The Space at Westbury
250 Post Avenue,
Westbury,
NY
11590
250 Post Avenue,
Westbury,
NY
11590
5 people
favorited this theater
Showing 76 - 100 of 164 comments
Worked there as an usher in the mid 70s. The theater itself sure was beautiful, but that was before it was twinned. Seen so many movies there from old Disney films like Herbie the Love Bug, Old Yeller and such. When I was working there, we had very popular movies, typically shortly after they opened. The Excorsit was one to remember, we had folks walking out during various parts of the movie praying, cursing, vomitting, you name it. The theatre was always a break-even on ticket prices with profit coming from the candy counter. Shortly after Close Encounters played there, many of the staff left en masse to open The Cine Capri in Old Bethpage, me among them. Enough disparaging remarks about Post Ave already, I prefer to remember it like it was when I was a kid from Donahue’s Funeral Home and the Methodist Church all the way to Jay’s Stationary, right across from the RR and on to St Bridgid’s. Van Cleef & Rofield Realty, Bohack’s, Proschels Flowers, Gray’s Saddlery, The Village Deli right next to the theatre, Franks Pizza, Smilies?, Tear and Gershon’s, Cavallaro Sporting Goods in that little alley, Abete’s? lol been too long. Good old Westbury, what a great place to grow up. Used to get quite a bit of making out action in those loge seats!!
The plastic has blown off the roof and there are huge gaping holes to let the rain and snow pour in. I’m sure the new owners want to tear this down or they would have at least replaced the roof.
Is there ANYTHING going on with this theater? Or does anyone know the current whereabouts of the former owners (just out of curiosity).
i saw ghost at the westbury theater too. i also saw Neighbors there. the dan aykroyd john beluchi film.
Went by it just yesterday. Sheets of white paper now cover up the doors and windows, making it impossible to see from the outside. This year incidentally, marks Westbury’s 75th anniversary as an incorporated village, as well as The Westbury Times' centenial anniversary.
SO much time has passed and nothing seems to be happening here?
Some great news everyone. It seems there is a good chance the Westbury will be turned into a performing arts center if the new owner and the town can agree on some things.
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I would advise all of you NOT to phone the number that Nova posted. I tried it myself today, and was greeted by a very gruff “HELLO”. The man treated my interest in the Westbury theatre building with suspicion. He wanted to know why I was so interested. I told him that the building had just stood vacant for many years, that I hoped something good was coming out of it, and that I hoped it would be a theatre again. He replied “yeah, something’s good coming out of it, but what, we don’t know”. I simply said “keep up the good work”, and that was that. Only time will tell what happens next.
I went past the Westbury yesterday. Workers were gutting out the second story office space at the front of the building. They gave me the following phone number as a building contact if anyone wants to try it…646-529-0977…
Indeed, RobertR. Where I live, I can buy the print edition of the Times, but if I don’t see any news about the theatre on the front page, I pass it by. Getting back to the subject at hand, does anybody out there know what is happening to the theatre building proper?
I tried looking at the online edition of the Westbury Times but could not find out any information about the theatre.
Not too long ago, the village of Westbury received a grant for a much-needed revitalization of its shopping/commercial district. Many changes have already taken place, and the plan has sparked residential development – two upscale condominiums (92 and 90 units, most of which I believe are one-bedroom) are either under construction or near completion, and other developers are expressing interest to build as well. These are attracting mostly young urban professional types who like the location for its walking-distance proximity to shopping and mass transit, as well as retirees who are “downsizing”. The housing is an “affordable” alternative (relatively speaking) for those who work in NYC and want convenient access to it without having to live in or near it. This housing alone is expected to attract almost 600 new residents to the village.
If only those idiotic owners hadn’t turned the theatre into a pile of garbage, they could have capitalized on all of these changes. Still, it’s better off now that it’s out of their insanely incompetent hands – someone might actually come in now, renovate and make a successful go of it. Considering what developments are occuring in the village, it could be a prime opportunity.
All of this is happening despite the fact that just directly to the east is unsavory New Cassel, for years a depressed “minority” neighbourhood that over time has become permeated with drugs, gangs and [illegal] immigrants (I would advise against travelling through there, especially at night). A blight on the landscape and boil on the backside of one of Long Island’s most vibrant and popular shopping destinations – the Westbury/Carle Place/Garden City area.
I was riding past the theatre the other day, when the cab driver told me “Y'know, dey’re restorin' it”. Too shock to hear the rest of what he was saying, I decided to investigate the next day. Sure enough, through the soapy glass doors, one could see that the lobby has been torn out, replaced by wooden support beams, while sawdust and a ladder were on the floor. Around the corner stood two dumpsters filled to the rim. I have no idea if the theatre is being restored, or if the building is being converted for other uses. Anyone out there with any news???
“Shoes of the Fisherman” on its neighborhood run in 1969
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Depressing? Sounds fascinating. Too think I saw “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother” with Gene Wilder here in 1976 and all that “stuff” was there when I saw it. Amazing.
I worked on the 2/6 Midmer Losh organ for the owner in 1976. His name was Brandt if I recall correctly. He had no interest in the instrument other than to sell it, which he did about a year later. It went into a private home, I believe. The main chamber to the right of the proscenium contained all six ranks. The opposite chamber had only a tubular chime set. The main chest had a Diapason, Stopped Diapason, Dulciana and Salicional, all at 8' pitch. A Bourdon 16' and Vox Humana 8' stood on offset chests. The console was a typical Midmer Losh with an extended 73 note lower manual and a pre-wired, synthetic oboe stop tab. While working there, I noticed lots of stage equipment still in place, including scenery and curtains hanging way up in the fly. There was also an early Vitaphone sound system, erected on a scaffold behind the screen. It was still in use at the time, I believe, although I never saw a film in this theatre. It was a depressing place to work late at night. I can still smell the popcorn and carbon tetrachloride.
Sorry to say, nothing has changed since my March 7th post.
Is the theatre still just sitting there?
Another sad day in Westbury: Tear and Gershon, a staionery/candy store that stood across the street from the Westbury Theatre for over 50 years, and where a reporter in the audience of the infamous cough drop caper went to phone the story in (they didn’t have cells back then) has shuttered and closed.
“Orca” played the Westbury the summer of 1977
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I go by there every day on the N 35 bus. Nothing has changed since my March 7th post.
Anybody drive by here lately?
There are pictures here of the marquee with the infamous “C-note” donors and the ceiling coming down.
www.antonnews.com/westburytimes/2003/08/08/news/
Here is a picture of the marquee advertising the bankruptcy sale.
www.antonnews.com/westburytimes/2004/09/24/news/
To Bob T: Thanks for reminding me that the “Pirates…” played there in ‘83. I remember the marquee read MAJOR STUDIO WORLD PREMIERE, and I had wanted to go very much. Now I remember why I didn’t: it WAS raining VERY HARD that night!