyn post office, although still in Queens. The streets that were converted to the new Queens system (Forest, Fresh Pond, Myrtle, etc) were because those particular streets not only entered the “part of Ridgewood in Queens but served by the Brooklyn Post office”, but also left that part of Ridgewood to other parts of Queens where it had to be in the Queens numbering system. Notice that the main streets that entered from Brooklyn, but never left “that section of RIdgewood” for other parts of Queens (Seneca, Grandview, etc) kept their old numbers.
The Brooklyn-Queens border is not where the jump in mumbers starts or ends for all the other non-main streets, it’s at the former post office line. For example, Putnam and all the streets parallel to it jump from 19XX to 60XX when they cross Forest Ave, far from the Brooklyn border.
I know it’s confusing, but it all extends back to the old postal lines from when part of Ridgewood (and only a part) was in the Brooklyn Post office, even though in Queens. It is also why there is confusion of theaters such as the Madison and Ridgewood being listed in Brooklyn, even though both were Queens.
BTW, thank you SG COgan for the confirmation of the Ridgewood Folly at the Grandview Theatre site.
In addition to why some address numbers were not modernized, you will also noticed that part of Ridgewood, although in Queens, still has all it’s original Queens Street names too, as oppsed to getting numbered names like the rest of Queens (the reason we are talking about Grandview Ave,and not some numbered street).
The reason is because that part of Ridgewood, although in Queens, was serviced out of the Brooklyn 11227 post office right up until around 1980 or so. So that part of Ridgewood that was served through Brooklyn, escaped the name and number changes in the early part of the century, even though in Queens. The streets that traversed out of that part of “Queens” Ridgewood that was in this “Brooklyn” Post office district, such as Forest Ave, Myrtle, Fresh Pond Rd, etc were changed to the Queens numbering sytem to fit in with the rest of Queens that those roads traveled through.
By the way, just to add, I saw Ghostbusters at the Plaza in 1984 (the last movie I saw there), so the theater had to close some time after that movie was released in 1984.
The problem is that with all the multiplexes around, there is no need for a small theater like this. The building is an ugly building, 60’s architecture at it’s worse, and not easily converted to some other use. The chance of a theater moving in are next to zero, because of all the modern multiplexes around, and converting it to some other use would be hard.
Main Street in Patchogue has improved so much over the last decade and a half, so neighborhood economics is not so much of a problem, it’s the building itself.
I agree with your assesment. Total demolition is the only merciful fate for the building.
Here’s the link for the photo of the Ridgewood Folly for those wondering: View link
The funeral home (Ridgewood Chapels) now occupying the theater building uses 663 Grandview as their mailing address and address for the funeral home. While the 659 above is listed for the Grandview Theater, that lot is actually what they use for the parking lot. Warren, what number do the Daily books give for the Grandview?
Yes, I agree too, the Ridgewood Folly building is not the same building as the Grandview, and the Ridgewood Folly building must have been demolished at some point before the Grandview Theater was built there. Actually, since the Grandview Theater property take up three lots, 659, 661, 663 Grandview Ave, the Folly could have been on the lot were the parking lot is now. The funeral home that was the building that was the Grandview Theater occupies 663 Grandview.
Today I drove by the Jefferson Theater site. The theater was once located between Marcy and Nostrand Aves. It is now a part of the multi-block Marcy Playground. Both sides of Myrtle Ave are completely razed on this block.
Here’s a current view of the Starr Theater site taken today.
Click Here for Link
The theater is now demolished, and an Associated supermarket built on it’s site.
Here’s a current view of the former Wagner Theater site taken today.
Click Here for Link
The theater is now demolished and replaced with this modern building, Women’s Health Clinic.
Here’s a current view of the Wyckoff Theater taken today.
Click Here for Link
The is theater is now a Jehovah’s Witness Hall.
Here’s a current view of the Majestic Theater taken today.
Click here for link
The is theater is now Seneca Chapels.
Here’s a current view of the Grandview Theater taken today.
Click Here for Link
The is Grandview is now Morton Funeral Home, Ridgewood Chapels. The Ridgewood Folly also occupied this site, to the left of the Grandview where the parking lot is now.
Here’s a current view of the Madison Theatre taken today.
Click Here for Link
The Madison Theatre is now the Liberty Dept Store as many of you know. The Liberty Dept Store takes up most of the orchestra level and inner and outer lobbies of the old RKO Madison Theatre.
Thanks SG. I assume the closed Evergreen Airdrome that was dormant in the 20’s was then bought by the Bank that built the Chase Manhattan Bank building (now Banco Popular) on that site. (I guess this should really be talked about in the Evergreen Theater section, but since we brought it up here). What I never understood is why when the city auctioned off the property that the Evergreen theater was on around 1930, the new buyer decided to raze the building, and then build the non-descript one story store building that now houses CTown on it’s site. Was the Evergreen theater building in that bad a shape that they couldn’t convert it to stores? Why tear down a more substantial building to build a one story store? I could see them tearing it down for a more profitable building, even a store under apartments, but never understood why they spent money to tear down a large building, and then just replace it with a non-descript one story building, unless the Evergreen structure was in such bad shape (after only 15-20 years old) or burned or something.
I know this has nothing to do with this theater, but didn’t know where to ask….
I am trying to find out about the building that now houses the Roxy Concert Hall in Times Square. It oviously was a theater at one time before becoming a Dance Hall and COncert Hall. I don’t know if it was a movie theater or not, but does anyone know the name of that “Roxy”. I have seen a number of concerts there, and was a bit facinated with the building (which is pretty trashed).
Thanks Erwin for the information. Sad to hear that. I figured as much, because I never heard that they did that like the 175th ST Theater church.
Peter…
Especially with these type of congregations that is especially true. The owners of the Valencia did cover/remove some of the “nudity”, etc from some of the Valencia’s ornamentation.
Wouldn’t be ironic if when the Valencia closed around 1977, one of it’s last movies was “The Exorcist II” released that year. Ironic enough if the Exorcist itself was played in the Valencia in 1973….
Oh, and one more thing. Did anyone ever find out whether the Valencia is still capable of playing movies like the 175th St Theater is? That one, as mentioned above, is also a church now, very similar in style, but they rent it out occasionally for movies, and other functions – or has the Valencia only held church services for the last few decades?
What was the original paintjob on the ceiling? I assume there were murals or clouds painted there originally? That’s the only thing they seemed to paint one color now! Anyone know of any vintage photos of the Valencia?
Just to add, of course the Valencia’s main auditorium was never meant to be lit up as bright as it is needed to be lit up for a church. The original colors had to be much more subdued (which will be hard to tell from black and white vintage photos).
Well, I guess we should be happy it’s being maintained, but wow, it is a bit gaudy with that paintjob. Thanks for the link. Here’s a direct url to it:
http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=9940
I had never been in the Valencia when it was still a theater (nor as a church either), but when I passed by once on the side street, and the “emergency” exit doors were open once, I took a peak inside. The way it is painted it appears as if you almost need sunglasses to sit in that theater. It was a bit overwhelming and bright. Don’t get me wrong, I am glad that the theater is being maintained, even if not a theater anymore, but they sure used some bright and shiny colors when they last repainted it!
I am not upset at all. Actually, I want to thank Sally for her input. Your last post explains the Triangle furniture Building too. I would never have learned that unless Sally posted about that location. I have always thought that building was “different” and now I know why. This explains the high ceiling.
And the mystery of the mysterious Ridgewood Folly has also been solved. This is all good.
Nah, it was a seperate theater (and a historic one at that) so it should keep it’s own section.
I wish we could go back and delete all the VG Nichols stuff though from when Sally mistakenly stated that the Folly was at the VG Nichols building at 55-05 Myrtle. Other than that, it is a seperate theater, and deserves it’s own section, as the other than sharing the location with the Grandview, has nothing to do with the Grandview Theater. The were seperate theaters, and I do believe the Folly building was where the parking lot is now, and the Grandview was built on the corner, actually a different lot.
Thank you SG Cogan. A dance eporium and sports arena can explain what I have witnessed as the store having a “high ceiling”, and the marquee, and it not being your typical “apartments over stores” building. To this day, I don’t believe those windows above the VG Nichols store are apartments, and don’t look like them observing from the street. This doesn’t explain the map (or whatever Sally was looking at) that she mentioned she saw that the Triangle site was a theater on that map (and a saloon). Any information on that Triangle site would be appreciated.
I guess we can now ask cinematreasures to change the address above to 659 Granndview Ave. It was on the site of or next to the Grandview Theater, however is not the same building, nor the same theater. The Ridgewood Folly is an important theater, as it was the first to show movies in Ridgewood.
Lost memory, the while the Avenues like Seneca and Grandview did keep their old numbers, it’s because they extended out of the “Queens section of Ridgewood that was served from the Brooklyn Post office”. It would have been too confusing to have part of the system on let’s say Seneca to be in the old system, then jump to the new numbering section in the section that was served by the Brooklyn post office, although still in Queens. The streets that were converted to the new Queens system (Forest, Fresh Pond, Myrtle, etc) were because those particular streets not only entered the “part of Ridgewood in Queens but served by the Brooklyn Post office”, but also left that part of Ridgewood to other parts of Queens where it had to be in the Queens numbering system. Notice that the main streets that entered from Brooklyn, but never left “that section of RIdgewood” for other parts of Queens (Seneca, Grandview, etc) kept their old numbers.
The Brooklyn-Queens border is not where the jump in mumbers starts or ends for all the other non-main streets, it’s at the former post office line. For example, Putnam and all the streets parallel to it jump from 19XX to 60XX when they cross Forest Ave, far from the Brooklyn border.
I know it’s confusing, but it all extends back to the old postal lines from when part of Ridgewood (and only a part) was in the Brooklyn Post office, even though in Queens. It is also why there is confusion of theaters such as the Madison and Ridgewood being listed in Brooklyn, even though both were Queens.
BTW, thank you SG COgan for the confirmation of the Ridgewood Folly at the Grandview Theatre site.
In addition to why some address numbers were not modernized, you will also noticed that part of Ridgewood, although in Queens, still has all it’s original Queens Street names too, as oppsed to getting numbered names like the rest of Queens (the reason we are talking about Grandview Ave,and not some numbered street).
The reason is because that part of Ridgewood, although in Queens, was serviced out of the Brooklyn 11227 post office right up until around 1980 or so. So that part of Ridgewood that was served through Brooklyn, escaped the name and number changes in the early part of the century, even though in Queens. The streets that traversed out of that part of “Queens” Ridgewood that was in this “Brooklyn” Post office district, such as Forest Ave, Myrtle, Fresh Pond Rd, etc were changed to the Queens numbering sytem to fit in with the rest of Queens that those roads traveled through.
By the way, just to add, I saw Ghostbusters at the Plaza in 1984 (the last movie I saw there), so the theater had to close some time after that movie was released in 1984.
The problem is that with all the multiplexes around, there is no need for a small theater like this. The building is an ugly building, 60’s architecture at it’s worse, and not easily converted to some other use. The chance of a theater moving in are next to zero, because of all the modern multiplexes around, and converting it to some other use would be hard.
Main Street in Patchogue has improved so much over the last decade and a half, so neighborhood economics is not so much of a problem, it’s the building itself.
I agree with your assesment. Total demolition is the only merciful fate for the building.
Oh sorry Warren, your opening statement said they used 659 back then.
Here’s the link for the photo of the Ridgewood Folly for those wondering:
View link
The funeral home (Ridgewood Chapels) now occupying the theater building uses 663 Grandview as their mailing address and address for the funeral home. While the 659 above is listed for the Grandview Theater, that lot is actually what they use for the parking lot. Warren, what number do the Daily books give for the Grandview?
Yes, I agree too, the Ridgewood Folly building is not the same building as the Grandview, and the Ridgewood Folly building must have been demolished at some point before the Grandview Theater was built there. Actually, since the Grandview Theater property take up three lots, 659, 661, 663 Grandview Ave, the Folly could have been on the lot were the parking lot is now. The funeral home that was the building that was the Grandview Theater occupies 663 Grandview.