Lane Theatre

168 New Dorp Lane,
Staten Island, NY 10306

Unfavorite 10 people favorited this theater

Showing 1 - 25 of 110 comments

ridethectrain
ridethectrain on November 14, 2021 at 3:03 pm

Please update, theatre closed for showing movies on February 22, 1990 with Courage Mountain and Stanley and Iris

CrossroadsNY
CrossroadsNY on October 24, 2014 at 1:32 pm

The Lane Theater has been our Church home since March of 2012. If you’re local, we invite you to come check out the theater in person.

You can also see some current images of the Lane Theater on our website, www.crossroadsny.org

dfc
dfc on May 25, 2014 at 2:19 pm

Latest thing on the Lane is the “New Dorp Lane Merchants Group”. An LDC is being formed to address local issues like the muni-meters.

jimmyhank
jimmyhank on August 27, 2013 at 8:16 pm

I remember being about five years old and seeing King Kong in this theater back in early 1977. Great memories seeing my first horror film on the big screen. Remember the lobby having a poster of Kong right after Christmas and they had the ape holding a candy cane and wearing a Christmas hat. Thanks again MattGlynn for reminding me of this theater.

Garth
Garth on November 6, 2012 at 8:07 am

It has been a church for some time now.

Vito
Vito on November 6, 2012 at 2:37 am

Ah yes the good ole Empire; in the newspaper ads they used to call it the theatre with the perfect sound what ever that meant :) I wonder what the Liberty site is now?

Garth
Garth on November 5, 2012 at 8:45 pm

I agree. The Empire has also been restored as a church , from the looks of the renovated facade.

Vito
Vito on November 5, 2012 at 9:39 am

Thanks for that info, having cut my teeth in the business at that theatre working for Moses in the 50s it means a great deal to me to see the building survive in some capacity or another

Garth
Garth on November 5, 2012 at 5:59 am

The marquee is the same except uncle vinnies sign has been removed. Any furniture had been temporarily removed from the Orchestra to store storm relief supplies. Large tables were st up in the lobby to allow victims to choose from the supplies.The balcony had all new seats.The small stage is still there.

Vito
Vito on November 5, 2012 at 2:29 am

How does thr signage outside look marquee etc? Uncle Vinnie had put tables an chairs in the orchestra level and a small stage is that the same?

Garth
Garth on November 4, 2012 at 6:36 pm

I stopped into the church today as they were giving out supplies to storm victims. The Uncle Vinnie’s people did a fantastic job renovating the theatre, and it is being well maintained by Crossroads church.

mattglynn
mattglynn on October 23, 2012 at 1:21 pm

KING KONG 1977. HALLOWEEN II Opening Night Friday Oct.30, 1981. FIRST BLOOD 1982 . ROCKY IV 1985.

Garth
Garth on March 14, 2012 at 7:29 am

Movieswithdad thank you for that update. That is good news for the theatre and for New Dorp Lane. At least the theatre will be maintained and put to good use.

Movieswithdad
Movieswithdad on March 13, 2012 at 12:24 pm

The Lane Theatre is now Crossroads Church.

dfc
dfc on July 30, 2011 at 2:22 pm

The situation on the Lane has improved a little. Slightly fewer vacancies. But I think the Lane Theater will once again be vacant for a long time.

Garth
Garth on June 10, 2011 at 12:04 pm

Agreed ,Italian. Recall how the city crucified Mrs.Rosemary when she was restoring the St.George. It was a miracle she pulled it off , probably only because there were some political heavyweights in her rolodex. If she had been left at the mercy of city agencies the theatre would still be closed today.

SI_Italian16
SI_Italian16 on June 10, 2011 at 11:35 am

Garth, I do agree with some of your points. As far as the parking, New Dorp Lane isn’t any worse than Point Pleasant in the middle of the summer. Also, as you mentioned Point Pleasant is a resort/vacation area, but I was at the Point Pleasant club on a Saturday night in January and the first show was sold out and when I left, there was a line down the street for the 2nd show with the sidewalks covered with snow and ice. It wasn’t even a big name comedian. I hope Staten Island can get our landmarked theatres up and running again, but I don’t think anyone can get them were they need to be again. If this club didn’t work out at the Lane, I think the only thing that will work there is another dance club and we all know how that turned out years ago. Very sad.

Vito
Vito on June 10, 2011 at 9:23 am

garth I agree abut the economy and the Paramount my other concern was if anyone would have ventured into Stapelton which is in such decay; plus parking which would be a problem with the lot across the street now gone. Charley Zerrilli and Peter Lisi tried their best especially Peter who was so passionate about the theatre.

Garth
Garth on June 10, 2011 at 8:27 am

I had a feeling the old gal would become a money pit! Hate to say it Vito but maybe it’s better the owner cut his losses. I just don’t see how the place would have thrived in this economy. A poster mentioned that Uncle Vinnies in Point Pleasent still does well but that is in a resort/vacation area where people go for entertainment.

Vito
Vito on June 10, 2011 at 7:21 am

Garth the folks at the Paramount underestimated the cost of bringing the theatre up to code. It became a run a way train with everyday something else to buy or install. Sad becasue as you wrote they had made quite a bit of progress in encluding getting that wonderful old marquee to light up again.

Garth
Garth on June 10, 2011 at 7:09 am

SI Italian , while I agree with your disappointment over the failure of Uncle Vinnies , I think we have to realize that the past 2 years have been a very tough time to open a business. When it was first announced I wished the owners well , but I did state concerns over the economy,and the lack of parking in the area. As you pointed out there are many shuttered businesses on the Lane , and on Hylan Blvd. as well. The same goes for the owners of the Paramount , who put so much into renovating that theatre only to see their catering business / entertainment hall never even get off the ground.

SI_Italian16
SI_Italian16 on June 10, 2011 at 6:45 am

This is really sad about the Lane shutting down once again. I have been a Staten Islander my entire life. I have been to Uncle Vinnie’s Comedy Club in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ numerous times over the years and once they opened the new location at the Lane I was excited to be able to go to a comedy club in my immediate area and was able to go there numerous times as well. I hate the bad rap Staten Islanders get, but sometimes we bring it on ourselves. The lack of support the community gave Uncle Vinnie’s is really distriburbing to me. The place in Point Pleasant is always packed even in the non-summer months and the same level of talent was put in the Staten Island location if not better. I saw some before and after pictures and the owners took a fallen down disgusting building and turned it into something beautiful again. Staten Island, we need to WAKE UP!!! I drove past New Dorp Lane the other day and there are more businesses closed than open. If we don’t support our own local businesses, then we will truly be New York’s forgotten borough. We need to stop with supporting ignorant TV shows like ‘Mob Wives’ that make our borough look even worse. Congrats Staten Island. You lost a quality business once again to New Jersey.

Garth
Garth on April 20, 2011 at 1:37 pm

I just called the Jersey club where a rep confirmed that the S.I. club has indeed gone under. Since it’s been fully renovated , could it possibly become a restaurant or other venue? I’d hate to see it fall into disrepair again.

Garth
Garth on April 20, 2011 at 1:17 pm

Sorry to hear it , but I did predict it in my old posts. Is The Paramount plan also dead in the water?

dfc
dfc on April 20, 2011 at 8:55 am

I walked by the Lane Theater this morning and it looks like Uncle Vinny’s has closed. The Uncle Vinny’s name is off the marquee and all the coming performances posters have been taken down. Must have been a sudden decision because they were advertising April and May comedy acts last week. No ‘For Rent’ signs yet.