This is very interesting. It has been suggested in the Ridgewood Theater page on this site (buried way in there) that this building (VG Nichols Furniture) was a theater at one time. I originally shrugged it off, but a few weeks ago I walked by the building, and had a chance to peak in the windows. In the back, it does appear to have a high ceiling. I looked in the windows farthest from Myrtle Ave along Madison St. Closer look also revealed that the building looks a bit different than the typical Ridgewood “apartments over stores” buildings. The upstairs windows are much larger, and they don’t appear to be apartments.
The building also has a marquee. However, many fancy stores years ago had marquees. The VG Nichols building does not look like the photos I have seen of the Ridgewood Folly, however, the Ridgewood Folly only lasted a few years, and was closed by 1918 apparently. Could this buiding be a short lived theater that replaced the origninal Ridgewood Folly Building? By the 1940’s, the building was already a furniture store, Triangle Furniture. Below is a link to photos of 55-05 Myrtle Ave when it was Triangle Furniture at queenspix.com.
All evidence leads me to believe that the VG Nichols building may have been a theater at one time. It has a marquee, it appears to have a high “theater-like” ceiling, and may people have suggested that it “may” have been a theater, and now Sally does too.
So could VG Nichols be the site of the mysterious Ridgewood Folly theater, and if not, could we be on the road to discovering another theater in Ridgewood? Obviously, whatever theater it was, if it was did not last long, as by the 30’s or 40’s it was already a furniture store. So what do you guys think? http://www.queenspix.com/rwindex_8.html
BTW, if you click to page 7 on the above link, it also has a photo of the near-by Parthenon Theater in it’s prime.
Hahahaha! Peter, that is so funny! Yes, Let’s picture the “Back to the Future”-like fake looking Jaws in 3-D attacking pedestrians on the sidewalk in front of the theater in 2104.
Of course, if the theater is still “multiplexed” in 2104, let’s picture “Friday the 13th-Part 217-Jason Revenges Again” playing in one of the balcony theaters alongside “Jaws 43”.
It would be a travesty if it closed. Come on people, this has got to be one of the most patronized threads on this site, the least some of us can do is take in a movie there to help support it. I am embarrassed to say I haven’t been in the theater in over 15 years. I was still a teenager or very early 20’s the last time I was in therethere!
I agree with Robert though, the theater does need some cleaning up, but it’s the “only theater” for miles around, so shouldn’t have too much trouble attracting people. Obviously, it’s biggest base must be the “young crowd” – teenagers and kids. If it still holds true, I know that even though I could walk to the Ridgewood when I lived there, as soon as I was old enough to ride the subway “without adults”, I abandoned the RIdgewood for other theaters, with just an occasional visit, before totally not going to it anymore….and then of course I moved, and a movie seen at the Ridgewood was just not to happen again….
Just to add about the el, the last regular passenger train ran on the eastern end of the Jamaica el on September 11th, 1977. A fan trip then ran one last time to the then abandoned stations on the 12th….and then it was over.
Through private email, lostmemory and I have determined that the Evergreen Theater sat on the lots that the CTown now occupies. The Bank sits on the lot of the Evergreen Airdrome. There is a parking lot behind the bank that was also probably part of the airdrome.
The first thing to go up after the wooden structures that originally replaced the park was the Evergreen Airdrome, around 1911 (the site of the bank). In 1913, the owners of the Evergreen Airdrome built the indoor Evergreen (where the CTown now sits). Some time around 1914-1916, the Matthews company built their apartment 6 family homes next to the indoor Evergreen Theater. In 1915 some expansion to the theater did take place, however I seriously doubt it was a “1500” seat expansion, as the Times Newsweekly originally reported. That would have made the Evergreen theater have 2700 seats, only 100 or so less than the montserous Madison Theater down the street, of course totally unrealistic. More likely, the expansion in 1915 brought the theater UP to 1500 sseats, and that may or not be a number combined with the outdoor airdrome next to it.
In the early 1920’s or so the Evergreen and Airdrome were sold to take advantage of the high values inn Ridgewood at the time. I assume at that point that the Airdrome stopped functioning, but the Evergreen indoor Theater probably continued showing movies, or was used as some other temporary function. In the meantime, the Airdrome was razed, and the Manhattan Banck built their bank abutting the Evergreen theater. The Evergreen’s building survived into the 1930’s, but probably fell into disrepair during the Depression. By the 1940’s the Evergreen was razed, and the new “stores” building was built on it’s site, the building that now houses CTown.
The Evergreen Theater building did stand between the 6 family homes and the bank for a few years, and they witnessed it’s demolition.
I found an old photo of the block, but the Monroe is just out of view. To the right of the RKO Bushwick is a red brick building with lots of windows, that appears to be the site McDonalds is on now. But just over that building’s roofline there appears to be the roofline of a slightly larger building (the height of the RKO Bushwick), that must be the Monroe Theater. http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?2637
Thank you rose for the information. I was even looking at that lot when I was in the area a few weeks ago. It’s right where I parked when I took some photos of the RKO Bushwick’s former building.
I guess the Monroe is the lot with the cars seen in this image I took last July: View link
Oh well, sad ending, but at least the mystery is solved.
I was sort of thinking that too, and the odd numbers on Myrtle would be on the right. Unfortunately, the purpose of the photo (the train) is in the way.
207 Myrtle had to just south of the Navy Street station on the old Myrtle Ave el. This photo from the 60’s is taken from the platform of the old Navy Street station, looking south. An 1800 seat theater had to be a decent sized building. I don’t see anything that resembles a theater, but I can’t really tell. I guess only a roadtrip can tell us if the building still stands.
Personally, I believe the Evergreen was right next to the Matthews flat (930 Seneca). There may have been an alley or so. I think your current theory is correct. The airdrome was there first, so that probably occupied the corner. Then they built the interior theater next to that. Since the owner owned all four lots, I am sure that the Airdrome could have taken a lot and an half, or even two lots. It had to be a bit wider than the bank is now, as that is a very narrow building, unsuitable for a theater, even an exterior one, although do remember that there is a parking lot behind the bank, which may have been part of the airdrome too.
Quote: One other item I came across was in Oct 1957 a Bohack is listed at 924 Seneca ave. As far as I know, there is no 924 listed today so C-Town or most likely Trunz expanded that store later on.
Actually, Bohack itself mst have expanded into the old toystore, taking up the entire building, as that is the way I remember Bohack when it closed, that whole building. Associated, Trunz, and later CTown take up the exact same square footage as the Bohack did when it closed.
Are the 6 family homes on Putnam near Cypress Matthews homes? I think they were a different builder (Ivanhoe?). However, they were also built in the 1910’s. Actually, just run one of the ones on Cornelia (18-XX). There is no doubt those houses were built in 1914-1915 (you even have a photo of them at that time), but for some strange reason they also say 1930. For some bizarre reason, according to the tax records, there were no buildings built in Ridgewood pre-1930. It has to do with the record keeping before that.
Actually, 930 Seneca is the first Matthews flat next to the CTown. It has commercial designation now, even though it was built as the typical 6 family house originally.
It’s tax designation is “S9.2A – 2+ Families W/Store”. Of course the ground level used to be apartments originally though. 920 is listed as “K1.4 – 1-Story Store Building”
The real estate tax records are wrong. My old building was also listed as being built in 1932, but I know for fact is was built in 1915. Pull up the tax (real estate) records for Putnam or Cornelia, any of those buildings will also say they were built in 1931 and it’s incorrect. It probably has something to do with the record keeping in pre-1930. BTW, check your email, I am going to send you something you may find quite interesting!
Oh, just to add, the building I used to live in was a Matthews flat on Putnam Ave, and the tax record lists it as being built in 1932. However, the original deed says it was built in 1915. The deed is accurate. For some reason the tax records for many buildings say the 1930’s.
Those 6 family houses are definitely Matthews flats. They are the traditional orange and yellow bricks, the same classic Matthews design that is on Putnam, Cornelia, and Madison Streets. How do you know that the buildings weren’t there when the Evergreen was still standing.
Currently an “XXI” (21) store occupies the vast space that the theater usd to occupy. The “Express” store next door also probably occupies part of the former theater space.
Thanks so much Warren! What a beautiful place! From what it sounds like, the church has kept good care of it. (They keep the exterior in great shape, so I assume they have done the same on the interior. A real shame it can’t be a theater right now, but it faired much betteer than it’s neighbor, the Bushwick. A church is probably the next best use if it can’t be a theater or concert hall. And who knows, maybe one day in the future it has the hope of being a theater again, in the meantime it is being maintained. Some of these churches even rent the space out for movies, etc for extra money.
The all too rare interior shot. Keep them coming for any theater you may find them for, they are always welcome.
Stockton is still the street that abutted the Broadway. It’s the street with the bulldozer you see to the right of the theater…eh…theatersite in my photo linked above.
If there was a “Court St”, it had to be that alley like road behind the “shantytown” in the photo.
The stage was in the location of the shanty town. That back wall was the last to be torn down. The procenium arch stood there exposed in all it’s glory, with corintian columns and even a chandelier waving in the wind for months, while the other three side walls were removed. What I wouldn’t do to have had my camera with me on the el station then to take a photo.
I too have been searching for a photo of that block too, for as long as I have been trying to find out about the Evergreen, which is quite a long time.
Anyway, I did find a photo of that block. But it’s not going to help us, it’s from 1897, before the Matthews flasts were built, and before the Evergreen Theater or Airdrome were built: View link
Yes, I do believe that the entire structure that is the CTown now was built as one structure, but lostmemory is on to something too about his corner idea. The truth is though, that the bank dates to the late 20’s. But that doesn’t mean that it was ever next to either of the theaters. The bank could have been built after both the indoor and outdoor theaters were razed, as the theater property was sold in the early 20’s. It is safe to say that the Matthews 6 family homes were there before the theater closed, because those type of buildings were built in the 1910’s. When the theater property was closed, the buyer could have just torn everything down, subdivided the lots, and then sold one of them to the Chase Manhattan bank to build the bank, which they did in the late 20’s. It is safe to say that the structure that is now the C Town was built probably post 1940, as they wouldn’t have built a building like that prior.
C-Town did not combine the two stores. It was already one store while Bohack was still in it. I don’t know when the toy store left, but it was before Bohack left. Bohack, when it closed was definitely that entire building, and had been for years. After Bohack, Associated supermarket took over the store. Shorty after that, Trunz moved in it from across the street (they were orignally around where one of the shoe stores are now on the Duane Reade block) into the Bohack-CTown Building. Some time around 1990 or so, Trunz went out of business, and CTown then moved in.
I’m not saying that that CTown building was not two stores at some time, but I am 100% sure that that building is one structure(although two stores), and was built at the same time.
How about this? The Evergreen Airdrome is the site of the Bank building. The Evergreen Theater was built next to that, where the CTown structure is now. The Matthew Flats were then built abutting the Evergreen Indoor theater building. The property was sold, and since the Airdrome is basically easily dismantled, the bank building was built abutting the Evergreen indoor theater (probably between 1925 and 1929. Finally, at some point, the Evergreen theater was razed. This could have been as late as the late 1930’s or early 1940’s, leaving a gap between the bank and the Matthews buildings. The reason I say this is because the “Bohack” building is a very non-descript building, not at all typical of the buildings that were built in Ridgewood pre-1940. It is very typical of the non-descript architecture that stared to spring up in the late 1940’s or 1950’s.
This is very interesting. It has been suggested in the Ridgewood Theater page on this site (buried way in there) that this building (VG Nichols Furniture) was a theater at one time. I originally shrugged it off, but a few weeks ago I walked by the building, and had a chance to peak in the windows. In the back, it does appear to have a high ceiling. I looked in the windows farthest from Myrtle Ave along Madison St. Closer look also revealed that the building looks a bit different than the typical Ridgewood “apartments over stores” buildings. The upstairs windows are much larger, and they don’t appear to be apartments.
The building also has a marquee. However, many fancy stores years ago had marquees. The VG Nichols building does not look like the photos I have seen of the Ridgewood Folly, however, the Ridgewood Folly only lasted a few years, and was closed by 1918 apparently. Could this buiding be a short lived theater that replaced the origninal Ridgewood Folly Building? By the 1940’s, the building was already a furniture store, Triangle Furniture. Below is a link to photos of 55-05 Myrtle Ave when it was Triangle Furniture at queenspix.com.
All evidence leads me to believe that the VG Nichols building may have been a theater at one time. It has a marquee, it appears to have a high “theater-like” ceiling, and may people have suggested that it “may” have been a theater, and now Sally does too.
So could VG Nichols be the site of the mysterious Ridgewood Folly theater, and if not, could we be on the road to discovering another theater in Ridgewood? Obviously, whatever theater it was, if it was did not last long, as by the 30’s or 40’s it was already a furniture store. So what do you guys think?
http://www.queenspix.com/rwindex_8.html
BTW, if you click to page 7 on the above link, it also has a photo of the near-by Parthenon Theater in it’s prime.
Hahahaha! Peter, that is so funny! Yes, Let’s picture the “Back to the Future”-like fake looking Jaws in 3-D attacking pedestrians on the sidewalk in front of the theater in 2104.
Of course, if the theater is still “multiplexed” in 2104, let’s picture “Friday the 13th-Part 217-Jason Revenges Again” playing in one of the balcony theaters alongside “Jaws 43”.
It would be a travesty if it closed. Come on people, this has got to be one of the most patronized threads on this site, the least some of us can do is take in a movie there to help support it. I am embarrassed to say I haven’t been in the theater in over 15 years. I was still a teenager or very early 20’s the last time I was in therethere!
I agree with Robert though, the theater does need some cleaning up, but it’s the “only theater” for miles around, so shouldn’t have too much trouble attracting people. Obviously, it’s biggest base must be the “young crowd” – teenagers and kids. If it still holds true, I know that even though I could walk to the Ridgewood when I lived there, as soon as I was old enough to ride the subway “without adults”, I abandoned the RIdgewood for other theaters, with just an occasional visit, before totally not going to it anymore….and then of course I moved, and a movie seen at the Ridgewood was just not to happen again….
Just to add about the el, the last regular passenger train ran on the eastern end of the Jamaica el on September 11th, 1977. A fan trip then ran one last time to the then abandoned stations on the 12th….and then it was over.
That was also probably as to not to get it confused with the RKO Keith’s Richmond Hill. Many people confuse the two.
Through private email, lostmemory and I have determined that the Evergreen Theater sat on the lots that the CTown now occupies. The Bank sits on the lot of the Evergreen Airdrome. There is a parking lot behind the bank that was also probably part of the airdrome.
The first thing to go up after the wooden structures that originally replaced the park was the Evergreen Airdrome, around 1911 (the site of the bank). In 1913, the owners of the Evergreen Airdrome built the indoor Evergreen (where the CTown now sits). Some time around 1914-1916, the Matthews company built their apartment 6 family homes next to the indoor Evergreen Theater. In 1915 some expansion to the theater did take place, however I seriously doubt it was a “1500” seat expansion, as the Times Newsweekly originally reported. That would have made the Evergreen theater have 2700 seats, only 100 or so less than the montserous Madison Theater down the street, of course totally unrealistic. More likely, the expansion in 1915 brought the theater UP to 1500 sseats, and that may or not be a number combined with the outdoor airdrome next to it.
In the early 1920’s or so the Evergreen and Airdrome were sold to take advantage of the high values inn Ridgewood at the time. I assume at that point that the Airdrome stopped functioning, but the Evergreen indoor Theater probably continued showing movies, or was used as some other temporary function. In the meantime, the Airdrome was razed, and the Manhattan Banck built their bank abutting the Evergreen theater. The Evergreen’s building survived into the 1930’s, but probably fell into disrepair during the Depression. By the 1940’s the Evergreen was razed, and the new “stores” building was built on it’s site, the building that now houses CTown.
The Evergreen Theater building did stand between the 6 family homes and the bank for a few years, and they witnessed it’s demolition.
I found an old photo of the block, but the Monroe is just out of view. To the right of the RKO Bushwick is a red brick building with lots of windows, that appears to be the site McDonalds is on now. But just over that building’s roofline there appears to be the roofline of a slightly larger building (the height of the RKO Bushwick), that must be the Monroe Theater.
http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?2637
Thank you rose for the information. I was even looking at that lot when I was in the area a few weeks ago. It’s right where I parked when I took some photos of the RKO Bushwick’s former building.
I guess the Monroe is the lot with the cars seen in this image I took last July:
View link
Oh well, sad ending, but at least the mystery is solved.
I was sort of thinking that too, and the odd numbers on Myrtle would be on the right. Unfortunately, the purpose of the photo (the train) is in the way.
Ooops, here’s the link I was going to put in the above post:
http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?6859
207 Myrtle had to just south of the Navy Street station on the old Myrtle Ave el. This photo from the 60’s is taken from the platform of the old Navy Street station, looking south. An 1800 seat theater had to be a decent sized building. I don’t see anything that resembles a theater, but I can’t really tell. I guess only a roadtrip can tell us if the building still stands.
Personally, I believe the Evergreen was right next to the Matthews flat (930 Seneca). There may have been an alley or so. I think your current theory is correct. The airdrome was there first, so that probably occupied the corner. Then they built the interior theater next to that. Since the owner owned all four lots, I am sure that the Airdrome could have taken a lot and an half, or even two lots. It had to be a bit wider than the bank is now, as that is a very narrow building, unsuitable for a theater, even an exterior one, although do remember that there is a parking lot behind the bank, which may have been part of the airdrome too.
Quote: One other item I came across was in Oct 1957 a Bohack is listed at 924 Seneca ave. As far as I know, there is no 924 listed today so C-Town or most likely Trunz expanded that store later on.
Actually, Bohack itself mst have expanded into the old toystore, taking up the entire building, as that is the way I remember Bohack when it closed, that whole building. Associated, Trunz, and later CTown take up the exact same square footage as the Bohack did when it closed.
Movie Palace NYC, I think you have the wrong Empire. This is the Brooklyn Empire. You probably mean the AMC Empire in Manhattan:
/theaters/255/
Are the 6 family homes on Putnam near Cypress Matthews homes? I think they were a different builder (Ivanhoe?). However, they were also built in the 1910’s. Actually, just run one of the ones on Cornelia (18-XX). There is no doubt those houses were built in 1914-1915 (you even have a photo of them at that time), but for some strange reason they also say 1930. For some bizarre reason, according to the tax records, there were no buildings built in Ridgewood pre-1930. It has to do with the record keeping before that.
Actually, 930 Seneca is the first Matthews flat next to the CTown. It has commercial designation now, even though it was built as the typical 6 family house originally.
It’s tax designation is “S9.2A – 2+ Families W/Store”. Of course the ground level used to be apartments originally though. 920 is listed as “K1.4 – 1-Story Store Building”
The real estate tax records are wrong. My old building was also listed as being built in 1932, but I know for fact is was built in 1915. Pull up the tax (real estate) records for Putnam or Cornelia, any of those buildings will also say they were built in 1931 and it’s incorrect. It probably has something to do with the record keeping in pre-1930. BTW, check your email, I am going to send you something you may find quite interesting!
Oh, just to add, the building I used to live in was a Matthews flat on Putnam Ave, and the tax record lists it as being built in 1932. However, the original deed says it was built in 1915. The deed is accurate. For some reason the tax records for many buildings say the 1930’s.
Those 6 family houses are definitely Matthews flats. They are the traditional orange and yellow bricks, the same classic Matthews design that is on Putnam, Cornelia, and Madison Streets. How do you know that the buildings weren’t there when the Evergreen was still standing.
Currently an “XXI” (21) store occupies the vast space that the theater usd to occupy. The “Express” store next door also probably occupies part of the former theater space.
Thanks so much Warren! What a beautiful place! From what it sounds like, the church has kept good care of it. (They keep the exterior in great shape, so I assume they have done the same on the interior. A real shame it can’t be a theater right now, but it faired much betteer than it’s neighbor, the Bushwick. A church is probably the next best use if it can’t be a theater or concert hall. And who knows, maybe one day in the future it has the hope of being a theater again, in the meantime it is being maintained. Some of these churches even rent the space out for movies, etc for extra money.
The all too rare interior shot. Keep them coming for any theater you may find them for, they are always welcome.
Stockton is still the street that abutted the Broadway. It’s the street with the bulldozer you see to the right of the theater…eh…theatersite in my photo linked above.
If there was a “Court St”, it had to be that alley like road behind the “shantytown” in the photo.
The stage was in the location of the shanty town. That back wall was the last to be torn down. The procenium arch stood there exposed in all it’s glory, with corintian columns and even a chandelier waving in the wind for months, while the other three side walls were removed. What I wouldn’t do to have had my camera with me on the el station then to take a photo.
I too have been searching for a photo of that block too, for as long as I have been trying to find out about the Evergreen, which is quite a long time.
Anyway, I did find a photo of that block. But it’s not going to help us, it’s from 1897, before the Matthews flasts were built, and before the Evergreen Theater or Airdrome were built:
View link
Yes, I do believe that the entire structure that is the CTown now was built as one structure, but lostmemory is on to something too about his corner idea. The truth is though, that the bank dates to the late 20’s. But that doesn’t mean that it was ever next to either of the theaters. The bank could have been built after both the indoor and outdoor theaters were razed, as the theater property was sold in the early 20’s. It is safe to say that the Matthews 6 family homes were there before the theater closed, because those type of buildings were built in the 1910’s. When the theater property was closed, the buyer could have just torn everything down, subdivided the lots, and then sold one of them to the Chase Manhattan bank to build the bank, which they did in the late 20’s. It is safe to say that the structure that is now the C Town was built probably post 1940, as they wouldn’t have built a building like that prior.
C-Town did not combine the two stores. It was already one store while Bohack was still in it. I don’t know when the toy store left, but it was before Bohack left. Bohack, when it closed was definitely that entire building, and had been for years. After Bohack, Associated supermarket took over the store. Shorty after that, Trunz moved in it from across the street (they were orignally around where one of the shoe stores are now on the Duane Reade block) into the Bohack-CTown Building. Some time around 1990 or so, Trunz went out of business, and CTown then moved in.
I’m not saying that that CTown building was not two stores at some time, but I am 100% sure that that building is one structure(although two stores), and was built at the same time.
How about this? The Evergreen Airdrome is the site of the Bank building. The Evergreen Theater was built next to that, where the CTown structure is now. The Matthew Flats were then built abutting the Evergreen Indoor theater building. The property was sold, and since the Airdrome is basically easily dismantled, the bank building was built abutting the Evergreen indoor theater (probably between 1925 and 1929. Finally, at some point, the Evergreen theater was razed. This could have been as late as the late 1930’s or early 1940’s, leaving a gap between the bank and the Matthews buildings. The reason I say this is because the “Bohack” building is a very non-descript building, not at all typical of the buildings that were built in Ridgewood pre-1940. It is very typical of the non-descript architecture that stared to spring up in the late 1940’s or 1950’s.