RKO Keith's Theatre

I am reminded of comments several years ago about this glass curtain…if the lobby (I assume they mean the foyer that the ticket lobby leads to), is going to be visible from the street through a curtain of glass, then the landmarked structure over the ticket lobby (the plaster gallery with the polychromed pillars and ceiling) and the three baroque-style arches above the foyer entrance will have to be removed to clear the sight-line. This cannot be done if these portions of the structure are part of the landmarked room. I don’t think the developers really know what they are working with or what they are talking about, and are simply regurgitating old info.

I believe the ticket lobby and foyer are both landmarked and therefore must be accessible to the public for viewing and inspection. It stinks that the theater, mezzanine and office building will be demolished but if the foyer is restored, it had better be available to those of us in the public who wish to view it! I imagine the developers will turn it into a mall, with shops on the first floor and second floor on a new mezzanine level.

I think larry1 was being sarcastic.

Wonderful old theater with perhaps a lobby remaining. Big deal!

Well, at least the lobby will survive:

View link

I have vivid memories from my childhood of when the New York Post was actually a “newspaper” rather than simply a venue for unadulterated public relations crap from developers. What a load!

I still don’t understand why it is “too late” for the Keith’s Flushing. Is Flushing any less in need or less deserving of a community performing space than are any of those other communities? I suppose you could say “yes” to the latter, since it appears the immediate community has never generated much support or enthusiasm for the restoration effort. Is the auditorium so completely beyond repair that any thought of restoration is unrealistic? Not according to the numerous reports posted above, which indicate many of the architectural details either remain or could be recreated using the detailed architectural drawings that exist. Is it absolutely essential that the auditorium be demolished in order to do anything with this site? The article quotes Council member Koo as saying the community is dismayed by the building’s “abhorrent” condition. But since nobody can even see what it looks like inside, what makes its condition a problem is that it is an entire block of empty, boarded up stores with a facade that has been systematically dismantled. Is it completely beyond anyone’s architectural and structural engineering capabilities to utilize the air rights above the auditorium without actually demolishing the auditorium? Is the extra effort and expense that would entail so totally outrageous that there is no possible way it could be achieved, or is it simply that it’s easier and cheaper to knock it down? The building has already sat empty for decades; why is it necessary that construction begin now, when the economic and real estate climate is at such an all-time low that anything requiring added expense is laughed at? Would it not be possible to build above and around the theater, leaving its rehabilitation for a time when there are more resources? I’m asking these questions because I’m not sure where the “it’s too late” verdict is suddenly coming from.

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.”
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.”
“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.”
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.

A developer now wants to expand the number of apartments as part of the Keith’s redevelopment: View link

Click the above pic to launch video

It sounds like bad news but we can hope he is an unsuccessful as the past couple of developers. I just hope he doesn’t do any further damage.

Oh, this sounds bad. Despite setting up a new corporation called Northern RKO, LLC, specifically to make this purchase and saying “the goal is to build something reflecting the magnificence of the old Keith’s for Flushing,” the new owner has two condo projects currently under development. Probably the only “reflection” of the magnificent old Keith’s will be a mirror in what’s left of the lobby.