UA Lynbrook 6

321 Merrick Road,
Lynbrook, NY 11563

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Showing 126 - 150 of 207 comments

guitarteen226
guitarteen226 on January 3, 2008 at 5:53 pm

Mike,
Thanks for all the answers to the questions I had. Very sorry to hear about your last shift…
It will be ashame to see lynbrook 6 go…

thanks

xxlive9xx
xxlive9xx on January 3, 2008 at 3:56 am

well the heat is broken again, it was working for a few days…..anyway tonight was my last shift at this theatre. very sad

7traintoshea
7traintoshea on December 31, 2007 at 12:36 am

If you want heat, go to Grand Avenue, they usually play date except the seats are tight

Ed Solero
Ed Solero on December 27, 2007 at 2:11 am

No heat in the winter… and on several occasions this summer, there was no A/C. Yup. Definitely not a top priority for Regal. All maintenance deferred until absolutely needed, it seems! What a shame. I guess I still have some emotional attachment to this old dump and still hope that if Regal ever does pay attention to this old work-horse, that it will honor its long history by preserving the facade.

xxlive9xx
xxlive9xx on December 24, 2007 at 6:53 am

I feel like I’m working overtime on this site….anyway…
-If you ask a manager that is there more often than I am…they might help you out with a tour
-Regal can afford to rebuild…this is not a top priority anymore in their minds
-I guess preserving some of the building is possible. Would it be done? I doubt it.
-Lynbrook does get first run films…for some reason not the big ones as of late.
-No heat is a big deal…it has been fixed since. No excuses from me…

Mike (saps)
Mike (saps) on December 23, 2007 at 10:20 pm

Lynbrook only shows first run movies; new releases are split between the Fantasy in RVC and the Lynbrook. Art releases go to the Malverne.

I was here the other day to see Alvin and the Chipmunks. Full matinée prices ($8. adults, $7. kids) and there was NO HEAT in five of the six screens. “We’re waiting for the parts” said the young manager (not Mike) and yet they have the nerve to charge full price.

I love and want to preserve old theaters, but this is a shit-heap in need of some serious attention.

guitarteen226
guitarteen226 on December 23, 2007 at 8:06 pm

Mike here’s a tip. If Lynbrook got movies that come out more recently more Peole would go to lynbrook. What me and my friends do is we check were the movies playing. IF it isn’t in LYnbrook than we go to Rockville Center. I prefer to go to Lynbrook personally because it is right in town.

guitarteen226
guitarteen226 on December 23, 2007 at 8:04 pm

Mike, if I would have to do a video project could i possibly do it on the thearter, get a tour, etc..
is the closed down “Fantasy Play House” part of the theater?

Ed is also right if the building is structurally sound than some renavations could be done. also if they were to tear down the thearter and rebuild what would it do to traffic on Merrick Road?

If students can’t do the actual work than could they at least raise money for renevations? that is an equal opportunity for service hours.

Ed Solero
Ed Solero on December 13, 2007 at 10:29 am

At the very least, I would hope that some effort would be made to preserve and restore the handsome Merrick Rd facade. While original interior elements may have long ago vanished and would be unfeasible to restore for a gut and multiplex job, there is no reason why the original character of the Lynbrook’s exterior (which appears to be in very good shape) shouldn’t remain intact. Unless the structure itself is physically unstable, I don’t see why the entire building has to come down, Mike. As long as the foundation and outer walls are stout, the mission could be accomplished with a complete interior gutting down to the bare brick walls. This is how the Fantasy Theatre in Rockville Center was renovated – even though they needlessly mutilated the main exterior facade with the modernization. Better still is the example of the Midway Theatre in Forest Hills, Queens, where they pretty much preserved the integrity of the original facade, entrance foyer and lobby while gutting the auditorium space behind to carve out 9 modern and comfortable stadium style rooms – all within the original footprint of the old theatre.

xxlive9xx
xxlive9xx on December 13, 2007 at 4:06 am

Regal does not allow us to use community service workers. I would assume they consider it a liability if they aren’t on the books. Even so…the theatre needs to be a knockdown/buildup site…you can only go so long covering things up. It would be sad to see a historic theatre like the Lynbrook be torn down…I pretty much grew up there. However…it’s time to pull the plug.

guitarteen226
guitarteen226 on December 10, 2007 at 5:25 pm

Mike
well being manager of lynbrook you could probably answer this.
Students at ther highschool and middle schools need community service hours. if they’re in national honnor society they need more. Couldn’t students do some of the fixing up?
i know certain paints are lethal if inhaled and students wouldn’t be allowed to paint with it. if it isn’t an inhalent than students could paint, and do some other jobs right?

Ed Solero
Ed Solero on October 13, 2007 at 12:25 am

Saps, sad to say a little bit of both!

Mike (saps)
Mike (saps) on October 13, 2007 at 12:23 am

Is the theater a little tighter or are you a little wider?

Ed Solero
Ed Solero on October 10, 2007 at 10:28 pm

Thanks, 7train… When I was in #1 to see “The Simpsons Movie” over the summer, I thought the room seemed a little tighter than I recalled from the 1980’s, when I frequented the Lynbrook with regularity. The removal of seats results in the aisle now being somewhat left of center in relation to the screen.

7traintoshea
7traintoshea on October 9, 2007 at 11:32 pm

yes, seats were remove to accomadate the hallway. Theatre 1 lost about 100 seats. KS stands for Kintek Stereo, a cheaper sound system. The bad part it is mono in the front with stereo surround.

The only other location in Nassau that Kintek Stereo is AMC Nassau Metroplex screens 7 to 10

Ed Solero
Ed Solero on September 24, 2007 at 12:15 pm

I assume #1 is the left side of the old orchestra and #5 is the backstage theater which would make #6 the tiny storefront conversion that is off the front of the lobby. What does “KS” stand for?

Also… Were seats lost along the left side of theater 1 to accommodate the passageway to get to theater 5?

7traintoshea
7traintoshea on September 24, 2007 at 12:24 am

seating capacities at lynbrook
1. 312 dts/DS
2. 415 dts/DS
3. 240
4. 225
5. 202 KS
6. 120 KS

No Cupholders, 3 and 4 which are upstairs don’t have Dolby Stereo or digital sound and 5 and 6 which opened in 1989 only have Kintex Stereo

Rory
Rory on September 6, 2007 at 6:29 am

I lived in Hempstead when I was a kid in the sixties and I can remember going to the Lynbrook Theatre on Wednesday, May 28, 1969, to see a double feature of “Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines” and “Planet of the Apes.” Someone at Fox must have thought that would make a good pairing, the ads called it “The Perfect Mates! Apes and Men!” Anyway, “Men” started at 7 P.M. and since it was over two hours long — and had an Intermission! — “Apes” didn’t start until after 10 P.M. I remember my father wondering how I and my siblings were going to get up to go to school the next day. Since I was only nine back then, I can’t now recall the next day. But I do remember the Lynbrook at that occasion. It had a nice lobby and was a big theatre with a balcony. I vividly recall sitting in the center/front of the balcony. “Planet of the Apes” was — and still is — my favorite movie, so to see it like that was a great thrill. I’m sorry to read that the theatre eventually got divided up and is now in such bad shape, but that’s been the fate of most movie houses. Actually I’m surprised the Lynbrook is still standing!

Ed Solero
Ed Solero on September 3, 2007 at 12:28 am

This page on the Lynbrook Fire Department’s website recounts an incident from earlier this year when the theater’s popcorn machine suffered from technical difficulties. There are some photos of the lobby – and its depressing drop ceiling.

guitarteen226
guitarteen226 on September 2, 2007 at 5:37 pm

Well Ed I agree your right about the RVC Fantasy being the strongest competition. When the movies aren’t in Lynbrook me and my friends go to RVC. They usually have it if Lynbrook doesnt, we dont go to Green Acres cause of the shootings and stuff in the past, Malverne and Franklin Square are far for walking.

Mike I’m sure for some of the work such as painting possibly installing seats and whatnot can be done by students for community service hours. What ever happend to the Fantasy Playhouse? I don’t know how you could demolish that theartre. Like the Lynbrookteen dude pointed out it has alot of history. I too was up in the stage for some party years ago. The theatre has been around quite awhile. I’ve found pictures online www.lynbrookpba.org/OldLynbrook1.htm Check it out.

You do have a great staff Mike.

Ed Solero
Ed Solero on August 30, 2007 at 5:18 pm

By the way, I agree with Mike that the introductory comments above should probably be re-written – if only to present a more objective and historically minded intro. I think the thread of comments sufficiently bemoan the theater’s fall from stylish single screen playhouse to dissected and neglected plex.

Ed Solero
Ed Solero on August 30, 2007 at 5:06 pm

I often wonder if more locals would visit the Lynbrook if it were a more inviting and well kept place. Fixing that A/C will probably go a long way. Replacing the seats would be another. It’s not as if there are any more modern stadium-styled multiplexes in the area. I can’t imagine the Franklin Square theater being any more comfortable than the Lynbrook – and certainly its auditoriums are smaller than the Lynbrook’s four main rooms. Malverne is the same story – thought it has its own niche audience due to the more sophisticated offerings there. Sunrise Cinemas is a dinosaur from the late ‘70’s and both it and the nearby Green Acres likely suffer from an unfortunate racial stigma in the view of many Lynbrook residents.

The strongest competition to the Lynbrook probably comes from the Fantasy in RVC – which, again, offers no stadium-style comforts. The Fantasy probably has more parking spaces available, due to the large lot behind the stores across the street, so that gives it a definite edge. Is parking the big obstacle in gutting the Lynbrook for a stadium-plex refit?

Mike (saps)
Mike (saps) on August 30, 2007 at 4:15 pm

Mike, despite your corporate stance, you’re still a cutie-pie.

xxlive9xx
xxlive9xx on August 30, 2007 at 4:01 pm

My problem is the overall point of this website and what it should be and what it isnt. That blurb clearly is not needed in the sense that its vague. The problem as I have said with remodeling is the layout of the building. As well as the village of Lynbrook not willing to coperate with the needs of the theatre. Regal currently owns over 540 theatres…Lynbrook is not a prime location to take so much concern over. The industry itself isnt exactly thriving and the importance of building in other areas that would be more profitable should be the target for now. Granted I do agree that UA had negleted many of there theatres I believe Regal has a better idea of how to go about these older houses. Regal has closed the unproffitable Meadowbrook, sold Douglaston, closing Patchogue on 9/9/07, and the new Deer Park theatre will open soon. Lynbrook is still to some extent profitable and because of that I think they will do something with it. I respect you’re desire to keep open the older theatre’s and have them retrofitted…it just isnt as simple as it seems.

Ed Solero
Ed Solero on August 30, 2007 at 12:57 pm

Mike… I think the state of the Lynbrook itself speaks to the lack of attention UA paid this once proud theater. Those uncomfortably padded wooden seats I sat in to watch “The Simpsons” earlier this month are probably the very same seats in which I watched “1941” back in December of ‘79! It has been the experience of many here on CT that UA allowed a number of its theaters (mostly older single-screen nabes split into 2, 3 or 4 screens) to suffer wear and tear with minimal maintenance – at least here in the NYC area. However, I don’t think that Regal has been in control long enough to fairly pass judgment on their care of the theater.

Perhaps the comments should be adjusted to reflect the promise of new ownership. At least the A/C has been fixed and the burned-out lights on the marquee replaced! If you go to the “About Us” link at the top of any CT page, you can send a message to the CT editors via the “Contact Us” link there.