rivrj…I’m glad you rnjoyed your trip to The Ziegfeld. While I agree with you that it is a beautiful theater (arguably the best “Modern Era” theater built in New York) but it dosen’t hold a candle to the other “Classic” theaters that existed within a half mile. You mentioned some of the great ones, but you missed theaters like the original Ziegfeld (just down the block), The Center and Proctor’s theater on E. 59th St.
While we have lost a great many theaters in New York, we are still blessed to have a significant number of theaters remaining including all five of the Loews' Wonder Theaters (Valencia, Jersey, 175th, Paradise and The Kings), The Hollywood, Radio City, The Beacon, The St. George, The Elmwood, The Stanley, The RKO Keiths Richmond Hill, The Paris, The New Amsterdam, The Brooklyn Paramount (most of it), and many more that have been converted and beautifully maintained as churches.
I’ve been following the Boyd’s saga in Philadelphia. The Boyd is THE LAST palace still left in that city and there is a good chance the city will lose it. It’s unbelievable! But it makes me grateful that we still have a relative embarassment of riches here in New York as it relates to theaters. It doesn’t mean that we don’t fight for each and every one, but we should be grateful for what we still have.
That said, I’m all for having The Ziegfeld’s interior declared a landmark once it reaches it’s 40th anniversary next year. Not just for it’s beauty, but also for its history and patrimony. It is New York’s largest remaining single screen theater and they will never be made like this again. We should protect it!
The Saint was probably one of the greatest discos New York ever had and kept the Commodore from being torn down back in the early 80’s. While most of the interior was painted black, it was not “gutted” for The Saint. It was quite beautiful and will not ever be replaced. The dome over the dance floor with stars projected above was a sight to behold and an experience to remember. Even better: there were only 4 entrances to the dance floor and no drinks were allowed to be brought inside the dome! The entrances were carefully monitored. It’s a shame that The Commodore didn’t make it into the 21st Century. It will be truly missed.
The Keith’s site is officially on the market and is being repped by Eastern Consolidated as per “The Real Deal”. The article follows:
Eastern Consolidated to market dormant Flushing theater By David Jones
Eastern Consolidated has been named the exclusive agent to market the site of the long-dormant RKO Keith theater in downtown Flushing.
The site has already been rezoned for a 16-story, 390,000 square foot mixed-use project that could house Flushing’s tallest building.
The rezoning allows for up to 200 residential units, 10,175 square feet of retail space, a senior center and 229 parking spaces. A glass facade would be built around the theater’s landmarked lobby and foyer.
Community Board 7 officials say redeveloping the site is long overdue, and that the Main Street and Northern Boulevard intersection is a critical piece of Flushing’s development.
“There is a 500,000 percent interest in getting this site developed,” said Marilyn Bitterman, the Community Board 7 district manager. “Every meeting we go to the question comes up: when are we going to see some development at the RKO Keith’s?”
The prospective sale comes amid a development boom in Flushing, where Muss Development is building Sky View Parc (once known as Flushing Town Center), a mixed-use development with a luxury condominium on College Point Boulevard near Flushing Meadow Park. That development will include big national retailers, including Target and Home Depot, Bitterman said.
At the RKO site, Boymelgreen Developers gave up on its big plans and decided to sell the property after a dispute with the community. In 2007, Community Board 7 approved a mixed-used project with 250 condominium units and retail and commercial space. However, after the approval Boymelgreen said it wanted to develop the residential units into lofts for home businesses.
Originally built in 1928, the RKO Keith’s theater was considered one of the crown jewels of New York City’s entertainment scene. The theater hosted big vaudeville acts, and operated for years as a movie house before it was sold for $3.4 million to developer Tommy Huang in 1986. Huang had planned to develop the site into a hotel and shopping center complex, but the site remained dormant for years.
Huang later pled guilty to charges that he allowed heating oil to spill into the RKO Keith’s basement and tried to hide the damage. Boymelgreen bought the property from Huang for $15 million in 2002.
To GabeDF…I grew up with The Valencia so I too know what its like to have an emotional favorite. The reality is that all FIVE of these theaters make up an incredible collection of theater architecture and history and should be left to subsequent generations as an example of a way of life that no longer exists. For 4 out of the 5 Wonder Theaters, I think that will happen. I believe the futures of The Jersey, the 175th Street, The Valencia and The Paradise are assured. Like you, my overriding concern is the Kings. We’ve lost so many grand theaters of the past; The Roxy, the Capitol, The Flushing RKO Keiths, The Brooklyn Fox, Loews Pitkin, I could go on and on. It is very important that we keep what is left.
I’ve been following the saga of The Boyd theater in Philadelphia with dismay at how close that city is to losing its one remaining movie palace. This is the only one left in the 6th? largest city in the country! What a shame. While we in New York complain a lot about our losses, the reality is that we still have an enviable amount of theaters remaining. Besides the Wonder Theaters we have Radio City, The Hollywood, The New Amsterdam, The Beacon, The St. George. Others are now fully restored houses of worship like The Hollywood in Times Square, The Metropolitan in Brooklyn, The Elmwood in Queens and of course, The Stanley in Jersey City. Still others are tantalizing in the possiblities of restoration like the Brooklyn Paramount and The Richmond Hill RKO Keiths. There are still many others around the city.
It doesn’t mean that we should be complacent. We should continue to press to save and keep as many of these theaters as we can But we shouldn’t lose sight that in New York (and Jersey City) we’re fortunate to have as many as we do still standing and still in use.
I have to respectfully disagree with GabeF regarding the Jersey. While I do believe that it is a spectacular theater that should be fully restored, I believe all four of the other Wonder Theaters were even better. I would even throw in The Hollywood Theater in Times Square.
The Paradise, which is fully restored is astonishing. The 175th Street theater, which you think is gimmicky, is one of the best fusion style theaters remaining in the world and it too is fully restored. The Valencia, while grotesquely repainted to reflect its current use as a church is also a more beautiful theater than the Jersey. Finally, I believe The Kings (which I had to opportunity to view on a tour last year) would outshine all of the others if it were restored to it former opulence. Even in its decayed state, it is jaw droppingly beautiful. The Hollywood, by the way, is awe inspiring in its glamour restoration by the church.
Again, no disrespect to the Jersey is intended. The Loew’s Wonder Theaters have to be the finest quintet ever constructed as a group by one company. But, if I had to rank them, I would place the Jersey last.
Alan, thanks for posting this theater, but do you have any additional information on its present condition? This is a huge theater and it’s amazing that it wouldn’t have been posted until now. Do you know if any of its original interior or exterior ornamentation remains. Thanks!
ShoeShoe…I wholeheartedly agree! While I know that the old palaces could never be replicated in a financially viable way, I don’t know why more of the multiplexes can’t be constructed to at least pay some homage to the old palaces of the past.
One of my favorite multiplexes is the AMC 25 plex in Times Square due to its incorporation of the old Empire Theater into its lobby. I would have been much, much happier it they had just made the Empire one of the 24 screens. It was, in fact a small theater, and could have been spectacularly used. I’m sure they thought of it, but for some reason or another it wasn’t financially viable.
My other favorite is the Loew’s Lincoln Sqaure and only because they paid homage to the old Loew’s movie palaces of the metropolitan New York area with each screening room dedicated to a former palace along with a small history. I only wish that each screening room was decorated to relate directly to the theater being honored. You would think that in this day of cheap faux decorations (of which Vegas is but the biggest example) this would be relatively easy to do.
Maybe not.
Warren, I respect your decision not to accept the Apollo. I, however do not accept almost any of the multiplexes as they are but simple boxes with no architectural distinctions. I stand by my comment that it is about the building. As such, I don’t care if movies were shown simply as fillers between live acts or not. If they were a beautiful strucure and they showed a film, they should be listed on CT. I believe that even a relatively spartan Apollo theater is much more a cinema treasure than almost any of the multiplexes (and many of the single screens as well) on this website.
ShoeShoe…I wholeheartedly agree! While I know that the old palaces could never be replicated in a financially viable way, I don’t know why more of the multiplexes can’t be constructed to at least pay some homage to the old palaces of the past.
One of my favorite multiplexes is the AMC 25 plex in Times Square due to its incorporation of the old Empire Theater into its lobby. I would have been much, much happier it they had just made the Empire one of the 24 screens. It was, in fact a small theater, and could have been spectacularly used. I’m sure they thought of it, but for some reason or another it wasn’t financially viable.
My other favorite is the Loew’s Lincoln Sqaure and only because they paid homage to the old Loew’s movie palaces of the metropolitan New York area with each screening room dedicated to a former palace along with a small history. I only wish that each screening room was decorated to relate directly to the theater being honored. You would think that in this day of cheap faux decorations (of which Vegas is but the biggest example) this would be relatively easy to do.
Maybe not.
Warren, I respect your decision not to accept the Apollo. I, however do not accept almost any of the multiplexes as they are but simple boxes with no architectural distinctions. I stand by my comment that it is about the building. As such, I don’t care if movies were shown simply as fillers between live acts or not. If they were a beautiful strucure and they showed a film, they should be listed on CT. I believe that even a relatively spartan Apollo theater is much more a cinema treasure than almost any of the multiplexes (and many of the single screens as well) on this website.
There were comments above questioning whether or not movies ever palyed at The Apollo and, as a result, whether it should be included on this site. Thankfully, other posters were able to show that films did indeed play the Apollo and therby insure this theater’s inclusion as a Cinema Treasure.
I mention this because, for me (and I suspect a great many others who love this site) what makes a cinema treasure truly a treasure is the building itself. Virtually all of the most beloved theaters on this site are architectural marvels of their day with luxurious finishes and designs and the opportunity to see a film with not just hundreds, but sometimes thousands of others!
Many of these treasures (especially those before 1930) started out as legitimate playhouses which were subsequently changed to films as the times changed. As a result we have spectacular theaters like Radio City, The New Amsterdam and, of course, The World Famous Apollo (to name just a few) as Cinema Treasures because they were subsequently changed to film only policies. There are a great
many other spectacular theaters that are not present on CT because they have not shown films. Playhouses like the beautiful Cort and The Lyceum theaters in New York are not given their due.
I realize that this web site is called Cinema Trasaures and not Theater Treasures, but I think there a very few multiplex theaters
in this country that are truly “treasures”. What makes a theater a treasure is the building itself and that contributes to the experience of seeing and enjoying a film. Back in the day I could see a terrible film at Loew’s Valencia and at least be entertained watching the clouds rolling overhead and the stars twinkling. I can’t do that the local 24 plex. Yet there are many, many bland, homogenous, uninspired multiplex theaters on this site.
I’ll never forget the 10th anniversary celebration of Hedda Letuce’s Thursday night movies. The film chosen for the event: “Mommie Dearest”. It was a virtual sellout and Hedda Lettuce was at her best. Of course, the audience was just as much part of the fun. A great night out at the movies!
Great news about the restoration of the World Famous Apollo. This item appeared in todays issue of the NY Times:
The Apollo Theater in Harlem is scheduled to close in January 2010 for a major expansion, which is scheduled to last nine months. After a bruising conflict that began in the late 1990s â€" in which a lawsuit against the Apollo by the state attorney general was narrowly averted â€" a new management team was installed in June 2003. The new leadership has successfully completed renovation of the lobby, the seats, the facade and the famous Apollo sign in front. The addition will add 4,000 square feet of usable space by moving offices elsewhere. Officials also plan a “Walk of Fame†out front. About $51.5 million of the needed $96 million has been raised, and public appeals are planned for the rest.
This must have been some theater; especially for Camden! I suppose we couldn’t expect Camden to retain their movie thaters when even Philadelphia, right across the river, has only been able to keep one: The Boyd. And even that one is hanging by a thread.
Unfortunately, Camden is so far gone that even if a theater had survived, it is unlikely it could ever survive any economically feasible alternate use. The city is a pit and not many people seem to care about it.
Even on CT, it’s amazing how few comments there are from people who might have attended these theaters in their youth.
At least Jersey City managed, miraculously, to keep not one palace but two: The Loews Jersey and The Stanley. Even better; they’re right across the street from one another.
It’s such a shame. There were many bustling small towns/cities in the 40’s and 50’s and it’s amazing to see how far some have fallen. Specifically, in New Jersey, Camden and Patterson. Other cities like Jersey City and Newark fell pretty hard too, but their geographic nearness to New York is allowing them to rebound as they share in New York’s prosperity. I’ve never been to Camden, but it doesn’t sound like there is much hope there.
Ken, are there still many beautiful old buildings in downtown Camden that someday could be restored like in Detroit and Buffalo or is it a total lost cause like in East St. Louis, Illinois and Gary, Indaina?
Ken…I have a question about the aerial photo. I don’t know if you are familiar with Camden at all, but in the photo it looks like there are two very impressive buildings just across the street from the Stanley. I assume one is City Hall. Are they both still standing or has Camden become one big barren wasteland? (With the exception of the riverfront aquarium and the Campbell Soup Headquarters).
Also, the intro says that this theater “may be declared a landmark”. May be? If it hasn’t happened by now I can’t imagine that it will be in the future. There appears to be virtually nothing left to this sad city. Regular St. Louis must appear to be Emerald City in comparison.
Wow, I thought Camden, NJ and Gary, Indiana were dumps. East St. Louis seems to outdo them both in urban devastation. If there was ever a city that needed to be leveled and replaced with a park, this would seem to be it. How awful that this is what is directly opposite the St. Louis Arch. What a shame since The Majestic appeared to be such a beautiful structure.
Some possible good news to report! I saw this article below on curbed.com (a major real estate news website in New York) commenting on a potential theater operator interested in The Kings. The source of the article is a local paper called The Brooklyn Junction. The source of the actual information is not provided though they say it is not the NYC Economic Development Authority. Please see below….
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Major theater operator expresses interest in Loew’s Kings Theater redevelopment
A ranking city official told Brooklyn Junction that he has personal knowledge of a “Major theater operator that has expressed interest in redeveloping the Loew’s Kings Theater.” The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the proceedings.
The source is not an employee of the Economic Development Corporation (EDC), the body which is in charge of reviewing responses to the RFEI (request for expressions of interest) the city put out on the Loew’s Kings back in September, 2006. He has, nonetheless, been privy to official conversations on the matter.
The “major theater operator” currently expressing interest has, according to the source, enlisted a marketing company to hold focus groups and to study what sort of programming could be supported at the theater.
The source suggested that the EDC, before announcing anything about this proposal, “is trying to put everything together—dotting all the i’s and crossing all the t’s—because of how previous proposals for the redevelopment of the theater have fallen apart in the past.”
Magic Johnson, the former NBA star, had a plan in 1999 to redevelop the theater as a multiplex. That proposal, which you can read about from the New York Times archives here, is probably the best known plan that fell apart at a late hour.
The estimated cost to physically renovate the theater, which has been lying dormant for approximately 30 years, and shows it in mold, dampness and other wear and tear, is in the neighborhood of 20-40 million dollars.
Brooklyn Junction was unable to independently confirm this report, and would therefore urge readers to consider it to be the reporting on one source’s information, credible though that source is.
If any readers can confirm, deny, add, subtract, or opine on this report, please do so in the comments.
Read some of my other posts on the subject
A&E Video on Loew’s Kings
Loew’s Kings, the plot thickens
Loew’s Kings Theater: Is there hope?
There is a really old church on the corner of 20th St and 6th Avenue in Manhattan that dates to the 1800’s. The congregation dwindled and the curch was abandoned. It sat empty for years until, in the early 80’s, the church was turned into a disco called The Limelight. The church was saved! It was cleaned up and restored where appropriate. The crucifixes and the altar were removed though the beautiful stained glass windows remained and were now lit from the outside so that you could see them clearly from within at night. What an incredible dance space! Dancing under the stained glass gaze af saints! Some people found it disrespectful. I certainly did not. I spent many a fun evening there. It WAS a church that was decommissioned and now found an alternate use and was saved from demolition. Today, some 20 odd years later, the disco is now called Avalon and is still very much with us. The early controversy died down rather quickly. I say Hooray!
Back to the Stanley……
When the JW’s saved The Stanley, they did an incredible thing. They saved this building from destruction. Do I wish that someone other than a religious institution had done it. Yes, but only if the other organization was as determined to restauration as the JW’s were. There are many examples of Churches saving palaces: The Hollywood in Manhattan, The Metropolitan in Brooklyn, The Valenica and The Elmwood in Queens and, of course, Loew’s 175th Street masterpiece. I’m sure there are many others, but these might be the best examples.
I understand that they changed the JW’s changed the serpents heads in The Stanley into roses. Do I like it? Absolutely not! But what I wouldn’t give to have a slightly altered Roxy Theater in Manhattan! How I wish a church had stepped in and saved that greatest of all theaters from destruction even if they had to have a few alterations.
Hopefully, someday, the good lord will tell the JW’s to sell The Stanley and use the proceeds to help the poor and be like their brethren in plainer worship structures. Get them out of the buildings and back to door to door! Then, maybe we can have two Movie Palace/Performing Arts Centers in the gentrifying Journal Square!
The intro says that this theater was remodeled in the 1940’s (auditorium and lobby) but there is no mention of the style or quality of the work. Would a renovation take the theater back to the way it was on opening day or from the 1940’s? I would assume it would be cheaper to get it back to the condition at it’s “modernization”.
Great thought TomR. I would hope that a celebration of Rock Center’s 75th anniversary would include Radio City as well. I would doubt that the Center Theater would even be mentioned as so few people even know that it ever existed. I only found out about it after discovering the CT website a few years ago.
The Beacon is suppossed to be getting at least a $10MM renovation from Cablevision. I haven’t been to the Beacon lately, so I don’t know if that has been done, or more importantly, if it was enough.
Don’t forget the St. George Theater in Staten Island, a 3,000 seat palace a 5 minute walk from the Staten Island Ferry terminal. I’m not sure if they give tours, but it is a beautiful theater.
rivrj…I’m glad you rnjoyed your trip to The Ziegfeld. While I agree with you that it is a beautiful theater (arguably the best “Modern Era” theater built in New York) but it dosen’t hold a candle to the other “Classic” theaters that existed within a half mile. You mentioned some of the great ones, but you missed theaters like the original Ziegfeld (just down the block), The Center and Proctor’s theater on E. 59th St.
While we have lost a great many theaters in New York, we are still blessed to have a significant number of theaters remaining including all five of the Loews' Wonder Theaters (Valencia, Jersey, 175th, Paradise and The Kings), The Hollywood, Radio City, The Beacon, The St. George, The Elmwood, The Stanley, The RKO Keiths Richmond Hill, The Paris, The New Amsterdam, The Brooklyn Paramount (most of it), and many more that have been converted and beautifully maintained as churches.
I’ve been following the Boyd’s saga in Philadelphia. The Boyd is THE LAST palace still left in that city and there is a good chance the city will lose it. It’s unbelievable! But it makes me grateful that we still have a relative embarassment of riches here in New York as it relates to theaters. It doesn’t mean that we don’t fight for each and every one, but we should be grateful for what we still have.
That said, I’m all for having The Ziegfeld’s interior declared a landmark once it reaches it’s 40th anniversary next year. Not just for it’s beauty, but also for its history and patrimony. It is New York’s largest remaining single screen theater and they will never be made like this again. We should protect it!
The Saint was probably one of the greatest discos New York ever had and kept the Commodore from being torn down back in the early 80’s. While most of the interior was painted black, it was not “gutted” for The Saint. It was quite beautiful and will not ever be replaced. The dome over the dance floor with stars projected above was a sight to behold and an experience to remember. Even better: there were only 4 entrances to the dance floor and no drinks were allowed to be brought inside the dome! The entrances were carefully monitored. It’s a shame that The Commodore didn’t make it into the 21st Century. It will be truly missed.
The Keith’s site is officially on the market and is being repped by Eastern Consolidated as per “The Real Deal”. The article follows:
Eastern Consolidated to market dormant Flushing theater By David Jones
Eastern Consolidated has been named the exclusive agent to market the site of the long-dormant RKO Keith theater in downtown Flushing.
The site has already been rezoned for a 16-story, 390,000 square foot mixed-use project that could house Flushing’s tallest building.
The rezoning allows for up to 200 residential units, 10,175 square feet of retail space, a senior center and 229 parking spaces. A glass facade would be built around the theater’s landmarked lobby and foyer.
Community Board 7 officials say redeveloping the site is long overdue, and that the Main Street and Northern Boulevard intersection is a critical piece of Flushing’s development.
“There is a 500,000 percent interest in getting this site developed,” said Marilyn Bitterman, the Community Board 7 district manager. “Every meeting we go to the question comes up: when are we going to see some development at the RKO Keith’s?”
The prospective sale comes amid a development boom in Flushing, where Muss Development is building Sky View Parc (once known as Flushing Town Center), a mixed-use development with a luxury condominium on College Point Boulevard near Flushing Meadow Park. That development will include big national retailers, including Target and Home Depot, Bitterman said.
At the RKO site, Boymelgreen Developers gave up on its big plans and decided to sell the property after a dispute with the community. In 2007, Community Board 7 approved a mixed-used project with 250 condominium units and retail and commercial space. However, after the approval Boymelgreen said it wanted to develop the residential units into lofts for home businesses.
Originally built in 1928, the RKO Keith’s theater was considered one of the crown jewels of New York City’s entertainment scene. The theater hosted big vaudeville acts, and operated for years as a movie house before it was sold for $3.4 million to developer Tommy Huang in 1986. Huang had planned to develop the site into a hotel and shopping center complex, but the site remained dormant for years.
Huang later pled guilty to charges that he allowed heating oil to spill into the RKO Keith’s basement and tried to hide the damage. Boymelgreen bought the property from Huang for $15 million in 2002.
To GabeDF…I grew up with The Valencia so I too know what its like to have an emotional favorite. The reality is that all FIVE of these theaters make up an incredible collection of theater architecture and history and should be left to subsequent generations as an example of a way of life that no longer exists. For 4 out of the 5 Wonder Theaters, I think that will happen. I believe the futures of The Jersey, the 175th Street, The Valencia and The Paradise are assured. Like you, my overriding concern is the Kings. We’ve lost so many grand theaters of the past; The Roxy, the Capitol, The Flushing RKO Keiths, The Brooklyn Fox, Loews Pitkin, I could go on and on. It is very important that we keep what is left.
I’ve been following the saga of The Boyd theater in Philadelphia with dismay at how close that city is to losing its one remaining movie palace. This is the only one left in the 6th? largest city in the country! What a shame. While we in New York complain a lot about our losses, the reality is that we still have an enviable amount of theaters remaining. Besides the Wonder Theaters we have Radio City, The Hollywood, The New Amsterdam, The Beacon, The St. George. Others are now fully restored houses of worship like The Hollywood in Times Square, The Metropolitan in Brooklyn, The Elmwood in Queens and of course, The Stanley in Jersey City. Still others are tantalizing in the possiblities of restoration like the Brooklyn Paramount and The Richmond Hill RKO Keiths. There are still many others around the city.
It doesn’t mean that we should be complacent. We should continue to press to save and keep as many of these theaters as we can But we shouldn’t lose sight that in New York (and Jersey City) we’re fortunate to have as many as we do still standing and still in use.
I have to respectfully disagree with GabeF regarding the Jersey. While I do believe that it is a spectacular theater that should be fully restored, I believe all four of the other Wonder Theaters were even better. I would even throw in The Hollywood Theater in Times Square.
The Paradise, which is fully restored is astonishing. The 175th Street theater, which you think is gimmicky, is one of the best fusion style theaters remaining in the world and it too is fully restored. The Valencia, while grotesquely repainted to reflect its current use as a church is also a more beautiful theater than the Jersey. Finally, I believe The Kings (which I had to opportunity to view on a tour last year) would outshine all of the others if it were restored to it former opulence. Even in its decayed state, it is jaw droppingly beautiful. The Hollywood, by the way, is awe inspiring in its glamour restoration by the church.
Again, no disrespect to the Jersey is intended. The Loew’s Wonder Theaters have to be the finest quintet ever constructed as a group by one company. But, if I had to rank them, I would place the Jersey last.
personal opinion…..worst multiplex in Manhattan! Avoid at all costs.
Alan, thanks for posting this theater, but do you have any additional information on its present condition? This is a huge theater and it’s amazing that it wouldn’t have been posted until now. Do you know if any of its original interior or exterior ornamentation remains. Thanks!
ShoeShoe…I wholeheartedly agree! While I know that the old palaces could never be replicated in a financially viable way, I don’t know why more of the multiplexes can’t be constructed to at least pay some homage to the old palaces of the past.
One of my favorite multiplexes is the AMC 25 plex in Times Square due to its incorporation of the old Empire Theater into its lobby. I would have been much, much happier it they had just made the Empire one of the 24 screens. It was, in fact a small theater, and could have been spectacularly used. I’m sure they thought of it, but for some reason or another it wasn’t financially viable.
My other favorite is the Loew’s Lincoln Sqaure and only because they paid homage to the old Loew’s movie palaces of the metropolitan New York area with each screening room dedicated to a former palace along with a small history. I only wish that each screening room was decorated to relate directly to the theater being honored. You would think that in this day of cheap faux decorations (of which Vegas is but the biggest example) this would be relatively easy to do.
Maybe not.
Warren, I respect your decision not to accept the Apollo. I, however do not accept almost any of the multiplexes as they are but simple boxes with no architectural distinctions. I stand by my comment that it is about the building. As such, I don’t care if movies were shown simply as fillers between live acts or not. If they were a beautiful strucure and they showed a film, they should be listed on CT. I believe that even a relatively spartan Apollo theater is much more a cinema treasure than almost any of the multiplexes (and many of the single screens as well) on this website.
ShoeShoe…I wholeheartedly agree! While I know that the old palaces could never be replicated in a financially viable way, I don’t know why more of the multiplexes can’t be constructed to at least pay some homage to the old palaces of the past.
One of my favorite multiplexes is the AMC 25 plex in Times Square due to its incorporation of the old Empire Theater into its lobby. I would have been much, much happier it they had just made the Empire one of the 24 screens. It was, in fact a small theater, and could have been spectacularly used. I’m sure they thought of it, but for some reason or another it wasn’t financially viable.
My other favorite is the Loew’s Lincoln Sqaure and only because they paid homage to the old Loew’s movie palaces of the metropolitan New York area with each screening room dedicated to a former palace along with a small history. I only wish that each screening room was decorated to relate directly to the theater being honored. You would think that in this day of cheap faux decorations (of which Vegas is but the biggest example) this would be relatively easy to do.
Maybe not.
Warren, I respect your decision not to accept the Apollo. I, however do not accept almost any of the multiplexes as they are but simple boxes with no architectural distinctions. I stand by my comment that it is about the building. As such, I don’t care if movies were shown simply as fillers between live acts or not. If they were a beautiful strucure and they showed a film, they should be listed on CT. I believe that even a relatively spartan Apollo theater is much more a cinema treasure than almost any of the multiplexes (and many of the single screens as well) on this website.
There were comments above questioning whether or not movies ever palyed at The Apollo and, as a result, whether it should be included on this site. Thankfully, other posters were able to show that films did indeed play the Apollo and therby insure this theater’s inclusion as a Cinema Treasure.
I mention this because, for me (and I suspect a great many others who love this site) what makes a cinema treasure truly a treasure is the building itself. Virtually all of the most beloved theaters on this site are architectural marvels of their day with luxurious finishes and designs and the opportunity to see a film with not just hundreds, but sometimes thousands of others!
Many of these treasures (especially those before 1930) started out as legitimate playhouses which were subsequently changed to films as the times changed. As a result we have spectacular theaters like Radio City, The New Amsterdam and, of course, The World Famous Apollo (to name just a few) as Cinema Treasures because they were subsequently changed to film only policies. There are a great
many other spectacular theaters that are not present on CT because they have not shown films. Playhouses like the beautiful Cort and The Lyceum theaters in New York are not given their due.
I realize that this web site is called Cinema Trasaures and not Theater Treasures, but I think there a very few multiplex theaters
in this country that are truly “treasures”. What makes a theater a treasure is the building itself and that contributes to the experience of seeing and enjoying a film. Back in the day I could see a terrible film at Loew’s Valencia and at least be entertained watching the clouds rolling overhead and the stars twinkling. I can’t do that the local 24 plex. Yet there are many, many bland, homogenous, uninspired multiplex theaters on this site.
I’ve rambled enough! :–)
I’ll never forget the 10th anniversary celebration of Hedda Letuce’s Thursday night movies. The film chosen for the event: “Mommie Dearest”. It was a virtual sellout and Hedda Lettuce was at her best. Of course, the audience was just as much part of the fun. A great night out at the movies!
Great news about the restoration of the World Famous Apollo. This item appeared in todays issue of the NY Times:
The Apollo Theater in Harlem is scheduled to close in January 2010 for a major expansion, which is scheduled to last nine months. After a bruising conflict that began in the late 1990s â€" in which a lawsuit against the Apollo by the state attorney general was narrowly averted â€" a new management team was installed in June 2003. The new leadership has successfully completed renovation of the lobby, the seats, the facade and the famous Apollo sign in front. The addition will add 4,000 square feet of usable space by moving offices elsewhere. Officials also plan a “Walk of Fame†out front. About $51.5 million of the needed $96 million has been raised, and public appeals are planned for the rest.
This must have been some theater; especially for Camden! I suppose we couldn’t expect Camden to retain their movie thaters when even Philadelphia, right across the river, has only been able to keep one: The Boyd. And even that one is hanging by a thread.
Unfortunately, Camden is so far gone that even if a theater had survived, it is unlikely it could ever survive any economically feasible alternate use. The city is a pit and not many people seem to care about it.
Even on CT, it’s amazing how few comments there are from people who might have attended these theaters in their youth.
At least Jersey City managed, miraculously, to keep not one palace but two: The Loews Jersey and The Stanley. Even better; they’re right across the street from one another.
It’s such a shame. There were many bustling small towns/cities in the 40’s and 50’s and it’s amazing to see how far some have fallen. Specifically, in New Jersey, Camden and Patterson. Other cities like Jersey City and Newark fell pretty hard too, but their geographic nearness to New York is allowing them to rebound as they share in New York’s prosperity. I’ve never been to Camden, but it doesn’t sound like there is much hope there.
Ken, are there still many beautiful old buildings in downtown Camden that someday could be restored like in Detroit and Buffalo or is it a total lost cause like in East St. Louis, Illinois and Gary, Indaina?
Ken…I have a question about the aerial photo. I don’t know if you are familiar with Camden at all, but in the photo it looks like there are two very impressive buildings just across the street from the Stanley. I assume one is City Hall. Are they both still standing or has Camden become one big barren wasteland? (With the exception of the riverfront aquarium and the Campbell Soup Headquarters).
Who isn’t!!!! :)
Also, the intro says that this theater “may be declared a landmark”. May be? If it hasn’t happened by now I can’t imagine that it will be in the future. There appears to be virtually nothing left to this sad city. Regular St. Louis must appear to be Emerald City in comparison.
Wow, I thought Camden, NJ and Gary, Indiana were dumps. East St. Louis seems to outdo them both in urban devastation. If there was ever a city that needed to be leveled and replaced with a park, this would seem to be it. How awful that this is what is directly opposite the St. Louis Arch. What a shame since The Majestic appeared to be such a beautiful structure.
Some possible good news to report! I saw this article below on curbed.com (a major real estate news website in New York) commenting on a potential theater operator interested in The Kings. The source of the article is a local paper called The Brooklyn Junction. The source of the actual information is not provided though they say it is not the NYC Economic Development Authority. Please see below….
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Major theater operator expresses interest in Loew’s Kings Theater redevelopment
A ranking city official told Brooklyn Junction that he has personal knowledge of a “Major theater operator that has expressed interest in redeveloping the Loew’s Kings Theater.” The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the proceedings.
The source is not an employee of the Economic Development Corporation (EDC), the body which is in charge of reviewing responses to the RFEI (request for expressions of interest) the city put out on the Loew’s Kings back in September, 2006. He has, nonetheless, been privy to official conversations on the matter.
The “major theater operator” currently expressing interest has, according to the source, enlisted a marketing company to hold focus groups and to study what sort of programming could be supported at the theater.
The source suggested that the EDC, before announcing anything about this proposal, “is trying to put everything together—dotting all the i’s and crossing all the t’s—because of how previous proposals for the redevelopment of the theater have fallen apart in the past.”
Magic Johnson, the former NBA star, had a plan in 1999 to redevelop the theater as a multiplex. That proposal, which you can read about from the New York Times archives here, is probably the best known plan that fell apart at a late hour.
The estimated cost to physically renovate the theater, which has been lying dormant for approximately 30 years, and shows it in mold, dampness and other wear and tear, is in the neighborhood of 20-40 million dollars.
Brooklyn Junction was unable to independently confirm this report, and would therefore urge readers to consider it to be the reporting on one source’s information, credible though that source is.
If any readers can confirm, deny, add, subtract, or opine on this report, please do so in the comments.
Read some of my other posts on the subject
A&E Video on Loew’s Kings
Loew’s Kings, the plot thickens
Loew’s Kings Theater: Is there hope?
posted by Brooklyn Junction at 8:00 AM
There is a really old church on the corner of 20th St and 6th Avenue in Manhattan that dates to the 1800’s. The congregation dwindled and the curch was abandoned. It sat empty for years until, in the early 80’s, the church was turned into a disco called The Limelight. The church was saved! It was cleaned up and restored where appropriate. The crucifixes and the altar were removed though the beautiful stained glass windows remained and were now lit from the outside so that you could see them clearly from within at night. What an incredible dance space! Dancing under the stained glass gaze af saints! Some people found it disrespectful. I certainly did not. I spent many a fun evening there. It WAS a church that was decommissioned and now found an alternate use and was saved from demolition. Today, some 20 odd years later, the disco is now called Avalon and is still very much with us. The early controversy died down rather quickly. I say Hooray!
Back to the Stanley……
When the JW’s saved The Stanley, they did an incredible thing. They saved this building from destruction. Do I wish that someone other than a religious institution had done it. Yes, but only if the other organization was as determined to restauration as the JW’s were. There are many examples of Churches saving palaces: The Hollywood in Manhattan, The Metropolitan in Brooklyn, The Valenica and The Elmwood in Queens and, of course, Loew’s 175th Street masterpiece. I’m sure there are many others, but these might be the best examples.
I understand that they changed the JW’s changed the serpents heads in The Stanley into roses. Do I like it? Absolutely not! But what I wouldn’t give to have a slightly altered Roxy Theater in Manhattan! How I wish a church had stepped in and saved that greatest of all theaters from destruction even if they had to have a few alterations.
Hopefully, someday, the good lord will tell the JW’s to sell The Stanley and use the proceeds to help the poor and be like their brethren in plainer worship structures. Get them out of the buildings and back to door to door! Then, maybe we can have two Movie Palace/Performing Arts Centers in the gentrifying Journal Square!
The intro says that this theater was remodeled in the 1940’s (auditorium and lobby) but there is no mention of the style or quality of the work. Would a renovation take the theater back to the way it was on opening day or from the 1940’s? I would assume it would be cheaper to get it back to the condition at it’s “modernization”.
Great thought TomR. I would hope that a celebration of Rock Center’s 75th anniversary would include Radio City as well. I would doubt that the Center Theater would even be mentioned as so few people even know that it ever existed. I only found out about it after discovering the CT website a few years ago.
The Beacon is suppossed to be getting at least a $10MM renovation from Cablevision. I haven’t been to the Beacon lately, so I don’t know if that has been done, or more importantly, if it was enough.
Don’t forget the St. George Theater in Staten Island, a 3,000 seat palace a 5 minute walk from the Staten Island Ferry terminal. I’m not sure if they give tours, but it is a beautiful theater.