Hi Louis, thanks for your comment above. I’m curious, do you remember the Lefferts having an organ? Was I correct in remembering a samll lobby? Also, I remember the balcony being stadium style, like the Ziegfeld rather than overhanging. Are there any other details that you can share? Thanks!
Yes Dave, a proper balance is what’s needed. I grew up in the “vibrant cultural days” of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s when the subways were wall to wall graffiti, had no air conditioning or even lighting at times. The city was filthy, crime ridden, had a crumbling infratructure and people were moving out by the hundreds of thousands. Many neighborhoods could not be walked in. People were afraid to come out during the day, let alone at night and tens of thousands of “affordable apartments” were going up in flames in the Bronx and Brooklyn. If this is the city that you want to go back to please move to Detroit or East St. Louis. I think they’re still “vibrant”.
No, New york is not perfect, but it is vastly better than it was. The city has created scores of thousands of affordable units, many in the shells of what burned in the 70’s. More needs to be done and it is being done. Who pays for all of this? Tax dollars. Who pays these dollars? The wealthy who buy homes and attract services and retail that employ the working poor of our city. It is a simplification, but we need the wealthy in this town in order to take care of our poor!
I’m very proud of what New York has become. I don’t want to go back to those old days and I’m sure if you really thought about how New York was back then, you would probably feel the same way.
Ummm. Last time I checked, Queenboro Plaza was a dump. If people want to build luxury housing for the wealthy, HOORAY!!! This area needs all of the development it could get; Offices, hotels, condos and yes, affordable housing if the developers are given incentives to provide it. I believe in historic districts, landmark preservation, etc, but I also believe that a city has to grow and change with the times. Both can be accomodated. The key is to find the proper balance.
Is there a list of the 10 oldest theaters that are still operating as such? Sad to say, I think such a list might include some of the multiplexes since we’ve lost so many of the single screens. The Ridgewood would have to be #1 on the list.
The office tower is being built on spec as there are no committed tenants as yet. Construction has commenced and, when completed, the tower will have 1,000,000 square feet and is expected to cost about one billion dollars. The New York Times tower across the street on 8th Avenue btn 40th and 41st has leased extremely well at very high rates. It’s too bad that a legit theater has not been included as part of the development; especially considering the history of the site and the area. The new Bank of America tower on W. 43rd St. will include a new Broadway legit theater in its base. The new Henry Miller Theater is expected to open late in 2008.
I remember way back when reading that certain architecturally significant elements from the original Miller theater were removed and stored to be used as part of the building of the new theater. I truly hope this wasn’t wishful thinking on my part, but I do remember reading that. Nonetheless, seeing the link above of the cut away of the new theater, it looks like a totally modern theater. I do think it looks nice and comfortable, but I guess it would be hard to tell from that picture what the actual lobby, lounges and auditorium decor would look like. Hopefully, there will be some connection with the old Miller other than the facade.
Regarding a comment above about what happened after Xenon: Yes, the theater became the rock dance club “Shout!” for several years after before going dark again.
Note to Somoman….I never realized that the Jefferson was a dance club that far back. My clubbing days didn’t start in earnest until 1983 at Palladium and Limelight. I’m sorry I never got the see the interior of The Jefferson. At The Palladium, the architect incorporated the old Academy of Music’s decay into the club to amazing effect. It truly was, along with the Saint (Commodore), one of the greatest discos New York ever had.
Commenters above have mentioned The Ritz on E. 11th Street. The NY Landmarks Preservation Society is holding a hearing today on granting landmark status to this Romanesque Dance Hall wich dates to the mid 1880’s. While this structure was never a theater, it does incorporate many of the intricate architectural theatrical details that we celebrate on this site. I hope they approve it.
When I commented previously on theaters whoes lives were extended by becoming discos I omitted a very important one: The Henry Miller theater on W. 43rd Street, though I am not sure if this one ever showed movies. This theater had lain empty for a few years before it became “Xenon’s”, a contemporary of Studio 54. Later on, it became the Rock dance club “Shout”. As Times Square’s fortunes changed, live theater returned with a highly successful run of Urinetown, followed by an ever more successful run of Caberet. Ironically, Caberet moved to Studio 54 which fully returned old movie palace back to permanent legit theater.
The Henry Miller theater was razed a few years back (though the facade was saved) to be replaced by the new Bank of America tower. I am told, however, that significant architectural elements from the theater were saved and stored to be used when a new theater is constructed within the new tower, so in a sense, we’ll at least have some of the old theater back along with the original facade. I believe the same technique was used in the construction of the Hilton Theater on 42nd St. and the results there are spectacular.
Virtually every American City has managed to keep and restore at least one of their movie palaces. It would be an utter disaster if Philadelphia, one of our greatest cities and whose downtown is enjoying a renaissance, was unable to restore and reopen the Boyd. Theaters like these will NEVER be built again. It is important to future generations that they have a place to connect to how people went to the movies in the past and how the experience was so very different to the movie going experience today.
I live in New York where we are always lamenting the loss of theaters, the latest being the “Playpen” (not the original name, but its latest incarnation). The reality though is that New York still has Radio City, The Hollywood, The Paradise, The 175th Street, The Valenica, The St. George, The Beacon, The Ziegfeld and still others that have the potential to be restored to their former glories, chief among them the Kings and The Brooklyn Paramount. Compared to Philadelphia, this is an embarassment of riches. Nonetheless, it is still painful to lose even one theater because they will never be built like these again.
If this is Philadelphia’s last palace remaining it is important that everyone who loves Philadelphia and believes in its future work hard to save The Boyd! I wish you luck!
Thanks Bob. I just saw the Rosie Perez perform last week at Studio 54’s production of “The Ritz”. She was suprisingly excellent, but I got just as great a thrill walking around the old theater and remembering all of the fun nights I spent dancing the night away. Though an attractive theater, Studio 54 does not compare (in my opinion) to The Commodore, The Forum or The Acadamy of Music. Those were true palaces in every definition of the term and I miss them terribly. I do take solace in still having Radio City, The Hollywood, The Ziegfeld and 4 out of the five Loew’s Wonder theaters (with the 5th – The Kings still a good possiblity for restoration). There are others. But with every palace that we lose, it makes those remaining ever more valuable.
Let’s also not forget that this grand theater served as the home for one of New York’s greatest, grandest and storied disco’s “The Saint” for over 10 years starting in 1981. Along with Studio 54, Club USA (the old Forum at 47th & Bway), and yes, the Academy of Music (known in it’s last years as The Palladium) these old theaters were kept alive as dance palaces that could still be enjoyed by throngs of revelers. Not like the old Jefferson on 14th Street that sat empty and decaying for decades before finally being demolished a few years back. Alas, only Studio 54 was truly saved for a period long enough to to be returned to work as a functioning theater. I’m not old enough to have been able to have attended these theaters when they were showing movies, but I’m very grateful to have had the opportunity to have seen and enjoyed them as dance clubs. Sadly, we will never see movie venues like these built again.
Regarding the old Gertz Dept store….I never considered it a second rate Macy’s. The Jamaica store was the flagship of the 7 store Long Island chain and I remember it being a very nice store. The store’s slogan, written in fancy cursive script on the top floors facing the Long Island Rail Road tracks read “Gertz, Where Long Island Shops!”.
While the Loew’s Jersey is indeed a beautiful theater, I don’t believe that it rivals the beauty of the other Loew’s wonder theaters, The Paradise, The Valencia, the 175th Street and, having been inside the ruins and seeing how spectacular the theater still is, The Kings in Brooklyn. To see a truly spectacular movie palace in prime condition in Manhattan, you should get to The Hollywood theater on W. 51st Street which is now a church. I believe that it too outrivals the Jersey in beauty.
p.s. I do believe the Jersey is a great and wonderful palace. I just think that, if one was to rank them, for me it would be last.
Simon obviously hasn’t been to The Ziegfeld and if he has then he probably doesn’t like any theater built after the 1940’s. The Ziegfeld is “arguably” the last movie palace built in New York and while it is very much a modern design (compared to the old grand dames) it is still very much a dramatic and enjoyable theater in the tradition of the old palaces. It still feels like a special event to see a film here; at least for me. Also interesteing that the Ziegfeld can be called a “modern palace” when it is already about 40 years old. I can see The Ziegfeld eventually being landmarked as a prime example of modernist theater architecture and the lone remaining single screen movie palace in the city still operating as such. I hope that happens some day.
The status of this theater should be changed to open. I passed by last weekend and they were advertising a lineup of award winning short films for the evening performance.
Hi Howard, thanks for the article above. It just so happens that I was in Asbury Park this past weekend and took a walk “downtown”. I too saw several large, new restaurants and some fancy new stores, but I saw little patronage and a great many empty storefronts. I don’t know how they will make it through the winter. While there is lots of construction (and hope) there is also alot of DEstruction as well. Asbury seems intent on destroying most of what little remains of its glorius architectural past. There are several new condominium projects underway which will bring some very badly needed higher income people into the area, but there is still a very depressing feeling about this town. I was actually visiting friends in Ocean Grove (next door to Asbury and much, much nicer). I walked around Asbury in the middle of the afternoon and did not feel safe at all. I found myself looking over my shoulders the whole time and I’m not easily frightened.
Nonetheless, I did make my way over to The Paramount and it was actually open! There was a performance scheduled that evening of Kathy Najimy and Mo something or other. I wasn’t able to attend but the ticket agent did allow me to take a quick peek inside and it was in much better shape than I expected it to be in. It’s pretty big. I hope to attend a performance or movie here in the near future and will report back.
The Baronet appears to be open but there was little info.
p.s. Regarding the comment in the article above that the reporter found Asbury’s Starbucks “the lonliest in the world”! I’ve walked around Asbury several times and have never seen a Starbucks. No wonder it’s lonely. Where is it? :–)
If anyone else can shed any light it would be appreciated.
Hey Warren, I got an e-mail back from the NYEDC with a contact name and number. Rather than call him I sent a detail e-mail asking where the process stands on the redevelopment of the Kings so that I could keep the CT public up to date. I’ll post the response as soon as I hear back.
I have just sent an e-mail to the New York Economic Development Corporation asking for the status of the Loew’s Kings redevelopment. Markowitz was supposed to make an announcement in July, but……………..
Hi Saps, It just so happens that I was in Asbury Park this past weekend and took a walk “downtown”. I could be wrong, but I think this corner is in the process of being gutted and the adjoining building torn down. Asbury seems intent on destroying most of what little remains of its glorius architectural past. There are several new condominium projects underway which will bring some very badly needed higher income people into the area, but there is still a very depressing feeling about this town. I also noticed several big new restaurants that have recently opened. I don’t know how they will stay in business over the winter.
I did make my way over to The Paramount and it was actually open! There was a performance scheduled that evening of Kathy Najimy and Mo something or other. I wasn’t able to attend but the ticket agent did allow me to take a quick peek inside and it was in much better shape than I expected it to be in. It’s pretty big. I hope to attend a performance or movie here in the near future and will report on the Paramount site.
Back to the Savoy, I had totally forgotten about this theater. I was only aware of the Paramount and The Baronet as the only ones left. Had I remembered, I would have looked specifically for this theater and reported back accordingly. I hope that I’m wrong about the destruction.
If anyone else can shed any light it would be appreciated.
The opening description to this theater states that “the neighborhood has remained a little seedy”. A Little Seedy?!! This area is disgusting and San Francisco should be ashamed of itself for doing nothing to stem the tide of decay around the Golden Gate Theater. I was there just a couple of weeks ago and was amazed at the concentration of homeless people. On one corner (one block from the theater) there must have been around 40 homeless people loitering. Even worse, the homeless in San Francisco are also aggressive in panhandling. I also saw a man injecting heroin on the street and another snorting some other substance.
The Golden Gate was dark while I was there and I’m not surprised.
I live in New York and there are quite a few people here to wax poetic over the “Old Seedy Times Square” and mourn its passing into Disneyland East. I have to admit that I, on ocassion, was one of those people until I visited San Francisco 4 years ago and found myself walking around the Tenderloin (Golden Gate Theater) district. I saw hookers, drug dealers, homeless, porno theaters, etc. and I realized very quickly that I did not miss the old Times Square at all! I really like feeling safe and secure when I’m walking around and when everyone feels secure, new businesses open, people move in, tourists arrive and the city thrives. Now I totally embrace the New Times Square.
Now back to visit SF after 4 years and I actually think it’s gotten worse! Few, if any, cities have the attributes that San Francisco has in its favor yet I can’t remember being is a city area that I felt more unsafe and disgusted. (No, I have not been to Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles which is probably the worst in the country). What is wrong with the SF city government that allows this to go on? New York’s problems were just as bad (or worse when you look just at the old 42nd Street). Yet almost all of the grime has been swept away in less than 10 years. If New York can do it, why not San Francisco?
Hi Louis, thanks for your comment above. I’m curious, do you remember the Lefferts having an organ? Was I correct in remembering a samll lobby? Also, I remember the balcony being stadium style, like the Ziegfeld rather than overhanging. Are there any other details that you can share? Thanks!
Yes Dave, a proper balance is what’s needed. I grew up in the “vibrant cultural days” of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s when the subways were wall to wall graffiti, had no air conditioning or even lighting at times. The city was filthy, crime ridden, had a crumbling infratructure and people were moving out by the hundreds of thousands. Many neighborhoods could not be walked in. People were afraid to come out during the day, let alone at night and tens of thousands of “affordable apartments” were going up in flames in the Bronx and Brooklyn. If this is the city that you want to go back to please move to Detroit or East St. Louis. I think they’re still “vibrant”.
No, New york is not perfect, but it is vastly better than it was. The city has created scores of thousands of affordable units, many in the shells of what burned in the 70’s. More needs to be done and it is being done. Who pays for all of this? Tax dollars. Who pays these dollars? The wealthy who buy homes and attract services and retail that employ the working poor of our city. It is a simplification, but we need the wealthy in this town in order to take care of our poor!
I’m very proud of what New York has become. I don’t want to go back to those old days and I’m sure if you really thought about how New York was back then, you would probably feel the same way.
Ummm. Last time I checked, Queenboro Plaza was a dump. If people want to build luxury housing for the wealthy, HOORAY!!! This area needs all of the development it could get; Offices, hotels, condos and yes, affordable housing if the developers are given incentives to provide it. I believe in historic districts, landmark preservation, etc, but I also believe that a city has to grow and change with the times. Both can be accomodated. The key is to find the proper balance.
Is there a list of the 10 oldest theaters that are still operating as such? Sad to say, I think such a list might include some of the multiplexes since we’ve lost so many of the single screens. The Ridgewood would have to be #1 on the list.
I just bought my tickets to see Joy Behar in December and I’m very excited to see this theater!! The pictures look absolutley beautiful.
The office tower is being built on spec as there are no committed tenants as yet. Construction has commenced and, when completed, the tower will have 1,000,000 square feet and is expected to cost about one billion dollars. The New York Times tower across the street on 8th Avenue btn 40th and 41st has leased extremely well at very high rates. It’s too bad that a legit theater has not been included as part of the development; especially considering the history of the site and the area. The new Bank of America tower on W. 43rd St. will include a new Broadway legit theater in its base. The new Henry Miller Theater is expected to open late in 2008.
I have confirmed that, yes, the Henry Miller did show movies.
I remember way back when reading that certain architecturally significant elements from the original Miller theater were removed and stored to be used as part of the building of the new theater. I truly hope this wasn’t wishful thinking on my part, but I do remember reading that. Nonetheless, seeing the link above of the cut away of the new theater, it looks like a totally modern theater. I do think it looks nice and comfortable, but I guess it would be hard to tell from that picture what the actual lobby, lounges and auditorium decor would look like. Hopefully, there will be some connection with the old Miller other than the facade.
Regarding a comment above about what happened after Xenon: Yes, the theater became the rock dance club “Shout!” for several years after before going dark again.
Note to Somoman….I never realized that the Jefferson was a dance club that far back. My clubbing days didn’t start in earnest until 1983 at Palladium and Limelight. I’m sorry I never got the see the interior of The Jefferson. At The Palladium, the architect incorporated the old Academy of Music’s decay into the club to amazing effect. It truly was, along with the Saint (Commodore), one of the greatest discos New York ever had.
Commenters above have mentioned The Ritz on E. 11th Street. The NY Landmarks Preservation Society is holding a hearing today on granting landmark status to this Romanesque Dance Hall wich dates to the mid 1880’s. While this structure was never a theater, it does incorporate many of the intricate architectural theatrical details that we celebrate on this site. I hope they approve it.
When I commented previously on theaters whoes lives were extended by becoming discos I omitted a very important one: The Henry Miller theater on W. 43rd Street, though I am not sure if this one ever showed movies. This theater had lain empty for a few years before it became “Xenon’s”, a contemporary of Studio 54. Later on, it became the Rock dance club “Shout”. As Times Square’s fortunes changed, live theater returned with a highly successful run of Urinetown, followed by an ever more successful run of Caberet. Ironically, Caberet moved to Studio 54 which fully returned old movie palace back to permanent legit theater.
The Henry Miller theater was razed a few years back (though the facade was saved) to be replaced by the new Bank of America tower. I am told, however, that significant architectural elements from the theater were saved and stored to be used when a new theater is constructed within the new tower, so in a sense, we’ll at least have some of the old theater back along with the original facade. I believe the same technique was used in the construction of the Hilton Theater on 42nd St. and the results there are spectacular.
Virtually every American City has managed to keep and restore at least one of their movie palaces. It would be an utter disaster if Philadelphia, one of our greatest cities and whose downtown is enjoying a renaissance, was unable to restore and reopen the Boyd. Theaters like these will NEVER be built again. It is important to future generations that they have a place to connect to how people went to the movies in the past and how the experience was so very different to the movie going experience today.
I live in New York where we are always lamenting the loss of theaters, the latest being the “Playpen” (not the original name, but its latest incarnation). The reality though is that New York still has Radio City, The Hollywood, The Paradise, The 175th Street, The Valenica, The St. George, The Beacon, The Ziegfeld and still others that have the potential to be restored to their former glories, chief among them the Kings and The Brooklyn Paramount. Compared to Philadelphia, this is an embarassment of riches. Nonetheless, it is still painful to lose even one theater because they will never be built like these again.
If this is Philadelphia’s last palace remaining it is important that everyone who loves Philadelphia and believes in its future work hard to save The Boyd! I wish you luck!
Thanks Bob. I just saw the Rosie Perez perform last week at Studio 54’s production of “The Ritz”. She was suprisingly excellent, but I got just as great a thrill walking around the old theater and remembering all of the fun nights I spent dancing the night away. Though an attractive theater, Studio 54 does not compare (in my opinion) to The Commodore, The Forum or The Acadamy of Music. Those were true palaces in every definition of the term and I miss them terribly. I do take solace in still having Radio City, The Hollywood, The Ziegfeld and 4 out of the five Loew’s Wonder theaters (with the 5th – The Kings still a good possiblity for restoration). There are others. But with every palace that we lose, it makes those remaining ever more valuable.
Let’s also not forget that this grand theater served as the home for one of New York’s greatest, grandest and storied disco’s “The Saint” for over 10 years starting in 1981. Along with Studio 54, Club USA (the old Forum at 47th & Bway), and yes, the Academy of Music (known in it’s last years as The Palladium) these old theaters were kept alive as dance palaces that could still be enjoyed by throngs of revelers. Not like the old Jefferson on 14th Street that sat empty and decaying for decades before finally being demolished a few years back. Alas, only Studio 54 was truly saved for a period long enough to to be returned to work as a functioning theater. I’m not old enough to have been able to have attended these theaters when they were showing movies, but I’m very grateful to have had the opportunity to have seen and enjoyed them as dance clubs. Sadly, we will never see movie venues like these built again.
Regarding the old Gertz Dept store….I never considered it a second rate Macy’s. The Jamaica store was the flagship of the 7 store Long Island chain and I remember it being a very nice store. The store’s slogan, written in fancy cursive script on the top floors facing the Long Island Rail Road tracks read “Gertz, Where Long Island Shops!”.
While the Loew’s Jersey is indeed a beautiful theater, I don’t believe that it rivals the beauty of the other Loew’s wonder theaters, The Paradise, The Valencia, the 175th Street and, having been inside the ruins and seeing how spectacular the theater still is, The Kings in Brooklyn. To see a truly spectacular movie palace in prime condition in Manhattan, you should get to The Hollywood theater on W. 51st Street which is now a church. I believe that it too outrivals the Jersey in beauty.
p.s. I do believe the Jersey is a great and wonderful palace. I just think that, if one was to rank them, for me it would be last.
Simon obviously hasn’t been to The Ziegfeld and if he has then he probably doesn’t like any theater built after the 1940’s. The Ziegfeld is “arguably” the last movie palace built in New York and while it is very much a modern design (compared to the old grand dames) it is still very much a dramatic and enjoyable theater in the tradition of the old palaces. It still feels like a special event to see a film here; at least for me. Also interesteing that the Ziegfeld can be called a “modern palace” when it is already about 40 years old. I can see The Ziegfeld eventually being landmarked as a prime example of modernist theater architecture and the lone remaining single screen movie palace in the city still operating as such. I hope that happens some day.
If I don’t get a response by Thursday, I will give him a call.
The status of this theater should be changed to open. I passed by last weekend and they were advertising a lineup of award winning short films for the evening performance.
Hi Howard, thanks for the article above. It just so happens that I was in Asbury Park this past weekend and took a walk “downtown”. I too saw several large, new restaurants and some fancy new stores, but I saw little patronage and a great many empty storefronts. I don’t know how they will make it through the winter. While there is lots of construction (and hope) there is also alot of DEstruction as well. Asbury seems intent on destroying most of what little remains of its glorius architectural past. There are several new condominium projects underway which will bring some very badly needed higher income people into the area, but there is still a very depressing feeling about this town. I was actually visiting friends in Ocean Grove (next door to Asbury and much, much nicer). I walked around Asbury in the middle of the afternoon and did not feel safe at all. I found myself looking over my shoulders the whole time and I’m not easily frightened.
Nonetheless, I did make my way over to The Paramount and it was actually open! There was a performance scheduled that evening of Kathy Najimy and Mo something or other. I wasn’t able to attend but the ticket agent did allow me to take a quick peek inside and it was in much better shape than I expected it to be in. It’s pretty big. I hope to attend a performance or movie here in the near future and will report back.
The Baronet appears to be open but there was little info.
p.s. Regarding the comment in the article above that the reporter found Asbury’s Starbucks “the lonliest in the world”! I’ve walked around Asbury several times and have never seen a Starbucks. No wonder it’s lonely. Where is it? :–)
If anyone else can shed any light it would be appreciated.
Hey Warren, I got an e-mail back from the NYEDC with a contact name and number. Rather than call him I sent a detail e-mail asking where the process stands on the redevelopment of the Kings so that I could keep the CT public up to date. I’ll post the response as soon as I hear back.
Don’t I know it! :–)
Nonetheless, I thought it was worth a shot.
I have just sent an e-mail to the New York Economic Development Corporation asking for the status of the Loew’s Kings redevelopment. Markowitz was supposed to make an announcement in July, but……………..
I’ll report back as soon as I get any news.
Hi Saps, It just so happens that I was in Asbury Park this past weekend and took a walk “downtown”. I could be wrong, but I think this corner is in the process of being gutted and the adjoining building torn down. Asbury seems intent on destroying most of what little remains of its glorius architectural past. There are several new condominium projects underway which will bring some very badly needed higher income people into the area, but there is still a very depressing feeling about this town. I also noticed several big new restaurants that have recently opened. I don’t know how they will stay in business over the winter.
I did make my way over to The Paramount and it was actually open! There was a performance scheduled that evening of Kathy Najimy and Mo something or other. I wasn’t able to attend but the ticket agent did allow me to take a quick peek inside and it was in much better shape than I expected it to be in. It’s pretty big. I hope to attend a performance or movie here in the near future and will report on the Paramount site.
Back to the Savoy, I had totally forgotten about this theater. I was only aware of the Paramount and The Baronet as the only ones left. Had I remembered, I would have looked specifically for this theater and reported back accordingly. I hope that I’m wrong about the destruction.
If anyone else can shed any light it would be appreciated.
Per various comment above, the status should be changed to demolished.
The opening description to this theater states that “the neighborhood has remained a little seedy”. A Little Seedy?!! This area is disgusting and San Francisco should be ashamed of itself for doing nothing to stem the tide of decay around the Golden Gate Theater. I was there just a couple of weeks ago and was amazed at the concentration of homeless people. On one corner (one block from the theater) there must have been around 40 homeless people loitering. Even worse, the homeless in San Francisco are also aggressive in panhandling. I also saw a man injecting heroin on the street and another snorting some other substance.
The Golden Gate was dark while I was there and I’m not surprised.
I live in New York and there are quite a few people here to wax poetic over the “Old Seedy Times Square” and mourn its passing into Disneyland East. I have to admit that I, on ocassion, was one of those people until I visited San Francisco 4 years ago and found myself walking around the Tenderloin (Golden Gate Theater) district. I saw hookers, drug dealers, homeless, porno theaters, etc. and I realized very quickly that I did not miss the old Times Square at all! I really like feeling safe and secure when I’m walking around and when everyone feels secure, new businesses open, people move in, tourists arrive and the city thrives. Now I totally embrace the New Times Square.
Now back to visit SF after 4 years and I actually think it’s gotten worse! Few, if any, cities have the attributes that San Francisco has in its favor yet I can’t remember being is a city area that I felt more unsafe and disgusted. (No, I have not been to Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles which is probably the worst in the country). What is wrong with the SF city government that allows this to go on? New York’s problems were just as bad (or worse when you look just at the old 42nd Street). Yet almost all of the grime has been swept away in less than 10 years. If New York can do it, why not San Francisco?
What did it mean when you referred to a theater as “The Itch”?