Ridgewood Theatre

Bway, this is for you. In reading this tread, I saw that you attended Christ the King HS in the 1980’s. I attended Most Holy Trinity HS in the 1960’s. During my time there, I had the absolute pleasure of experiencing my two greatest teachers – Jim Tierney and Mike Vaccaro. Both of them taught at your school after Trinity closed in the early 1970’s. I was wondering if you had the opportunity to attend any of their classes and could inform me of your experiences. (If you do not know, Jim died a few years ago, but Mike is doing very well in retirement. My wife and I had a wonderful dinner with him only a month or so ago.)

Please contact me at or .gov

You can also call me at 718-897-1816.

Sorry to clutter up this tead with “non-cinema” matter; but I do not have any other options.

Hi John,

It’s a shame you were unable to experience a screening in this historic theater, but perhaps you will if we’re successful in reopening it. It’s forthcoming to know of a developing strong arts community in Bushwick. Thank you very much for providing the link, and sharing your thoughts! I appreciate your help very much, and I will reach out.

The closing of the Ridgewood is very sad. While I never took in a film here – and I’m just kicking myself about this, I know many people who did. The loss of this theater leaves a huge cinema vacuum in both North Brooklyn and West Queens.

Michael, in your quest to identify possible replacement parties for the theater, I strongly recommend that you look to the new residents of Bushwick. A strong arts community is developing here and they may be very interested in becoming involved. There is an excellent web site that reaches out to this community and that should definately be accessed. It has, in fact, established a tread on this topic that has generated some response. So contact the site; you really have nothing to lose. The site is:

www.BushwickBk.com

Good luck.

I don’t know of any vintage interior shots, unfortunately. This is the only bit of press coverage thus far:

View link

A press release was circulated to some newspapers, similar to the link on the homepage: http://cinematreasures.org/news/18787_0_1_0_C/
Some additional newspapers have expressed interest, so keep checking the weeklies. I will post direct links as they come.

Four performing arts-related non-profits have expressed interest in leasing the property, and we are in communication. They may want to lease the space with AL, and partner up. Still, words need to be put into actions quite frankly, in order to spare this gem of a theater from being converted into retail. My question then becomes: Can everyone PLEASE try to think of some more parties I can reach out to, that may be interested in leasing some of the screens? We need to think ASAP. Thanks! Feel free to e-mail me at and carbon copy my friend Al at

There’s no article on the Ridgewood Theater’s closing in the news section that Nativeforest hiller mentioned. What section should I look in?

I could be wrong, but I think The Ziegfeld is now the theater with the longest thread (by several hundred comments) on CT.

I have contacted Patrick Crowley directly, and hope he will post the press release I composed with Al on the homepage. Landmarking is another issue, and I understand that someone could have submitted it.

Here’s the exact link, for when the “local news” links change:

View link

NY Dave ROCKS!!!

AL

He doesn’t prefer retail. He wants to keep it in tact and use it for my proposed idea. But without anyone to back the idea financially he is under pressure by the commercial realtors to sell as retail for the downstairs. He wants $30,000 a month. I don’t have that. PLUS it has to be made into a performing arts space, electric needs upgrading and the stage needs refurbishing. Not to mention sound system lighting and a new full size screen and digital projection systems to handle mini dv, dvd, beta, etc…We’re talking a lot of money. Plus it has to have money to operate at LEAST for the first year. The local politicians are all for the idea and voted my project in, but where will the money come from???

AL
www.crossthelinemovie.com
www.myspace.com/alliewayfilms
www.youtube.com/alliewayfilms

They sold this theater/building a few months ago, but I confirmed today that they deffinatly want to do retail stores and a theater on the 2nd/3rd floor. But I guess money will dictate what happens.

I don’t see this theatre in the movie listings. So it looks like it’s officially closed. I have a feeling that the Jackson which they also own could probably be next.

Cranky fella never lets up, does he, Lost ? Even in the face of this tragedy. When I was there for the Queen Latifah recently, i was one of 3 people, so it’s no wonder.