Alben Theatre

The former Alben Theatre building still exists in another use, it's exterior is painted blue and white the last time I saw it about 4 years ago.

The building is listed as a warehouse.

Block & Lot #: 00821 - 0040
Building Class: Warehouses, Semi-Fireproof (E3)
School District: 20 map/schools
City Council District: 38
Police Precinct: 72 (Crime Statistics)
Political Contributions: search
BUILDING CHARACTERISTICS
Zoning R6B
Building Size (F x D): 35.00ft x 108.00ft
Lot Size (F x D): 35.08ft x 108.00ft
Building Height: -
Total Gross Area of Building:
Year Built: -
Historic District?: No
Corner Lot?: No
Has Garage?: No
Number of Floors: 1
# Units: 0
FAR as built: 0.00
Allowable FAR: 1.89

Listed in Trows Business Directory 1912 as being operated by Elias Bernstein. The American Film Directory 1914-1915 lists it as the Etude Theatre (although the address is incorrectly given as #5422 Third Avenue).

It was re-named the Alben Theatre in the mid-1930's and I believe it closed as a movie theatre in the mid-1950's.

I have taken an external look around the building today and it is actually not painted blue & white as Orlando states in his post. The original stonework/bricks are unpainted and there are some decorated stone features on the facade. The building today is in use as a paper goods wholesale's outlet.

Three photographs I took of the Alben Theatre in June 2006:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/210862676/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/210863556/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/210863801/

My uncle was an usher at the Etude Theater back in 1916 when he was 15 years old. Among his duties was to run completed reels of current attraction to the owner's other theater, the Grand, as soon as it was projected so it could be shown at the Grand Theater, in a carefully timed sequence. His route was a one way delivery, he did not recall if the reel was returned directly to the Etude for another showing or was relayed to yet a third theater. One day the projectionist handed him a reel without the can and he took off with it and got to the Grand. He was smoking a cigarette when he handed it up to the projectionist being ignorant of the risk he had run.