Ridgewood Theatre
55-27 Myrtle Avenue,
Ridgewood,
NY
11385
55-27 Myrtle Avenue,
Ridgewood,
NY
11385
31 people
favorited this theater
Showing 876 - 900 of 2,835 comments
Actually though, the only good thing that may come from the econmic downturn is it could buy the Ridgewood some majorly needed time.
Of course it could be saved if it’s closed. It doesn’t have to be an operating theater to be considered for landmark status. And the inside is intact yet. I don’t know if the status would include the interior. But at the least, it would save the exterior and the building couldn’t be torn down.
Not that I think it would be torn down, and the facade would be great to be landmarked, but I think the biggest danger to the Ridgewood now is being converted to retail.
We shall see, this would be a great first step.
By the way, the article also goes into the accomplishments of Thomas Lamb who designed the Ridgewood, among countless other theaters.
Its consideration for landmark status is a good sign that it can, IMHO.
Can the Ridgewood Theatre be saved now that it’s closed? Just curious.
Thanks for the heads up, Bway. That’s great news. I’ll go check it out myself.
Thanks also for reminding me to check out the Times Newsweekly on this Thursday (the day of the week it comes out) the 15th.
According to an article in this week’s Times Newsweekly , the Landmarks Preservation Commission will consider the Ridgewood for landmark status in the coming weeks.
The article should be in the online form in about a week.
And here I thought when Rupert Murdoc bought out the Post he turned it in to a comic book. I can read better new in the Inquierer. LOL
But then it can be worse. Moonie owns the Washington Times.
Save the Ridgewood
Well, this will hardly be the first time – and certainly not the last – that people in the same agency don’t talk to each other!
This whole newspaper listing thing reminds me of that sequence in the book and movie On The Beach when mysterious radio signals begin to eminate from nuclear devastated San Francisco. The hopes raised by the possible survival of someone are, of course, dashed when it is discovered that the enigmatic “messages” were only being caused by an inanimate object hitting against an open transmitter.
The probable mundane reality here is the newspapers' policy to refer readers to the theater’s telepnone number when (1) no movie schedule is received and (2) no representative from the last recorded owner has officially intructed the paper to cease publication. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if even if the papers were informed of the Ridgewood’s demise, they would still continue to list the theater since they had not yet received any official directive to stop. (Newspapers have their bureaucratic rules too!)
Given the current economic downturn and the probable difficulty of finding any longterm buyers, it would make sense for persons interested in leasing out a portion of the theater for short term purposes to contact the owner. This would both provide a little cash flow and forstall the otherwise idle building’s deterioration. So Michael Perlman’s point is well taken.
I also don’t think the Ridgewood is in any damage of being demolished, however, there is an extremely strong danger that it could be converted into retail.
Thankfully though, if anything comes from the bad economy right now, it is perhaps that there wouldn’t be much call for such a large space right now…perhaps. So that could buy some time. But yes, I agree with what was mention above, the longer it sits empty, the faster it begins to deteriorate, and that is the real danger right now. It soon will be a year since it was last occupied.
I don’t know if it will find the same fate as the Madison Theater, which “mysteriously” went on fire, or the Commodore or the RKO Keiths in Flushing which were both deliberately deglected/damaged so as to speed up deterioration, but we all know that the longer the Ridgewood sits empty, the more it will begin to deteriorate, even if just naturally.
In order to save the Ridgewood Theatre, our best bet is two-fold:
1 Sign and post a comment on the online petition to landmark the exterior and interior lobby of the Ridgewood Theatre. Please do more than signing it, by fowarding the link to every contact in your e-mail address book. Almost everyone enjoys forwarding jokes, but think of how many lives would be touched if this theater is preserved, which only takes a few mins of your time: View link
2 As rumor has it, this theater has been taken off the market for now. However, if you know of someone who may be interested in leasing the theater or making an offer to purchase it, communicate your ideas to Thomas Donovan of Massey Knackal Realty: (917) 566-1384 and (718) 275-3400 ext2626.
AM-NY has an annual series of the top endangered sites to save. Scroll down midway to the Queens paragraphs, and you will briefly read about my effort, as well as the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s quote: View link
The Ridgewood Theatre’s future is most likely in your hands, so please act now. Thank you!
Good points, movie534 and Panzer65. But what can we do right now about the Ridgewood Theatre ?
Will deterioration rapidly consume this wonderful place?
I do hope after reading postings about how the Madison died an untimely death, that my thoughts of “Deja Vu All Over Again” (Yogi Berra) does not occur here.
When you really look at the big picture,time is really not on Ridgewood’s side,the owner may perhaps be unscrupulous,and looking to accelerate the deterioration to lead to events that will forever seal its fate. If you read the postings for the Commodore, I feel that unless control is established over this property, the same fate that consumed Madison and Commodore may be in the future.
As someone who lives eats and will die by the theatre business, I cant help but think that this Ridgewood theatre thing is going in a bad direction. Look at whats happened around the country. Take a few years ago when the Colonial in Allentown PA. was demolished because the owner let it sit and rot since 1988. Or how about right here in New York with the Keiths in Queens. If these palaces are just allowed to sit and sit, its only a matter of time nothing good will come. I hope this one and the Kings in Brooklyn get the attention they need and deserve, and SOON.
Good idea, East Coast Rocker.
Did anyone ever think that maybe the reason there is an intercept recording on the phone is because the Ridgwood may have gotten a new phone number? As I said before maybe someone can go there during the weekend and see if there is any kind of activity.
Thanks Peter for mentioning that, may I take the opportunity to wish our humble friend Ridgewood Happy Birthday ,and many more to come.
Tomorrow, Tuesday December 23 2008, it will have been ninety-two years since the Ridgewood Theatre opened on Saturday, December 23, 1916.
Probably and sadly true, Warren. Thanks.
I haven’t.
Has anyone actually gone down to the Ridgewood on the weekend when they are supposed to be open or even gone to any of the stores in the general area to ask?
Has anyone actually called that number recently? The outside of the Ridgewood Theater looks as barren and forlorn as a snow-covered tombstone in Potter’s Field.
Mike, I admire your zeal, wish to encourage you afresh, and wish you every good luck. I know from personal experience how discouraging it can be to fight through a sluggish, unhelpful, unresponsive and irresponsible bureaucracy. It’s like running uphill at a dead run through molasses with a hundred pound pack on your back, with an avalanche coming downhill at you, to put it mildly !
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience. I do not have much faith on them on the basis of their designation track record for Queens, and the amount of Request For Evaluation forms (RFE) that go unacknowledged or rejected without a public hearing. I also reminisce to their false promise in landmarking the Trylon Theater. However, I am trying my best to remain hopeful and exercise the few legal means that I have as a historic preservationist (pursuing landmark status as one). If they were to reject calendaring it for a public hearing, it would then be my role to publicize their negligence in serving NYC citizens, et al.
Michael I for one am not a big fan of The NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission. I worked in a theatre that had a landmark designation. The NY Academy of Music then turned Palladium. Right next door was Luchows. Also a designated landmark. Seems like NYU was looking for a site to build some dormitory rooms. Sure enough NYU somehow got the landmark designations of both buildings pulled. Sometime in 1997 or 98 both buildings were demolished. So please don’t put your fiath in The NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission. They will only do something to break your heart.