RKO Keith's Theatre

Once again, I am mystified by a description of this project. Boymelgreen’s website says that the tower will feature “a dramatic glazed facade designed to evoke the image the old auditorium space.” I see nothing in the pictures that looks even vaguely like the old auditorium space — nor do I understand how a glazed facade COULD evoke an auditorium. Do these people just assume that we’re all too stupid to care?

P.S. Even in its current condition, I’ve seen cases where buildings were landmarked. Please write to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, urging designation of the facade ASAP:

Mr. Robert Tierney, Chairman
c/o NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission
1 Centre St, 9th Floor
New York, N.Y. 10007
.gov & CC .gov
Follow up with phone calls: (212) 669-7700 (Press “1” & then dial “Tierney”)

Please carbon copy & so we can keep track of how many letters are being sent to the LPC. Thank you for your support!

Many thanks for offering the petition.
Developers and politicians should know a concerned and seemingly invisible public is watching deeds they choose to bestow on communities other than their own. As a public, awareness behind development on any established property, in any established neighborhood, should be observed, questioned and if necessary, challenged.

Reading the above messages, and focusing on what the RKO Keith site is expected to support … “a trophy tower” … “of 250 condos and 260 parking spaces, with retail stores and a senior center” … “would bring life back to the area,” is what the public has been sold.

Add this to several messages above which currently describe the area as: huge empty buildings which formerly housed department stores now empty; a “foreign” ethnic populus, new to the area, and happy to cater to their own kind in their shops; gridlocked traffic, snarling the streets like some third world backwater. If this description is true of this part of Flushing now, and the kinds of people mentioned here do indeed live and shop in this area, the whole “development” concept still raises more questions than answersâ€"

In this scenario, just who is going to live in the Northern Blvd. “trophy tower” – owners of these ethnic shops on Main St. and Roosevelt Ave.; the burgeoning consumers shopping in this area; maybe the editor of Architectural Digest, or Mayor Blumberg, or Hillary Clinton?

How do you “bring back life to an area” already bulging with life? Does this “silk purse” structure (at the expense of demolishing a well-known theater) really fit the neighborhood for which it is designed? Which seniors will this concept attract?

How will this multi-million dollar development favorably affect the flavor of this existing, less affluent neighborhood? Will “trophy tower” residents really enjoy viewing “the teeming masses” below while sipping chilled Chardonnay?

Sadly, I don’t have any answers to these questions but I do know why the term “development” still gives me the chills.

That’s very interesting. Note that the site lists these “Facts”:
[quote]Facts
– The developers describe the highrise as a “world-class building” that would be the “gateway to Flushing”.
– The tower would stand on the site of an old theater, however the landmarked lobby would not be demolished but rather restored and open for pedestrians' viewing through a large curtain glass wall.
– In 2004 Community Board 7 turned down a larger building; however, during the hearing on March 10, 2005, the current version passed by a vote of 32-2.
– Besides senior housing there would be 200 condominiums: 21 one-bedroom, 168 two-bedroom and 11 three-bedroom units.
– The project includes 233 proposed parking spaces.
– The restored theater would be accessible to the public.
– Project completion is projected to occur 2 years after approval.[/quote]
Can these guys at least keep their own story straight? Somebody explain to me how you can simultaneously say “The tower would stand on the site of an old theater” and “The restored theater would be accessible to the public.” Besides the fact that there IS NO “restored theater,” they JUST SAID that the restored lobby would be open for “viewing” through a “large curtain glass wall.” How is that the same as being “accessible”? (To say nothing of the fact that describing this as on the site of “an old theater” is akin to describing Madison Square Garden as “on the site of an old train depot”!)

The Carolina is also less than half the size of the Keith’s and, therefore, probably a lot easier and less costly to build around. I still think these articles should be included in any materials or petitions submitted to Boymelgreen and the proper political offices in the effort to save the Keith’s.

I think there are two factors here: 1) While the Caldor site is certainly more convenient to all means of public transportation (not to mention an existing underground parking lot), it is not in as prominent a location as the Keith’s is, sitting at the very head of Main Street. 2) After 20 years, Politicians just wanted to have done with the whole Keith’s issue already. They consider it nothing more than an “eyesore” that no one in the community – save for a few fanatical theater enthusiasts – gives a damn about. So, they throw us a bone with the alleged “restoration” of the lobby. Once the damn thing is built, the thorn in everyone’s side falls off.

As I said above, the Caldor’s site is an odd shaped parcel that is almost like two buildings (one on Roosevelt and one on Main) connected by a smaller passageway that wraps around the storefronts that actually sit on the corner of the intersection. So, you’d have to buy up the corner parcel(s) and then might want to consider the storefront parcel(s) to the south that abut the railroad tracks, depending on the scale of the building. And that part of Main Street is sort of grimy and very busy; usually teeming with foot traffic as well as vehicular gridlock due to the confluence of so many city bus lines, and therefore far less desireable than the wider and more orderly thouroughfare of Northern Blvd. I don’t think anyone will ever get Boymelgreen to relocate its plans to the Caldor’s site.

The Alexander’s/Caldor building is on the east side of Main Street just south of Roosevelt Ave and just a couple of storefronts north of the LIRR railroad tracks. It ran in an L-shape behind the buildings on the corner of Main and Roosevelt so that there was an even larger entrance and facade on Roosevelt. The Main Street entrance was across from 40th Road which ran into Main Street from the west and there is an underground parking garage located adjacent to the entrance. On Roosevelt Ave, the entrance was right next to Stern’s (which I guess is now a Macy’s). I think the corner was a Woolworth’s… but I might be mistaken.

The former Alexanders was on the corner of Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue in Flushing, where thousands of commuters to and from Manhattan and Long Island milled about near subways, busses, a taxi stand and the Long Island Railroad. Talk about LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION! Why build blocks away on the site of the RKO Keith? Is the price not right?

Ed, it can give hope, however, after reading through the Yeadon Theater’s section, it said that the plan was to:
“The current plan mentioned above to save the lobby building including facade didn’t include any specific reuse for performing arts center.”

It appears even their “restoration”, just like the Keiths was only saving the lobby, not the main building.
Of course then, now they had this “suspiscious” fire that destroyed the lobby part of the building…..

Thank you for the encouragement & your support, M Horner! I found some photos of the theater in its glory days. It can be accessed as follows: View link

We are the community, & we want the RKO Keith’s Theatre RESTORED in its entirety!!!!! Everyone, please spread the word, & sign our petition.

It’s a shame. Does Ms. Srinivajan understand that the Keith’s could have become a haven for Bollywood? (Or even live dancing, following the Loew’s Paradise model.) I think it’s another example of someone who needs to be educated.

Let’s keep the race disagreements out of this fight to preserve the Keith’s. Whether a portion of the local community is apathetic about it does not make a difference in light of needing to save this building. Let’s be as optimistic as possible, since anything is possible. I’d also like to have a rally scheduled ASAP if possible.
-Tom

By the way, who is George Bush and what were his credentials to run for President of the U.S.A?

At first I thought you were disagreeing with Warren — but now you seem to have made his point!