Paramount Theatre

560 Bay Street,
Staten Island, NY 10304

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Showing 126 - 150 of 241 comments

Vito
Vito on August 19, 2007 at 2:42 pm

Lost Memory, Thanks for that site. I enjoyed that walk down memory lane very much.

Vito
Vito on August 19, 2007 at 9:42 am

lost Memory, Gosh what a sad picture,
Do you or anyone else have any pictures from the days when the theatre was open? I used to have a great 8x10 shot of the marquee taken during the mid 40s, but I can’t find it any longer.

Vito
Vito on July 31, 2007 at 2:24 pm

Garth, the auditorium and stage area also had a lot of water damage due to a badly leaking roof. When I walked across the stage It creaked and felt like it was dangerous to walk on. The auditorium carpet was slighty damp and smelled of mildew. Water damage was also evident on the auditorium walls.

Garth
Garth on July 31, 2007 at 1:35 pm

vito yes the staircase was indeed intact but at the top were barriers preventing entry to the balcony. it looked like they had originally cleaned out the interior lobby , but they were now using it to store a large amount of used furniture they are selling. the person also told me all the buildings on the block had suffered water damage not long ago ,due to a street drainage problem.

Vito
Vito on July 31, 2007 at 1:25 pm

Garth, That guy actualy did you a favor in not letting you into the auditorium. It is a heart breaking site. I wish my last memories of the Paramount were not the ones I saw last time I visited that shell of what used to be. I believe the damage is worse now than when I visited last, is the staircase leading up to the balcony stil intact?

Garth
Garth on July 30, 2007 at 7:46 pm

for some odd reason they were recently selling used furniture out of the place. i pretended to be an interested buyer and talked my way into the interior lobby. it was a shambles as vito has said. i then told the gentleman i was a movie theatre enthusiast who had spent many hours there in my youth ,and would like to see the auditorium. however , he was having none of it…

Vito
Vito on December 5, 2006 at 5:06 am

Garth if you are talking about the black panels leading to the original lobby doors, they are security doors that have been there for a long time. I never see any work going on anymore, perhaps someday I will check around with the store front tenants to see what they may know. By the way, you are right, based on how the interior looked last time I was inside,it will never again be a theatre.

Garth
Garth on December 4, 2006 at 11:55 am

driving by the other day i noticed it looked like panel boards had been put up over some of the interior lobby doors , could they be fixing up the place? obviously it wouldnt be a theatre , but maybe they have some other use in mind?

DrAndy
DrAndy on November 23, 2006 at 6:03 pm

Also, this movie marathon was advertised in the SI Advance. Anyone that could provide this info? Thanks :)

DrAndy
DrAndy on November 23, 2006 at 6:02 pm

I am seeking information on the names of the movies highlighted during a film marathon at the Paramount Theatre during the late 60s or early 70s which offered $50 to anyone who could sit through all five movies without leaving the theatre. This was similar to the Mark of the Devil film that handed out vomit bags. These movies were VERY intense and probably were foreign films dubbed. Any info from a former usher or employee would be greatly appreciated :) I saw these movies when I was in grade school and the memories of the event are still subject of debate with my former Staten Island friends.
Thanks very much!

uncleal923
uncleal923 on November 13, 2006 at 8:19 pm

Oh, maybe they should reopen it for live theater and make another St. Georges.

uncleal923
uncleal923 on November 8, 2006 at 9:17 pm

Did they place aything inside the theater like a store, or offices?

Vito
Vito on October 22, 2006 at 8:57 am

Garth, you are correct, the sign referes to the empty store fronts.
I was told that some sort of apartment complex was planned for the area that was the Paramount theatre.
Oh yeah, just what Stapleton needs, Madness if you ask me.

Garth
Garth on October 22, 2006 at 8:13 am

NFH , thanks for the info but the asian bistro already exists at the corner end of the property (bay and union streets.) there is a new sign on the marquee stating “store and space for rent” but i would guess they refer to the adjacent areas (the former steckmann’s store) not the theatre itself. as vito said it is in deplorable condition …..

Vito
Vito on October 20, 2006 at 10:32 am

I would agree, but to be fair the biggest fault with the death of the Paramount has to be laid at the feet of the Steckman family, the previous owners. Their total ignorance of what was going on inside the theatre allowed tenants using the facility for concerts and a dance club to basically destroy it.
I know of two parties, including the owners of the St George, who were interested in saving the Paramount until they saw the horrible condition that it was in. As one gentlemen told me, “ the theatre is dead”
I toured the building several times between 1982 and 2002, and was appalled by the disrespect of that once grand theatre. I actually scolded one of the Steckman brothers for allowing the desecration to occur.

NativeForestHiller
NativeForestHiller on October 19, 2006 at 5:36 pm

I am not from Staten Island, so I am probably not the best source. However, I conducted a general search on the Department of Buildings website, and came across a possibility. The building is owned by Cheah Chung, and will most likely become Bay Street Asian Bistro. He can be reached at (718) 556 – 0480. I recommend clicking on the Job/ Filings link as well as the Permits in Processed/Issued links, when accessing:

View link

Shame on that unsympathetic owner for not restoring & adaptively reusing the theater in a way that respects its significance!!!

Garth
Garth on October 19, 2006 at 3:45 pm

whatever plans the owner has for the site , it seems to be taking forever. i pass by frequently and have seen no further activity. anyone have updates?….

uncleal923
uncleal923 on August 14, 2006 at 1:34 pm

Vito;
I went there, thanx

Vito
Vito on August 14, 2006 at 6:45 am

Gus, please see my post /theaters/3414/

uncleal923
uncleal923 on August 13, 2006 at 9:53 am

The ship did not yet sail on some other theaters if you may wish to save them. I know that the Lane on New Dorp Lane is still intact. However, many of you may have crossed the bridge or ferry to Brooklyn, where the Loew’s Kings is located. I can see the Lane as a revival house. I can see the Kings as a concert venue. What do you all think?

Garth
Garth on August 9, 2006 at 5:10 pm

jean i didnt realize it until i read your post but i believe you are right , the box office is gone. i’m gonna drive by tomorrow to check.

Jean
Jean on August 9, 2006 at 4:43 pm

Last week I went by the theatre too and noticed a gate was down. I believe the box office was missing too. Shame, shame, shame.

Garth
Garth on August 9, 2006 at 3:30 pm

the interior doors are now either open or gone altogether , and you can see the entire lobby thru the mesh gate. the only thing intact is the staircase leading up to the balcony. i’m still gonna try to get in there if i see the workers there. i don’t have a digital camera but anyone who does can contact me.

Garth
Garth on July 18, 2006 at 2:41 pm

gustave i have driven by the loews kings and read the postings on this website , most are not optimistic pointing out that it is in severely dilapidated condition. it also evidently is in a rough neighborhood. we were very lucky here with the st. george theatre restoration by mrs. rosemary and family. it would take someone with the same motivation (and funding) to restore the king’s….