Comments about Brooklyn's Loews Kings to be restored

Showing 7 comments

markp
markp on February 10, 2010 at 4:51 am

LuisV, I know you go around a lot and seem to be able to find out info on a lot of theatres. If you are ever in Elizabeth N.J. can you try to find out what is going on with the Ritz Theatre. I was going there for about 3 years up till the end of 2008 when I had a serious car accident. I have lost all my contacts and work prohibits me any time to go there. This is another 2760 seat beauty that has been completely restored. And I am so glad that after 30+ years the Kings day has finally come.

JodarMovieFan
JodarMovieFan on February 9, 2010 at 9:55 pm

So I gather the neighborhood has deteriorated into a drug dealing, gang infested neighborhood. That is a good thing. I remember when Barbra Streisand gave her comeback concert in ‘94 or so, she made mention of this theater and falling in love with Marlon Brando and a candy called a melarose(?).
Assuming the theater keeps its 3K plus seating, where do people park?

TLSLOEWS
TLSLOEWS on February 9, 2010 at 12:20 am

Good news at last All the LOEWS WONDER THEATRES will be used in some way and not torn down.

LuisV
LuisV on February 8, 2010 at 6:23 pm

This WILL happen. The city has been working on this since 2006. I was present for two of the tours that the city conducted while soliciting RFP’s for the restoration and though there is a lot of damage, it is in much better condition than The New Amsterdam was when Disney undertook its restoration into the spectacular theater we have today. NY1 (a local cable news channel) had a live on site interview this morning with the head of the NY Economic Develpment Corporation. He said it was fully funded and will employ up to 500 people through the resoration period and 50 permanently after it’s done.

The surrounding area is a middle class area primarily consisting of private houses and low rise apartment buildings (6 stories). It is primarily West Indian I believe, but Flatbush Avenue is a thriving retail strip though the retail tends to be lower end. However, there are few empty storefronts, except of course, for the eyesore of the Kings. Sears has a store about 2 blocks away.

This will be a great catalyst for this neighborhood.

shoeshoe14
shoeshoe14 on February 8, 2010 at 6:15 pm

It’s a bustling neighborhood thoroughfare in the sense of foot and car traffic. The shops, not so much and the neighborhood is iffy. There are big boxes around the corner though.

JodarMovieFan
JodarMovieFan on February 7, 2010 at 4:22 am

The pics of the interior still look ornate and grand. What is the surrounding neighborhood like? I’m a non-New Yorker and am curious.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short on February 5, 2010 at 4:34 pm

This is great news. But file this one under the category of: I will believe it when I see it. I see many potential hurdles to clear before the Kings can open again.