Great article. Something tells me things are going to be different this time and, with the lead time we have and with Lou Lumenick giving this situation a voice in print in a major newspaper at such an early date (optimism… imagine that, coming from a New Yorker and a Mets fan, to boot :–), we CAN save the Beekman. I am busy with work and other side projects but anything I can do to help the cause, I’m willing to do…
Define irony: the banner I spotted hanging on a utility pole extension outside the Gaiety/Publix Theatre building (and, granted, these banners are posted throughout the area) while visiting family over the holidays, touting passersby presence in ‘Boston’s Historic Theatre District’. Interesting idea that, hanging one of those banners out front of a building so distinctly, at least in the eyes of Mayor Thomas Menino and the other supporters of the Kensington Place development, NOT a theatre…
For a time after the Charles triplex closed its doors, the removed seats from the upstairs auditorium were stacked and stored in its accompanying lobby.
One key reason why a movie theatre probably won’t be included in the newly redeveloped Charles River Plaza is the location of the Loews Boston Common Theatre at Tremont and Avery Streets. That venue was built where it was, besides being a prime location which draws from most parts of the city and of surrounding cities and towns (with the subway station across the street helping matters greatly), in order to dissuade competition from other chains – and to essentially accelerate the closing of its other, less luxurious Boston sites (i.e., the Cheri, the Copley Place, and the Nickelodeon). Given those circumstances, it’s unreasonable to expect another cinema, save for perhaps a multi-screen, all-stadium seating art house (and one, at that, which would be operated by a chain dedicated to such fare – i.e., Landmark), to be built within geographical range of the Boston Common.
Elie Samaha… to paraphrase Cindy Adams, only in Hollywood, kids, only in Hollywood. Considering the recent $77.1 million Intermedia judgement against him for inflating production budgets and, with few exceptions, the junk he produced in the deal his company, Franchise Pictures, had with Warner Bros., it’s amazing he still has any kind of positive reputation in town, but if you’re slick or slimy enough, sometimes you find a way to hold on, I suppose…
The Plaza is currently being booked by Cinema Services. I don’t recall their association with any theatre previously in the tri-state area or know if they’re affiliated with another service, such as Creative Entertainment, Lesser, etc.
During a visit to L.A. in March of ‘96, the Vine was open for business, showing double features at a $5 admission rate, and has been, according to the listings published in L.A. Weekly, as I recall, open since.
According to the web site of the NYC Landmarks Commission(http://www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/), the Landmarks Law (not sure if this is a city, state, or federal law) states that, to be designated, “a potential landmark must be at least 30 years old and must possess ‘a special character or special historical or aesthetic interest or value as part of the development, heritage, or cultural characteristics of the city, state, or nation.’” The general process includes the submittal of a Request for Evaluation form (http://www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/pdfs/designation/request_for_evaluation.pdf), accompanied by relevant material of the property (photos, slides, etc.) for which landmark designation is being sought; an evaluation of the submitted materials by an RFE committee, consisting of the Chairman of the Landmarks Commission, the Executive Director, the Chief of Staff, the Director of Research, and other agency staff members who evaluate the submitted material and subsequently make a determination of the request; a vote by the Designation Committee (consisting of five LC commissioners) should the request be deigned worthy of further consideration; and several additional steps, all of which are detailed on the main site’s FAQ page.
Sure, ‘someone’ could figure out how to build a tower around and above an existing building (and this WAS successfully done in the case of Symphony Space). The fact of the matter is, a good number of property owners are lazy, unimaginative, and cheap in the wrong places and, as a result, figure it’s just easier to demolish whatever property lies in the way of their grand plans and simply ignore the preceding public outcry. Maybe things will be different in the case of the Beekman – at least I sure in hell hope they are; it tears my heart out whenever I walk or pass by or near the former Sutton 1 & 2 site when I think of the greed that resulted in that particular theatre being reduced to a pile of rubble due to the whims and desires of one of the many bottom-line-obsessed real estate developers who only see and dream in the color green – and, maybe if we have enough lead time, they CAN be different; we’ll just have to see… and act as soon and as effectively and cohesively as possible…
What horrific news, especially in the wake of all the recent (i.e., within the last 7-10 years) Midtown East movie theatre shutterings; does anyone know who the landlord for the Beekman (and the entire block, for that matter) is?
I can’t recommend ‘Bad Education’ more highly – Almodovar is the one European director working today most boldly carrying on the tradition of filmmaker artists such as Fellini and Bunuel, directors who entertained us with their visual feasts, striking characters, and brilliant, multilayered storylines. ‘Bad Education’ is only the most recent example of Almodovar’s continually evolving, intoxicating purview and it’s nothing short of a stunning treat.
There are obviously some great, clued-in business owners but, more often than not, it’s the day-to-day staff of a business who’s far more aware of what the public wants and responds to, but unfortunately they’re not the ones with the capital and the resultant clout and, inevitably, the staff (and the customers) suffer. Hopefully, with the current outcry, the Nasser family will catch on before long…
The David closed during or not long after the initial shutdown of adult businesses in the city in the late ‘90s; I’m not sure what, if anything, is presently occupying that space.
What new theatre did the Public get after the collapse of the Selwyn? The present operator and, if I’m not mistaken, owner of the American Airlines Theater built on the site of the Selwyn is the Roundabout Theater Company. Also, did at least part of the Selwyn’s interior survive the collapse? Seeing a play there a couple of years ago, I spotted at least a few architectural elements within the auditorium which seemed something less than modern. Were those merely removed, preserved, and reinstalled in the rebuild/new construction or was every original element lost?
I very much suspect the State has officially been converted into and reopened as retail space, Jonathan; my suggestion would be to look elsewhere. Best of luck…
Great article. Something tells me things are going to be different this time and, with the lead time we have and with Lou Lumenick giving this situation a voice in print in a major newspaper at such an early date (optimism… imagine that, coming from a New Yorker and a Mets fan, to boot :–), we CAN save the Beekman. I am busy with work and other side projects but anything I can do to help the cause, I’m willing to do…
I meant to type…
When the events of January 17, 1992 – which Ron made reference to in his post earlier today – occurred, the Beacon Hill was part of the Loews chain.
When the events of January 17, 1992 – which Ron made reference to in his post earlier today, the Beacon Hill was part of the Loews chain.
For a time in the 1980s, the Modern Theatre auditorium was used after hours as storage space for Downtown Crossing vendor pushcarts.
The CVS Pharmacy which is part of the Ritz-Carlton Towers/Millenium Place occupies roughly the same patch of land where the State Theatre once stood.
Define irony: the banner I spotted hanging on a utility pole extension outside the Gaiety/Publix Theatre building (and, granted, these banners are posted throughout the area) while visiting family over the holidays, touting passersby presence in ‘Boston’s Historic Theatre District’. Interesting idea that, hanging one of those banners out front of a building so distinctly, at least in the eyes of Mayor Thomas Menino and the other supporters of the Kensington Place development, NOT a theatre…
For a time after the Charles triplex closed its doors, the removed seats from the upstairs auditorium were stacked and stored in its accompanying lobby.
One key reason why a movie theatre probably won’t be included in the newly redeveloped Charles River Plaza is the location of the Loews Boston Common Theatre at Tremont and Avery Streets. That venue was built where it was, besides being a prime location which draws from most parts of the city and of surrounding cities and towns (with the subway station across the street helping matters greatly), in order to dissuade competition from other chains – and to essentially accelerate the closing of its other, less luxurious Boston sites (i.e., the Cheri, the Copley Place, and the Nickelodeon). Given those circumstances, it’s unreasonable to expect another cinema, save for perhaps a multi-screen, all-stadium seating art house (and one, at that, which would be operated by a chain dedicated to such fare – i.e., Landmark), to be built within geographical range of the Boston Common.
Elie Samaha… to paraphrase Cindy Adams, only in Hollywood, kids, only in Hollywood. Considering the recent $77.1 million Intermedia judgement against him for inflating production budgets and, with few exceptions, the junk he produced in the deal his company, Franchise Pictures, had with Warner Bros., it’s amazing he still has any kind of positive reputation in town, but if you’re slick or slimy enough, sometimes you find a way to hold on, I suppose…
The Plaza is currently being booked by Cinema Services. I don’t recall their association with any theatre previously in the tri-state area or know if they’re affiliated with another service, such as Creative Entertainment, Lesser, etc.
During a visit to L.A. in March of ‘96, the Vine was open for business, showing double features at a $5 admission rate, and has been, according to the listings published in L.A. Weekly, as I recall, open since.
According to the web site of the NYC Landmarks Commission(http://www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/), the Landmarks Law (not sure if this is a city, state, or federal law) states that, to be designated, “a potential landmark must be at least 30 years old and must possess ‘a special character or special historical or aesthetic interest or value as part of the development, heritage, or cultural characteristics of the city, state, or nation.’” The general process includes the submittal of a Request for Evaluation form (http://www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/pdfs/designation/request_for_evaluation.pdf), accompanied by relevant material of the property (photos, slides, etc.) for which landmark designation is being sought; an evaluation of the submitted materials by an RFE committee, consisting of the Chairman of the Landmarks Commission, the Executive Director, the Chief of Staff, the Director of Research, and other agency staff members who evaluate the submitted material and subsequently make a determination of the request; a vote by the Designation Committee (consisting of five LC commissioners) should the request be deigned worthy of further consideration; and several additional steps, all of which are detailed on the main site’s FAQ page.
Sure, ‘someone’ could figure out how to build a tower around and above an existing building (and this WAS successfully done in the case of Symphony Space). The fact of the matter is, a good number of property owners are lazy, unimaginative, and cheap in the wrong places and, as a result, figure it’s just easier to demolish whatever property lies in the way of their grand plans and simply ignore the preceding public outcry. Maybe things will be different in the case of the Beekman – at least I sure in hell hope they are; it tears my heart out whenever I walk or pass by or near the former Sutton 1 & 2 site when I think of the greed that resulted in that particular theatre being reduced to a pile of rubble due to the whims and desires of one of the many bottom-line-obsessed real estate developers who only see and dream in the color green – and, maybe if we have enough lead time, they CAN be different; we’ll just have to see… and act as soon and as effectively and cohesively as possible…
What horrific news, especially in the wake of all the recent (i.e., within the last 7-10 years) Midtown East movie theatre shutterings; does anyone know who the landlord for the Beekman (and the entire block, for that matter) is?
My best advice would be to e-mail Landmark at and see what they can do about getting a copy to you.
The David Cinema was actually located at 236 W. 54th Street; its former space is presently occupied by the upscale Divine Bar West lounge club.
An unfortunate incident outside the UA Midway 9 the other night: View link
The official web site of the New Metro Twin: http://www.metrobroadway.com
I can’t recommend ‘Bad Education’ more highly – Almodovar is the one European director working today most boldly carrying on the tradition of filmmaker artists such as Fellini and Bunuel, directors who entertained us with their visual feasts, striking characters, and brilliant, multilayered storylines. ‘Bad Education’ is only the most recent example of Almodovar’s continually evolving, intoxicating purview and it’s nothing short of a stunning treat.
There are obviously some great, clued-in business owners but, more often than not, it’s the day-to-day staff of a business who’s far more aware of what the public wants and responds to, but unfortunately they’re not the ones with the capital and the resultant clout and, inevitably, the staff (and the customers) suffer. Hopefully, with the current outcry, the Nasser family will catch on before long…
What a knock-out of a theatre; why didn’t it survive?
That’s what I imagined; thanks for the confirmation, saps.
The David closed during or not long after the initial shutdown of adult businesses in the city in the late ‘90s; I’m not sure what, if anything, is presently occupying that space.
What new theatre did the Public get after the collapse of the Selwyn? The present operator and, if I’m not mistaken, owner of the American Airlines Theater built on the site of the Selwyn is the Roundabout Theater Company. Also, did at least part of the Selwyn’s interior survive the collapse? Seeing a play there a couple of years ago, I spotted at least a few architectural elements within the auditorium which seemed something less than modern. Were those merely removed, preserved, and reinstalled in the rebuild/new construction or was every original element lost?
I very much suspect the State has officially been converted into and reopened as retail space, Jonathan; my suggestion would be to look elsewhere. Best of luck…
I agree with Warren. Given all encompassed within the Public complex, titling this entry the Little Theatre would be far more appropriate.