Kings Theatre
1027 Flatbush Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11226
1027 Flatbush Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11226
82 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1,051 - 1,075 of 1,558 comments
There is a saying, “If people knew better, they would do better.”
It is quite discouraging to know that the Kings has been closed for more than 25 years and those who have claimed to have taken care of it, allowed the Kings to fall into such disrepair.
At the very least, the Kings should have been properly maintained and looked after. The exterior, interior and the windows are filthy. This belief that some people have that let’s sit back and wait for someone with deep pockets to save the Kings has not worked. If the Kings was looked after, maybe it would be in similar shape to another Rapp & Rapp theater: Uptown, in Chicago, ILL. More important, the community where the Uptown is located wants to see it saved. The community were the Kings is has no emotionally attachment because no one has taken the time to make this an agenda. How can we save a theater unless the local commuity is part of restoration of it? These are the same people that will be attending this theater. The Kings could have been used for graduations, weddings, local gatherings, filming, and the list is endless. Instead, it has been left to rot.
Why weren’t the stores next to the Kings being rented and that income used to help maintain the Kings? Every other store front on Flatbush Ave. is being used. This also would have meant more people would have had contact with the Kings.
Anyone who has seen the TV Special: Memories of a Movie Palace will remember the former manager of the Kings when she broke down crying upon seeing the Kings in 1979. Can you imagine her reaction if she were to see the Kings today??? It is infurating to know that this Palace was allowed to fall into such a deporable state.
This is the reason why my friend and I had a meeting with the Brooklyn Borough President’s assistant. We offered to volunteer our time and money in order to help to save the Kings.
The theater itself could be a part of the revitalzation of the Flatbush area by getting the community members involved with the cleanup and restoration work. This should have begun 25 years ago. However, it is not too late.
We have to be proactive. This means voicing your opinions with the legislators in Brooklyn, NY to at least stablize the Kings. Also, coming up with solutions so that the Kings can thrive in the area it is located.
We may also have to make concessions, if you want to see the Kings survive the next couple of years. I would rather see the Kings be stablized and in the conditon that the Majestic in downtown Brooklyn, NY is in, than be razed.
Lance, there is a committee to save the Kings, and its led by the person on this message board called bruce1. If you can’t find his email on here, let me know using this board.
Recently, I went to see the Loew’s Kings and what I saw was worse than I expected. Although, the Kings still looks majestic, time is starting to take a toll on her. The front of the building is fithy and the windows do not look like they have been cleaned since it closed. When I looked into the lobby windows there was water damage along the ceiling and it appears to be extremely dirty.
Several people approached me asking about the Kings. They wanted to see the Kings saved believing that it would be an asset to their neighborhood. Also, every store front in the surrounding area of the Kings on Flatbush Ave. with the exception of the Kings building and the attached store fronts are being utilized. This clearly gives the reader some indication that it is profitable to have on a business on Flatbush Ave in Brooklyn, New York.
My friend and I had a meeting with the Brooklyn Borough President’s Assistant, who confirmed that Mr. Markowitz’s indeed is interested in saving the Loew’s Kings. However, there is the fact that it would take about 60 million dollars to restore the Kings. Where is the money going to come from? Mr. Markowitz’s office is open to suggestions. Please remember, at the present time, the Kings can be saved if we use our resources to save it. However, in the next couple of years, the damage maybe too great and the Kings would be the only Wonder Theater that could possible be razed!!!
Gustave, Uptown is a neighborhood of Chicago, therefore the college is there.
I forgot to add to my other comments that we are winning another poll. Which one of theses theaters in New York City should be restored?
http://cinematreasures.org/polls/79
Jim;
A committee has been formed to save the Kings. Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz is interested in the project.
Where is this college located?
This item was sent out to those who signed the Chicago UPTOWN’s petition on the CompasRose web site:
“The following news blurbs come from the Uptown Adviser, the Friends of the Uptown newsletter (visit their Web site at www.uptowntheatre.com)::)
For your cinematic pleasureâ€"One Night Only!
Memoirs of a Movie Palace and Uptown Community Portrait 2005
to be screened at Friends/Truman College event
6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, 2005, Truman College
“Memoirs of a Movie Palace” will be screened at Truman College, 1134 W. Wilson Ave., in Uptown. The venue is Novar Hall, where seating is limited. This is a very special screening of a very difficult to find movie. “Uptown Community Portrait 2005,” a short cinema verite documentary, will precede the feature film.
“Memoirs,” a 1979 independent film, tells the story of a theatre very similar to the Uptown: The LOEW’S KINGS THEATRE, in Brooklyn, N.Y., which also remains closed without a plan for reuse. The film was shot on location as the KINGS was being closed in the late 1970s. If someone had the foresight to shoot a movie in the UPTOWN (minus the Brooklyn accents!), we would have a very similar document, with the same kinds of memories recalled and sentiments expressed.
Your attendance as a “Friend” of the Uptown is important to our efforts and goals. As major stabilization work is ongoing at the theatre building, it is a good time for us to network and get to know each other!
Donations will be accepted in lieu of a fixed admission ticket price. Truman officials said that we may park in any of the adjacent Truman parking lots (driveway located on Broadway through the McJunkin Building). Entrance to the Truman building itself will be through the easternmost doors located on the Wilson Avenue side (north elevation). Staff will direct you from there.
***"
The fame of the KINGS and its documentary is spreading, and if you are not in the New York area and have not seen this documentary, this may be your chance, especially if you have wanted to see some of Chicago’s remaining palaces as a side trip. Bon Voyage!
World War II may have still been going on but Bob and Bing had them laughing at the Kings with “Road to Moroco” plus “Henry Aldrich Editor”. The same show also day and dated at the Pitkin
View link
To all of the recent posters on the Kings…. Even though the Jersey IS opened and showing movies and featuring other events. it is by no means complete.It still is a “Work in Progress” and still hase some rough edges.It will be many years until it is restored to its former glory, but the important thing is the fact that it IS open and people seem to be supporting it.Was there on 10-9 for “Monty Python and the Holy Grail' and "Dr Strangelove> and there was a pretty large audience for this show.While Kings preservationists will probably get no support from the Jersey management, it still can be a case in point reference to anybody pitching a revival of this theater.There is no reason why a classic film venue cannot flourish in Brooklyn, so lets start to concentrate on the positive reasons for re-opening the "Loews of Loews”
Actually the roof was fixed a few years ago. I am going to suggest to the head of the committee that they hold a rally. I am also on the committee to save the Trylon in Rego Park, Queens. They are planning a rally on the 27th.
It is heartening to hear that the roof has, at last, been fixed, but let us not delude ourselves that there is not much damage. It will cost a large fortune indeed. Just to hire the guys to trap/kill all the birds and wildlife in there will costs tens of thousands, and that must be done before it is safe for workers to work in there. I am a great admirer of the KINGS, but I wonder if it was not the enormous task ahead that finally stopped that once proposed rehab into multicinemas by that athlete’s group. Let us give the committee all the encouragement they need. But let us be realistic about the vast job ahead. Those photos give only a glimpse into the large scale of the place; there are dozens of places not shown that also will require expensive renovation if not actual restoration.
The roof has been fixed, and they may need to get rid of the water damage. I haven’t been in the theater since I was young so I only know what I saw on the internet of the interior. However, I do know from the head of the Friends of the Kings Committee that the roof has been fixed.
The old stage house roof was totally open to the elements, and pidgeons had moved in. We had them in the projection booth at the Loew’s Jersey, and it was not a pretty sight…
For a place closed 30 years those 2001 pictures don’t look bad. Was there a lot of water damage from 2001 to the time you saw it Warren?
I agree, gustavelifting, from the pictures previously posted of the interior, from 2001, it looks like the interior is in great shape….if anyone needs a refresher, those pics can be seen, as a previous post, at: http://www.silverscreens.com/thsa.php…towards the middle of the page
Warren;
It made need a little patchwork, but I don’t think the building is about to collapse. There is someone interested and looking at the theater with the head of the committee to save it. Furthermore, work has been done on the building, including the roof and shoring the facade. In other words, the building is not exactly ready to fall down.
The New Amsterdam is a good example Jim, especially because it’s condition was pretty horrifying before it was restored. If I recall, there were mushrooms growing in the downstairs lounge, and a great deal of plasterwork had been ruined by moisture.
Thanx Jim and Warren
The NEW AMSTERDAM in Manhattan shows what can be done, though it is not and never was a true movie palace.
I need some around the Brooklyn area, or in New York City.
The Stanley Theatre in Jersey City was completely restored even know it is used as a church.
That largely depends upon what one means by “completely restored.” The terms ‘rehabed’ or ‘refurbished’ are often used to avoid the connotation of something really brought back to original condition as the word ‘restored’ implies. Most all theatre ‘restorations’ are not really that since to very few can afford so muchj extensive, hand crafted details, especially since the factories that made many of the furnishings and such no longer exist, and some items such as the huge, elaborate draperies are rarely around today with the knowledege and capacity to do such lavish work to the caliber that it was then done.
Still, there are a few ‘restorations’ that might inspire someone:
The PARAMOUNT in Oakland, CA (draperies too)
The STANFORD in Palo Alto, CA
The PARAMOUNT in Aurora, IL
The PABST and RIVERSIDE in Milwaukee
The RIALTO in Joliet, IL
The LOEW’S (VIRGINIA CENTER FOR THE PERF. ARTS) in Richmond
among others. No doubt others here will think of some.
What needs to be shown is one that has been completely restored. Does anyone know of a completely restore theater?
Amen, Jim, Amen