Sunnyside Center Cinemas is likely to be demolished in the coming years, since the Queens Boulevard-facing plot of land on which it sits was sold to an Astoria developer back in December for $6.675 million. The Sunnyside Post reports that the developer hasn’t yet decided what to do with the site—which includes a Dime Savings Bank, set to close this summer, and Irish pub P.J. Horgan’s, which has been operating for 40 years and has a lease till 2018—but guesses that it’s likely to be razed in the name of a presumably more lucrative residential project.
I just came across this on a site called Scouting New York:
Just a quick note on the incredible Valencia Movie Palace in Queens. For those who would like to see this work of art in person, the Tabernacle of Prayer Church has generously set-up visiting time every Sunday from 11:00-11:45am, when services will not be in session. Just walk right in the lobby – they’ll be expecting you! Please try to come during these times, as the church will otherwise be conducting services and programs in the theater throughout the day.
The address is 165-11 Jamaica Ave, with F, E, J, and Z service just a few blocks away. Needless to say, I highly recommend the trip.
Ha! I initially thought it was a different term for a box seat but I don’t think the Capitol had them, did they? I never had a chance to see a film here. Just a bit before my time.
You might call it a “gouging”, but I would gladly be gouged many times over to have experiences like this at the movies. It was really special and they should have more events like these. I think Les Miserables would have done extremely well here in a similar two week exclusive run, though I personally hated it. :–) Though I DID see it at the Ziegfeld, my only complaint theater wise was the lack of a marquee (they just plastered up a generic Les Miseables sign) and the lack of curtain use, but otherwise, as usual, a great place to see a film.
Does Dreamgirls not count because it was more than two showings a day? That continues to be my all time most fun movie screening of any film EVER! It was all reserved seating for about 2 weeks. The tickets were $25! No Commericals/Ads! The Curtains worked and everyone screamed. During the film there were three standing ovations DURING the screening, the biggest of which was for “And I’m telling you I’m not going” which brought the house down. It was an incredibly memorable experience.
Everything in New York costs more. It just does. Always has, but it hasn’t stopped the city from building and building big. It is why it still retains (along with Los Angles) the greatest collection of movie palaces in the country (perhaps the world). Brooklyn (as well as New York) is booming and is the home of 2.6MM people whose only performing arts centers are The Opera House and The Harvey Theater (both at the Brooklyn Academy of Music) and the Brooklyn College Performing Arts Center. There is room for more and the Kings will succeed. I’m from Manhattan and I will be going for sure.
I hope this gives the lovers of the Uptown Theatre some hope. The restoration of New York’s Loew’s Kings Theatre breaks ground this morning with a $94MM renovation. It is projected to reopen early in 2015. The Kings (along with Chicago’s Uptown) is the most beautiful of the unrenovated movie palaces in the country and has the potential to be its most beautiful renovated theater after completion.
For all of the perennial naysayers, YES, it is happening and it is bigger than ever before! The official groundbreaking to this morning! The renovation is now a $94MM project which will open in 2015!
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/loew-article-1.1245330?localLinksEnabled=false
Al, just curious…….are you in favor of the interior landmarking of The Ziegfeld? It is now old enough and it should qualify on many levels. It was the last of the Movie Palaces to be built and is an exquisite example of its late 60’s era. It has played host to probably more premieres than any other Manhattan cinema and is the last of the palaces still showing films regularly; unless one also counts the Paris (which I kind of do). The theater is beautiful and it is a joy to see a film in; regardless of whether the curtains are used or not. And how many movie theaters were built with individual sinks in the bathroom stalls; even in the men’s room??? I don’t know of any other. :–)
p.s. Thanks Vito for your spirited defense of the curtains. As a lay person, I just can’t understand how complicated it could be to operate a simple curtain. Thanks for your input.
Al, it’s not lost on me. I minored in English Literature. I simply thought it was stupid. I’m allowed to have an opinion. Now, back to the Ziegeld. I want my curtain back!!!!!
It’s true it is a classic, but that doesn’t mean the plot is in any way believable. I and many people I know find the plot truly nonsensical. Without going into specifics it is astounding that the two main characters keep running into each other all over France in the most unusual places. I didn’t buy it. :–)
I was bored to tears. The plot is preposterous and the story nonsensical. Russell Crowe’s voice was awful. The big surprise for me was how wonderful the actress who played Eponine was. For the record, I did not like to Broadway production either and I saw the original cast back in the late 80’s. Also, for the record, I have seen Chicago, Phantom, Mamma Mia, Dreamgirls, Grease, Sweeney Todd, etc at The Ziegfeld and they were all FAR better than Les Mis but that is only my opinion. Lots of other people like it, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised how many people completely agree with me. LOL! p.s. Dreamgirls, hands down, best movie experience for me at the Ziegfeld of any movie musical. It was something I will never forget including three standing ovations during the standing room only crowd.
I saw the 6:45 Showing Sunday evening and the preshow, ads and previews were all shown. I didn’t notice dirty carpeting but I absolutely noticed that lack of an actual marquee. I’ve never seen anything like it. Just “Les Miserables” up there in simple lettering. Shameful but I just assumed it was some kind of mixup. I still very much enjoyed the presentation if not the film; with the exception of the curtains not working. Again, why is that so complicated?????
Last night I saw Les Miserables at The Ziegfeld and it was at near capacity. Though I didn’t care for the movie, as usual, it was an absolute pleasure to see a film in this theater. My only complaint is that the curtains weren’t used. There was much disappointment in the audience. Why is is so complicated so have a simple curtain work. It just needs to open and close. How complicated is that and it is something that distinguishes The Ziegfeld from every other multiplex box; something this theater needs to accentuate. p.s. Russell Crowe is a dreadful singer. :–)
It’s utter nonsense that you need a “police escort” to get from the train station to Prudential Center. That said, HDTV267 is right about most old theaters just being a piece of real estate to their owners. That’s a fact. He is also correct that the Paramount is in a terrible location and very far gone. I certainly wouldn’t invest money in this location when there are many other theaters in much better locations that would have a better shot a sustaining themselves after restoration. Mind you, I don’t have the money to restore any theater, but if I did, it wouldn’t be for this one. :–)
Agreed Ed, the Loews 175th has been quite successful as a concert venue. It has been so for decades though it is not the primary purpose of the space. The Kings is by far a better location than the Paradise. I have no doubt that the Kings has a much better chance at success. In addition, the owners of the Paradise were terrible managers. The people in charge of the Kings are very experienced.
Though I despise churches, there are many examples where they prove to be great stewards of our glorious palaces. The Hollywood in midtown, the Loews 175th Street in Washington Heights and the Stanley in Jersey City but just a few excellent examples. That said, I am saddened that this theater is becoming a church. Of course, it is a successful church. They bought an old Christ Scientist church on W. 96th and Central Park West that was also a landmark and have respected that architecture. This particular church worships money so in theory they will not skimp on their infrastructure. They need to project affluence to get it.
It’s not enough that the movie be new. The movie must be good to get audiences. I had no desire to see Life of Pi. However, I will be there to see Les Miserables just as I was to see Hairspray, Chicago and Dreamgirls when they played here.
Now showing: Sports kids take over former movie theater
12:53 PM, OCTOBER 10, 2012
RKF has arranged a 7,000- s/f lease for sports training company Fastbreak Kids at 1629 First Ave. between 84th and 85th Streets in space that formerly housed a United Artists East movie theater.
Fastbreak has leased its first full-time dedicated indoor location
Scheduled to open by mid-2013, this site will become Fastbreak Kids’ 14th basketball and sports training facility in Manhattan and its first full-time dedicated indoor location.
“We are thrilled to have helped Fastbreak Kids expand into their first dedicated indoor location,” said Alterman. “The former theater is a great, unique space and the location is perfect for a surrounding neighborhood that is full of both families and schools.”
Other retail tenants in the 32-story, 260,000 s/f residential building include Starbucks and Basics Plus Hardware. The space that Fastbreak Kids has leased was used as a movie theater since 1970 when the building was constructed.
Not really impressed by the limited photos of the Elliot Hall of Music. In no where near the same league as Radio City. That said, this appears to be the biggest theater no one has ever heard of no? :–)
Sunnyside Center Cinemas is likely to be demolished in the coming years, since the Queens Boulevard-facing plot of land on which it sits was sold to an Astoria developer back in December for $6.675 million. The Sunnyside Post reports that the developer hasn’t yet decided what to do with the site—which includes a Dime Savings Bank, set to close this summer, and Irish pub P.J. Horgan’s, which has been operating for 40 years and has a lease till 2018—but guesses that it’s likely to be razed in the name of a presumably more lucrative residential project.
http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2013/02/15/longtime_sunnyside_movie_theater_faces_closure.php#more
I just came across this on a site called Scouting New York:
Just a quick note on the incredible Valencia Movie Palace in Queens. For those who would like to see this work of art in person, the Tabernacle of Prayer Church has generously set-up visiting time every Sunday from 11:00-11:45am, when services will not be in session. Just walk right in the lobby – they’ll be expecting you! Please try to come during these times, as the church will otherwise be conducting services and programs in the theater throughout the day.
The address is 165-11 Jamaica Ave, with F, E, J, and Z service just a few blocks away. Needless to say, I highly recommend the trip.
Ha! I initially thought it was a different term for a box seat but I don’t think the Capitol had them, did they? I never had a chance to see a film here. Just a bit before my time.
Was that peculiar to The Capitol or did other theaters have Divan sections. I’m just amazed that I haven’t heard of it before. I love it though!
What’s a Divan???? I’ve never seen that in a theater ad!
You might call it a “gouging”, but I would gladly be gouged many times over to have experiences like this at the movies. It was really special and they should have more events like these. I think Les Miserables would have done extremely well here in a similar two week exclusive run, though I personally hated it. :–) Though I DID see it at the Ziegfeld, my only complaint theater wise was the lack of a marquee (they just plastered up a generic Les Miseables sign) and the lack of curtain use, but otherwise, as usual, a great place to see a film.
Does Dreamgirls not count because it was more than two showings a day? That continues to be my all time most fun movie screening of any film EVER! It was all reserved seating for about 2 weeks. The tickets were $25! No Commericals/Ads! The Curtains worked and everyone screamed. During the film there were three standing ovations DURING the screening, the biggest of which was for “And I’m telling you I’m not going” which brought the house down. It was an incredibly memorable experience.
Everything in New York costs more. It just does. Always has, but it hasn’t stopped the city from building and building big. It is why it still retains (along with Los Angles) the greatest collection of movie palaces in the country (perhaps the world). Brooklyn (as well as New York) is booming and is the home of 2.6MM people whose only performing arts centers are The Opera House and The Harvey Theater (both at the Brooklyn Academy of Music) and the Brooklyn College Performing Arts Center. There is room for more and the Kings will succeed. I’m from Manhattan and I will be going for sure.
Here is a photo gallery of the Loew’s Kings that appeared in today’s Gothamist!
http://gothamist.com/2013/01/24/more_loews_kings_theater.php#photo-1
And sometimes it is just poor management.
I hope this gives the lovers of the Uptown Theatre some hope. The restoration of New York’s Loew’s Kings Theatre breaks ground this morning with a $94MM renovation. It is projected to reopen early in 2015. The Kings (along with Chicago’s Uptown) is the most beautiful of the unrenovated movie palaces in the country and has the potential to be its most beautiful renovated theater after completion.
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/loew-article-1.1245330?localLinksEnabled=false
For all of the perennial naysayers, YES, it is happening and it is bigger than ever before! The official groundbreaking to this morning! The renovation is now a $94MM project which will open in 2015! http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/loew-article-1.1245330?localLinksEnabled=false
Does anyone know if anyone has made any serious effort at landmarking the Ziegfeld’s interior?
Al, just curious…….are you in favor of the interior landmarking of The Ziegfeld? It is now old enough and it should qualify on many levels. It was the last of the Movie Palaces to be built and is an exquisite example of its late 60’s era. It has played host to probably more premieres than any other Manhattan cinema and is the last of the palaces still showing films regularly; unless one also counts the Paris (which I kind of do). The theater is beautiful and it is a joy to see a film in; regardless of whether the curtains are used or not. And how many movie theaters were built with individual sinks in the bathroom stalls; even in the men’s room??? I don’t know of any other. :–)
p.s. Thanks Vito for your spirited defense of the curtains. As a lay person, I just can’t understand how complicated it could be to operate a simple curtain. Thanks for your input.
Al, it’s not lost on me. I minored in English Literature. I simply thought it was stupid. I’m allowed to have an opinion. Now, back to the Ziegeld. I want my curtain back!!!!!
It’s true it is a classic, but that doesn’t mean the plot is in any way believable. I and many people I know find the plot truly nonsensical. Without going into specifics it is astounding that the two main characters keep running into each other all over France in the most unusual places. I didn’t buy it. :–)
I was bored to tears. The plot is preposterous and the story nonsensical. Russell Crowe’s voice was awful. The big surprise for me was how wonderful the actress who played Eponine was. For the record, I did not like to Broadway production either and I saw the original cast back in the late 80’s. Also, for the record, I have seen Chicago, Phantom, Mamma Mia, Dreamgirls, Grease, Sweeney Todd, etc at The Ziegfeld and they were all FAR better than Les Mis but that is only my opinion. Lots of other people like it, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised how many people completely agree with me. LOL! p.s. Dreamgirls, hands down, best movie experience for me at the Ziegfeld of any movie musical. It was something I will never forget including three standing ovations during the standing room only crowd.
I saw the 6:45 Showing Sunday evening and the preshow, ads and previews were all shown. I didn’t notice dirty carpeting but I absolutely noticed that lack of an actual marquee. I’ve never seen anything like it. Just “Les Miserables” up there in simple lettering. Shameful but I just assumed it was some kind of mixup. I still very much enjoyed the presentation if not the film; with the exception of the curtains not working. Again, why is that so complicated?????
Last night I saw Les Miserables at The Ziegfeld and it was at near capacity. Though I didn’t care for the movie, as usual, it was an absolute pleasure to see a film in this theater. My only complaint is that the curtains weren’t used. There was much disappointment in the audience. Why is is so complicated so have a simple curtain work. It just needs to open and close. How complicated is that and it is something that distinguishes The Ziegfeld from every other multiplex box; something this theater needs to accentuate. p.s. Russell Crowe is a dreadful singer. :–)
It’s utter nonsense that you need a “police escort” to get from the train station to Prudential Center. That said, HDTV267 is right about most old theaters just being a piece of real estate to their owners. That’s a fact. He is also correct that the Paramount is in a terrible location and very far gone. I certainly wouldn’t invest money in this location when there are many other theaters in much better locations that would have a better shot a sustaining themselves after restoration. Mind you, I don’t have the money to restore any theater, but if I did, it wouldn’t be for this one. :–)
Agreed Ed, the Loews 175th has been quite successful as a concert venue. It has been so for decades though it is not the primary purpose of the space. The Kings is by far a better location than the Paradise. I have no doubt that the Kings has a much better chance at success. In addition, the owners of the Paradise were terrible managers. The people in charge of the Kings are very experienced.
Though I despise churches, there are many examples where they prove to be great stewards of our glorious palaces. The Hollywood in midtown, the Loews 175th Street in Washington Heights and the Stanley in Jersey City but just a few excellent examples. That said, I am saddened that this theater is becoming a church. Of course, it is a successful church. They bought an old Christ Scientist church on W. 96th and Central Park West that was also a landmark and have respected that architecture. This particular church worships money so in theory they will not skimp on their infrastructure. They need to project affluence to get it.
It’s not enough that the movie be new. The movie must be good to get audiences. I had no desire to see Life of Pi. However, I will be there to see Les Miserables just as I was to see Hairspray, Chicago and Dreamgirls when they played here.
Here is what is replacing this theater:
Now showing: Sports kids take over former movie theater 12:53 PM, OCTOBER 10, 2012
RKF has arranged a 7,000- s/f lease for sports training company Fastbreak Kids at 1629 First Ave. between 84th and 85th Streets in space that formerly housed a United Artists East movie theater.
Fastbreak has leased its first full-time dedicated indoor location Scheduled to open by mid-2013, this site will become Fastbreak Kids’ 14th basketball and sports training facility in Manhattan and its first full-time dedicated indoor location.
“We are thrilled to have helped Fastbreak Kids expand into their first dedicated indoor location,” said Alterman. “The former theater is a great, unique space and the location is perfect for a surrounding neighborhood that is full of both families and schools.”
Other retail tenants in the 32-story, 260,000 s/f residential building include Starbucks and Basics Plus Hardware. The space that Fastbreak Kids has leased was used as a movie theater since 1970 when the building was constructed.
Not really impressed by the limited photos of the Elliot Hall of Music. In no where near the same league as Radio City. That said, this appears to be the biggest theater no one has ever heard of no? :–)