Lane Theater
168 New Dorp Lane,
New Dorp,
NY
10306
168 New Dorp Lane,
New Dorp,
NY
10306
8 people
favorited this theater
Located in the New Dorp district of Staten Island. Charles, Elias and Lewis Moses were the original owners of the theater when it screened Deanna Durbin in "100 Men and a Girl" at its opening on February 10, 1938. The second feature in the opening program was "Hideaway." The theater’s "homey" atmosphere boasted a mere 600 seats and cost about $100,000.00 to build.
It offered the most modern RCA sound system of the time and was cooled by refrigeration. A spaghetti-eating contest was held at the theater and in 1942, a bed making contest was offered to open the film "Bedtime Story."
It was remodeled in 1977 and the seats dwindled to 550. In 1998, several concerts were given there. "The EleMent" nightclub opened and eventually closed due to drug related problems with the club crowds. Its' doors were shut in June 2001.
The "Lane" name can still be seen above the marquee. The name "EleMent" is still shown on the marquee.
The ceiling of the auditorium has a galactic motif. The interior has been Landmarked since November 1988.
In the summer of 2009, it was renovated, and was reopened as Uncle Vinnies Comedy Club on November 13, 2009. This was suddenly closed in April 2011.
By early-2012, it had become the Crossroads Church.
Contributed by
Jean
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Recent comments (view all 107 comments)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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, 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.
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.
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.
The Lane Theatre is now Crossroads Church.
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.