RKO Keith's Theatre

Jeffrey1955 on April 5, 2009 at 7:09 am

Wo! Sorry — since CT wiped out all the automatic notifications about responses to selected theaters, I haven’t gotten a single message. I just decided to check in here and found this!

My comment on 8/14/08 was in response to the article linked to by Lost Memory directly above it. I just checked and the link still works. It’s an article in The Real Deal, a real estate industry publication, from 05/29/08: “Massey Knakal lists RKO site in Flushing for $31 million” and all it says about the mortgage is: “Boymelgreen took out an additional $13.4 million mortgage against the property in April, according to city property records. The company did immediately not return calls for comment.” Scroll up and click on Lost Memory’s 8/14/08 link to see the full story, or try this: http://tinyurl.com/cjfz6b

SWCphotography on March 25, 2009 at 7:31 pm

Anyone know how to get in touch with Jeffrey1955 regarding the 3/24/09 question posted above, anyone else know the answer?

ejtracey3 on March 24, 2009 at 9:20 pm

Warren G Harris and others:

We are in need of photos for the website. Is anyone in posession of photos that they would be willing to give permission for us to use? Inside as well as outside.

Even if you don’t own them, but aware of their wherabouts, that would be awesome!

We are also in the process of incorporating and putting together a 501c3. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Anywhere you know of that we could go to for grants, etc.. We are also looking for a 501c3 that we could “piggyback” on til ours is up and running. We want to do this right the first time, and do it quickly! Please email me at with any info or pics. Thanks.

SWCphotography on March 24, 2009 at 8:12 am

1955 Jeff:
Could you shed a little more light on this:
“Boymelgreen took out an additional $13.4 million mortgage against the property in April? And people wonder why there’s a sub-prime mortgage crisis!
posted by Jeffrey1955 on Aug 14, 2008 at 11:40am"
Who was the lender, how did you find out?

Panzer65 on March 21, 2009 at 12:48 pm

TStathes,
Nice work, very interesting and enjoyable..I hope this gets the ball rolling on restoration efforts.Good luck!

TStathes on March 20, 2009 at 12:10 am

A new video I’ve put together-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7KKlprF-ow

ejtracey3 on March 18, 2009 at 6:57 pm

Thanks Davebazooka! That’s the NY Daily news Article that ran today, 3/18/09. More to come this week in the news – keep watching!

Luis Vazquez on March 17, 2009 at 7:33 pm

This ran is last week’s issue of The Real Deal which is the New York real estate industry’s bible publication:

Group forms to protect historic building

RKO Keith’s Theater

A grassroots organization, “Friends of the RKO Keith’s Flushing,” has formed to protect the RKO Keith’s building, a former movie theater. The building, at 135-27 Northern Boulevard in Flushing, is for sale after the current owner failed to develop the site into a planned luxury condominium. But a profitable sale of the property is unlikely, the group said in a statement. The group, which has over 1,000 members, hopes to preserve the building and find a use for it that fits with its past role as a theater. TRD

Jeffrey1955 on March 15, 2009 at 12:31 am

Ed, you’ve done a fantastic job. Sorry I wasn’t able to make it down to the meeting.

ejtracey3 on March 14, 2009 at 3:39 am

Flushing ’s Landmark RKO Keith’s Theatre is once again in the spotlight, an amazing, 23 years after its closure. This is the result of a bursting of the real estate bubble and the formation of a grassroots organization “Friends of the RKO Keith’s Flushing ,” which managed to gather an also amazing 1,000+ membership in the first week of its conception. Formed one short month ago, by members of the Facebook Group. The group has tapped into a wellspring of interest, extending beyond Flushing ’s boundaries, to include former residents and many others, who have attended graduations, dance classes, concerts or saw classic films at the theatre, in addition to current residents who see the potential of this venue. All this suggesting that the former show palace represents something much more than just another inert landmark. The building is now for sale again ($24 million) after the failure by the current owner to develop the site as a 19 story luxury condominium. Faced with the reality of a lasting and depressed real estate market, the survival of any developer is questionable and the sale of this property at a profit is extremely unlikely. Flushing may be left holding a foreclosed property, with little to show for those 23 years of vacancy. Ironically, among Flushing’s landmarks: The Bowne House, Quaker Meeting House (being restored), Kingsland Homstead, Latimer House and Town Hall, only the RKO site and shell structure has the location and size as is to become a revenue generating event center. The “Friends of the RKO Keith’s Flushing ” seek to preserve the entire building and give it a purpose in keeping with its storied past.

To join the Facebook Group:
View link

To join the MySpace Page:
http://www.myspace.com/rkokeithstheater

Many thanks to the people who made this happen. You know who you are!

Moiselover on February 24, 2009 at 10:21 pm

This is Mr. Tracy’s note for the meeting to save our beloved theater:

Please join him if you can:

With this renewed sense of enrgy and enthusiasm, a meeting is scheduled for Friends of The RKO Keith’s Flusshing:

Saturday March 7th, 2009
12:00 noon – 2:00 pm
St John Vianney Parish Hall
140-10 34th Ave, Flushing –
Parking Lot on Corner of 35th Avenue and Union Street

There is a $100 donation which I am paying (gladly) – if anyone would like to chip in, feel free. No pressure to do so.

A few things we hope to cover during the meeting:

1- Status of the theater and a brief history of where it is today
2- History of The Committee to Save The RKO Keith’s Flushing, Inc.
3- Purpose of the committee, “friends of The RKO Keith’s"
4- Formulate game plan for future endeavors to save the Keith’s: Fundraising, Marketing. Non-profit status, Community Awareness, Preservation Group awareness &
Involvement, Media awareness and involvement.
5- Formation of sub-committees to carry out our mission of saving the RKO Keith’s.

I hope that we can have at least 100 supporters there. Please forward this to everyone you know. I realize many are involved other groups – churches, associations, non-profits, etc. – I would ask you to spread this information to those groups as well if for no other reason than to make them aware.

I am meeting the morning before with some of the key people involved from the beginning to give me a better sense of what we’re up against. This is by far, no small task. But I believe it is not impossible.

I will also add this event to the Facebook group page and the new MySpace page. Please forward this to all as well:

Our new MYSpace page – http://www.MySpace.com/rkokeithstheater

The Facebook Group Page for The RKO Keith’s: View link

Go to /theaters/834/ for info on The RKO Keith’s and its supporters.

Please! Everyone sign this petition:
View link

I’m looking forward to meeting everyone on Saturday the 7th. Please confirm your attendance so we can have enough chairs. Feel free to email me with questions or suggestions for additional things to cover during the meeting. I will be flying in on Wednesday the 5th, so I will be available and in town that afternoon.

If you cannot make the meeting, but would like to help in some way, please email me at

See you there,

Ed Tracey

NativeForestHiller on February 20, 2009 at 7:34 am

Hi everyone! I have created a flickr photoset (album) documenting the RKO Keith’s Theatre from its early days through present, and I am seeking photos, vintage ads, and any type of memorabilia, which will further the case for preservation & adaptive reuse. The album also includes a link to Ed Tracey’s newly established growing Facebook Group, and a link to Tom Stathes' online petition drive: View link
If you have something to contribute, please e-mail me at and I will gladly grant credit.

• Michael Perlman