Again .. I agree with you 110% .. I quoted “an old movie house” to illusrate the point that most might just look at this effort as simply that .. some nostalgic desire to bring back the “glory of Flushing” where the real desire should bem to quote you .. “revitalizing a significant community landmark and turning it into a local showcase and venue for live shows and cultural events”
I agree … perhaps it’s not necessarily the residents, now versus then, but a desire to maintain something culturally significant for the community as opposed to building restaurants and triket shops then there are people.
Again .. I don’t want to demean the curent residents of Flushing. These are very hard working and wonderful people .. I just don’t think restoring “an old movie house” is something that holds any interest to the community at large
Don’t know if this was covered here already. This is not meant to demean the Asian community in any way shape or form. The RKO Keith's
has ben closed long before the racial makeup of Flushing became significantly Asian. Many, if not most, don’t know the history of the theater let alone even frequented it when it was still opened. I think the reason that other theaters around the country have been restored could be because the same people and perhaps their children and their grandchildren still reside in the city, town etc.
If this were the case here, I think things might be different in that there would be a real chance for the Keiths to be restored to a functioning entertainment complex .. but since a great many of the current residents in and around Flushing have no common hisotry with the theater or the area as it once was, the theater is not likey ever to be restored to its former self.
Wow …. I can’t believe there is an entry here for the Beacon in LIC. I see that the last post here was back in 2005 so perhaps I am a bit late to keep up the momentum. I too lived in the “projects” from 1952 – 1962 until we moved to the very upscale neigborhood of College Point, Queens .. (kidding of course)… I then moved to Forest Hills and finally I bought a house in Bayside, Queens which is where I currently reside. I’ve come almost full circle in that I work for Citigroup in the LIC facility. Every now and then I take a ride in an around the “projects” when I am feeling a bit nostalgic. Those were truly the good old days. Entertainment was simple…
The only way I can ever see the complete restoration of the Keith’s is to create a way for the restored theatre to create revenue that will eventually pay for its restoration and then continue to make money for its owner(s)/investors. I simplistic perception, yes, but producing some sort of profit seems to be the only thing that mativates anyone who would invest in real estate in the first place.
In all seriousness folks… I read about another theatre on this site that has been restored to it’s nearly original condition. I beleive it was mentioned in these very postings. It’s the Loew’s Paradise theatre in The Bronx.
Questions: Who funded this restoration?
Why was it funded?
Was the theatre earmarked for some other purpose?
Was it granted landmark status, which could account for its restoration?
Is there enough revenue from the limited list of live shows, engagements and tours that will continue to support it existece and FINALLY..
Why the hell can’t a similar thing be done for the Keiths. (sort of already know the answer . but frustrated as hell)
The fourth listing above claims tat Murry The K held his rock and roll shows at the Keith’s theatre in Flushing NY and then goes on to say thaat Cream (Eric Clapton) performed here ….
WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG!!!!
Cream appeared at a Murry the K show I believe in 1967 at the RKO 58th (or 59th) street theartre in Manhattan. I remember the Who were on the same bill because I WAS THERE. I enjoy sites like this though we humans have memories that are sometimes subjective, even mine .. but I am absolutely certain that CREAM never played in FLushing NY. I grew up in College Point and wold have certainly gone to Flushing as opposed to Manhattan to see Cream or the Who
I just came upon this site quite by accident. Reading all these entries about the Prospect, Keith’s, Gloria’s, Master’s (bought the first beatle album there!) really takes me back. I know this site is dedicated to talking mostly about the bygone years of the great movie houses that are no more, but I can’t help think what has happened to Flushing in gerneral. Growing up in College point and now residing in Bayside, I am a diehard Queens resident. I see a little of the “asian” transformation in Bayside but not to the degree it has become in Flushing. I drive to work (LIC) but occasionally take the Q27 to Flish and then the 7. My God .. the smell of old fish and garbage exiting the bus is enough to knock me to the ground. Restaurant and after restaurant after restaurant. It’s astounding. Please .. don’t get me wrong. I think America is great because of all the ethnic groups that are here and contribute, but Flushing has become little more than a festuring pool of eateries and cheap goods. I suppose this is progress.
Again .. I agree with you 110% .. I quoted “an old movie house” to illusrate the point that most might just look at this effort as simply that .. some nostalgic desire to bring back the “glory of Flushing” where the real desire should bem to quote you .. “revitalizing a significant community landmark and turning it into a local showcase and venue for live shows and cultural events”
I agree … perhaps it’s not necessarily the residents, now versus then, but a desire to maintain something culturally significant for the community as opposed to building restaurants and triket shops then there are people.
Again .. I don’t want to demean the curent residents of Flushing. These are very hard working and wonderful people .. I just don’t think restoring “an old movie house” is something that holds any interest to the community at large
Don’t know if this was covered here already. This is not meant to demean the Asian community in any way shape or form. The RKO Keith's
has ben closed long before the racial makeup of Flushing became significantly Asian. Many, if not most, don’t know the history of the theater let alone even frequented it when it was still opened. I think the reason that other theaters around the country have been restored could be because the same people and perhaps their children and their grandchildren still reside in the city, town etc.
If this were the case here, I think things might be different in that there would be a real chance for the Keiths to be restored to a functioning entertainment complex .. but since a great many of the current residents in and around Flushing have no common hisotry with the theater or the area as it once was, the theater is not likey ever to be restored to its former self.
Wow …. I can’t believe there is an entry here for the Beacon in LIC. I see that the last post here was back in 2005 so perhaps I am a bit late to keep up the momentum. I too lived in the “projects” from 1952 – 1962 until we moved to the very upscale neigborhood of College Point, Queens .. (kidding of course)… I then moved to Forest Hills and finally I bought a house in Bayside, Queens which is where I currently reside. I’ve come almost full circle in that I work for Citigroup in the LIC facility. Every now and then I take a ride in an around the “projects” when I am feeling a bit nostalgic. Those were truly the good old days. Entertainment was simple…
The only way I can ever see the complete restoration of the Keith’s is to create a way for the restored theatre to create revenue that will eventually pay for its restoration and then continue to make money for its owner(s)/investors. I simplistic perception, yes, but producing some sort of profit seems to be the only thing that mativates anyone who would invest in real estate in the first place.
In all seriousness folks… I read about another theatre on this site that has been restored to it’s nearly original condition. I beleive it was mentioned in these very postings. It’s the Loew’s Paradise theatre in The Bronx.
Questions: Who funded this restoration?
Why was it funded?
Was the theatre earmarked for some other purpose?
Was it granted landmark status, which could account for its restoration?
Is there enough revenue from the limited list of live shows, engagements and tours that will continue to support it existece and FINALLY..
Why the hell can’t a similar thing be done for the Keiths. (sort of already know the answer . but frustrated as hell)
The fourth listing above claims tat Murry The K held his rock and roll shows at the Keith’s theatre in Flushing NY and then goes on to say thaat Cream (Eric Clapton) performed here ….
WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG!!!!
Cream appeared at a Murry the K show I believe in 1967 at the RKO 58th (or 59th) street theartre in Manhattan. I remember the Who were on the same bill because I WAS THERE. I enjoy sites like this though we humans have memories that are sometimes subjective, even mine .. but I am absolutely certain that CREAM never played in FLushing NY. I grew up in College Point and wold have certainly gone to Flushing as opposed to Manhattan to see Cream or the Who
I just came upon this site quite by accident. Reading all these entries about the Prospect, Keith’s, Gloria’s, Master’s (bought the first beatle album there!) really takes me back. I know this site is dedicated to talking mostly about the bygone years of the great movie houses that are no more, but I can’t help think what has happened to Flushing in gerneral. Growing up in College point and now residing in Bayside, I am a diehard Queens resident. I see a little of the “asian” transformation in Bayside but not to the degree it has become in Flushing. I drive to work (LIC) but occasionally take the Q27 to Flish and then the 7. My God .. the smell of old fish and garbage exiting the bus is enough to knock me to the ground. Restaurant and after restaurant after restaurant. It’s astounding. Please .. don’t get me wrong. I think America is great because of all the ethnic groups that are here and contribute, but Flushing has become little more than a festuring pool of eateries and cheap goods. I suppose this is progress.