Duh on me, I just read the sign on what was a Chinese Restaurant the first group of photos that said it was actually not on Nostrand Ave, but at 882 DeKalb Ave.
I came across this abandoned theater on the web. All it says is that it was on Nostrand Ave. I was wondering if this was the Century/Linden theater. The photo I believe was taken in the late 90’s or early 2000’s, so the building may or may not still look like this.
I don’t think it was the Nostrand, because that one is a gym now, and was a furniture store before.
Any idea which theater this is?
I figured as much. I only vaguely remember the Ridgewood theater as a “chopped up” theater from all the times I went to it in the 80’s (last time about 15 years ago), and remember it even less as “one” theater from the 70’s!
Where on Gates Ave were the Amusu and the Thompkins? I am going to assume that the Tompkins was at Gates and Tompkins.
Are these on the site here yet? If you know anything on these two theaters maybe you could add them. I would, but know nothing about them.
There was a Sayville Opera House on Candee Ave, I don’t believe it ever showed movies, but is another theater in sayville. It had live performances by Broadway actors. I have no idea when it closed though, but I know it was operating in the 20’s.
The current Sayville theater is an old theater, I don’t know exactly how old, but would assume it dates to the 20’s ot the 30’s.
I am pretty familiar with Sayville, but don’t know if there was ever another movie theater in Sayville. Could it have been in West Sayville?
As is the Broadway in my screen name….
Do you know if the theater became a church right after it closed as a theater in 1954, or did it sit empty and abandoned for some years before becoming a church? When did it become a church?
Here’s the official site fot eh Merrick Theater. Once in the site, if you click on “the theater” it will give you current photos of the interior lobby and exterior.
That is probably true for the Ridgewood and Madison Theater pages, and there are countless “real” people there, but look at the group of “non-regulars” on this page, and the Grandview Page, and most of the messages from them are kooky.
All the people on this page, with maybe a few exceptions (like Bklyn-Queens and cdjv, and some others) are the same person with a different alias, and again, I apologize if I am wrong, but click on most of the people on this page, and see what they responded too, always on the day they joined, and then you never hear from them again. Not to mention that all these “people” have the same writing style, and that goes for:
bonnie, SG Cogan (multiple accounts with the variations on the same name), Sally (also multiple accounts with variations of spaces or dashes or periods added), Ridgewood Bill, Stan Franz, John Franz, kodak, movie critic, oscar, dan novak, kaspar, and many others.
Again, I have no way to prove this, and am sorry for the accusation if I am wrong, but it looks suspiscious.
I have a feeling “MovieCritic” is KodakDude, aka Sally, aka RidgewoodBill, aka Eddie, aka SG Cogan, aka Mr Franz, aka Edwinyost, etc, etc are possibly all the same person
I feel bad if I am wrong, but I can’t get over the fact that it seems like “someone” is having “fun” with the Ridgewood Theaters. It just strikes me as suspiscious that “new” people come along (that you never hear from again), and always post about the same few theaters, and always ones in Ridgewood.
I may be wrong, and am sorry if I am, but it just looks suspiscious.
While I do agree with Mike to an extent, everyone should learn the language, I have no sympathy for those that feel that forms, and everythign has to be in Spanish and English. That being said, I also have to say that this happening with “Spanish” in a theater is nothing new. Spanish just happens to be the language of the most recent and major new immigrants in this country. If you go back to the early part of this century, German was the wave of immagrants, and there were lots of German speaking only theaters in the areas they settled in at the time. In Ridgewood for example, which was where a lot of them settled, the Irving (Mozart) Theater comes to mind, as well as the Wyckoff Theater, and there were plenty others too. There were also plenty of Italian speaking theaters, such as the Major Theater on Canal St before Chinatown took over Little Italy. In fact that one even became a Chinese Theater after that.
I see nothing wrong with a theater become “ethnic” if it’s in a neighborhood where that ethnicity is the majority. And it’s nothing new, it’s been done with most major influx of immigrants, whoever they were at the time.
But to be clear I still think it’s disgusting that they put Spanish and English on so many places. But that’s a totally different issue.
This theater is super clean, just like everything in Walt Disney World. There’s a really nice two story lobby on each end of the megaplex. While there are now somewhat similar high quality multiplexes like this around the country, this was the first one I was ever in when it was first built, and was quite impressive. I have been back there many times over the years, and it still is impressive.
It has to be one of the biggest multiplexes around too.
Universal probably built this I guess to compete with Disney’s AMC Pleasue Island 24 Theatres in Downtown Disney, just like the whole City Walk thing is to have a Universal version of Pleasure Island and Downtown Disney. They really did a nice job at rebuilding Universal Studios over the last 5 years.
Do you mean in the shoppinf center at the corners of Middle Country Rd, Route 112, and Mill Road where Home Depot is (what was once Caldor)? If so, where in that shopping center was it. If it’s exactly where the Home Depot is now, that section of the shopping center was torn down around 1999 to build the Home Depot.
It ould make sense that this theater closed around the 80’s, because that’s when the alos now closed Coram Multiplex was built across the street on the old Coram Drive In property.
The Island 16 is just down the LIE from the Holtsville Island 16. NA claimed that they weren’t intending to close the Brookhaven when it built the Island 16 two exits away, but I am certain that they deep down were planning it right from the beginning, when the Island 16 was planned, because you could see that maintenence was being deffered over the last couple years.
It’s a shame, because the Brookhaven was in good shape and a nice theater, however the Island 16 does blow it away. It has a bar with an outdoor patio where you can sit and wait for the movie to start, great food, it really is a destination in and of itself.
I had many good times at the Brookhaven. The first movie I saw there was in one of the large theaters (when it was 12 screens before they cut two in half to make 14), and was the movie “Rainman” in 1987. It’s hard to believe that the lobby I walked through so many times, and was always so packed, especially in the earlier years now sits abandoned. I don’t remember the last movie I saw there, but it had to be at least 5 years ago, unfortunately, I like everyone else abandoned the Brookhaven for the more “modern” multiplexes with the stadium seating.
I’m not sure, but I don’t think so. I don’t think this theater was ever that desperate.
Was the one you are thinking of in a shopping center on Route 112 with more than one screen?
I remember the Elmwood being quite ornate on the inside. I haven’t been in the theater since 1985 when I saw the last movie I saw in the theater, “Back to the Future”. Part of the fun of the movies was actually looking at all the intricate details before the lights went out, and the movie started.
I am also curious, does this mean they are renovating the Elmwood as a theater? That would sure be good news.
What a shame this is happening. This theater was in very decent condition right to the end, and it’s only closed for two years. This is one that really should have and could have been saved.
There’s still hope, but more and more of the interior seems to be compromised as this conversion continues. The theater is in it’s final hour right now unless something happens quick.
Duh on me, I just read the sign on what was a Chinese Restaurant the first group of photos that said it was actually not on Nostrand Ave, but at 882 DeKalb Ave.
ANd while we’re at it, any idea what this theater at 1295 Nostrand Ave was?
http://www.disassociate.com/portland_mart.jpg
I came across this abandoned theater on the web. All it says is that it was on Nostrand Ave. I was wondering if this was the Century/Linden theater. The photo I believe was taken in the late 90’s or early 2000’s, so the building may or may not still look like this.
I don’t think it was the Nostrand, because that one is a gym now, and was a furniture store before.
Any idea which theater this is?
http://www.disassociate.com/theatre_flatbush.JPG
http://www.disassociate.com/theatre_flatbush2.JPG
http://www.disassociate.com/theatre_flatbush3.JPG
I figured as much. I only vaguely remember the Ridgewood theater as a “chopped up” theater from all the times I went to it in the 80’s (last time about 15 years ago), and remember it even less as “one” theater from the 70’s!
A curent status of what is using the building at this time would be appreciated.
Wow Warren, I would love to see photos of the interior of the Ridgewood. I wish they showed samples in whatever catalog you saw this in.
Where on Gates Ave were the Amusu and the Thompkins? I am going to assume that the Tompkins was at Gates and Tompkins.
Are these on the site here yet? If you know anything on these two theaters maybe you could add them. I would, but know nothing about them.
Where in Ronkonkoma was this?
There was a Sayville Opera House on Candee Ave, I don’t believe it ever showed movies, but is another theater in sayville. It had live performances by Broadway actors. I have no idea when it closed though, but I know it was operating in the 20’s.
The current Sayville theater is an old theater, I don’t know exactly how old, but would assume it dates to the 20’s ot the 30’s.
I am pretty familiar with Sayville, but don’t know if there was ever another movie theater in Sayville. Could it have been in West Sayville?
As is the Broadway in my screen name….
Do you know if the theater became a church right after it closed as a theater in 1954, or did it sit empty and abandoned for some years before becoming a church? When did it become a church?
Divinity, Andy’s post above is obviously sarcasm if i have ever seen it….
Here’s the official site fot eh Merrick Theater. Once in the site, if you click on “the theater” it will give you current photos of the interior lobby and exterior.
http://www.merrickcinemas.com/
That is probably true for the Ridgewood and Madison Theater pages, and there are countless “real” people there, but look at the group of “non-regulars” on this page, and the Grandview Page, and most of the messages from them are kooky.
All the people on this page, with maybe a few exceptions (like Bklyn-Queens and cdjv, and some others) are the same person with a different alias, and again, I apologize if I am wrong, but click on most of the people on this page, and see what they responded too, always on the day they joined, and then you never hear from them again. Not to mention that all these “people” have the same writing style, and that goes for:
bonnie, SG Cogan (multiple accounts with the variations on the same name), Sally (also multiple accounts with variations of spaces or dashes or periods added), Ridgewood Bill, Stan Franz, John Franz, kodak, movie critic, oscar, dan novak, kaspar, and many others.
Again, I have no way to prove this, and am sorry for the accusation if I am wrong, but it looks suspiscious.
I have a feeling “MovieCritic” is KodakDude, aka Sally, aka RidgewoodBill, aka Eddie, aka SG Cogan, aka Mr Franz, aka Edwinyost, etc, etc are possibly all the same person
I feel bad if I am wrong, but I can’t get over the fact that it seems like “someone” is having “fun” with the Ridgewood Theaters. It just strikes me as suspiscious that “new” people come along (that you never hear from again), and always post about the same few theaters, and always ones in Ridgewood.
I may be wrong, and am sorry if I am, but it just looks suspiscious.
That being said….back to the movies.
While I do agree with Mike to an extent, everyone should learn the language, I have no sympathy for those that feel that forms, and everythign has to be in Spanish and English. That being said, I also have to say that this happening with “Spanish” in a theater is nothing new. Spanish just happens to be the language of the most recent and major new immigrants in this country. If you go back to the early part of this century, German was the wave of immagrants, and there were lots of German speaking only theaters in the areas they settled in at the time. In Ridgewood for example, which was where a lot of them settled, the Irving (Mozart) Theater comes to mind, as well as the Wyckoff Theater, and there were plenty others too. There were also plenty of Italian speaking theaters, such as the Major Theater on Canal St before Chinatown took over Little Italy. In fact that one even became a Chinese Theater after that.
I see nothing wrong with a theater become “ethnic” if it’s in a neighborhood where that ethnicity is the majority. And it’s nothing new, it’s been done with most major influx of immigrants, whoever they were at the time.
But to be clear I still think it’s disgusting that they put Spanish and English on so many places. But that’s a totally different issue.
This theater is super clean, just like everything in Walt Disney World. There’s a really nice two story lobby on each end of the megaplex. While there are now somewhat similar high quality multiplexes like this around the country, this was the first one I was ever in when it was first built, and was quite impressive. I have been back there many times over the years, and it still is impressive.
It has to be one of the biggest multiplexes around too.
Universal probably built this I guess to compete with Disney’s AMC Pleasue Island 24 Theatres in Downtown Disney, just like the whole City Walk thing is to have a Universal version of Pleasure Island and Downtown Disney. They really did a nice job at rebuilding Universal Studios over the last 5 years.
Do you mean in the shoppinf center at the corners of Middle Country Rd, Route 112, and Mill Road where Home Depot is (what was once Caldor)? If so, where in that shopping center was it. If it’s exactly where the Home Depot is now, that section of the shopping center was torn down around 1999 to build the Home Depot.
It ould make sense that this theater closed around the 80’s, because that’s when the alos now closed Coram Multiplex was built across the street on the old Coram Drive In property.
Obviously, I meant “The Brookhaven Multiplex is just down the LIE from the Island 16” in my first sentence above….
The Island 16 is just down the LIE from the Holtsville Island 16. NA claimed that they weren’t intending to close the Brookhaven when it built the Island 16 two exits away, but I am certain that they deep down were planning it right from the beginning, when the Island 16 was planned, because you could see that maintenence was being deffered over the last couple years.
It’s a shame, because the Brookhaven was in good shape and a nice theater, however the Island 16 does blow it away. It has a bar with an outdoor patio where you can sit and wait for the movie to start, great food, it really is a destination in and of itself.
I had many good times at the Brookhaven. The first movie I saw there was in one of the large theaters (when it was 12 screens before they cut two in half to make 14), and was the movie “Rainman” in 1987. It’s hard to believe that the lobby I walked through so many times, and was always so packed, especially in the earlier years now sits abandoned. I don’t remember the last movie I saw there, but it had to be at least 5 years ago, unfortunately, I like everyone else abandoned the Brookhaven for the more “modern” multiplexes with the stadium seating.
I don’t think the Brookhaven on 112 is on this site yet. What is in it’s building now?
I’m not sure, but I don’t think so. I don’t think this theater was ever that desperate.
Was the one you are thinking of in a shopping center on Route 112 with more than one screen?
I remember the Elmwood being quite ornate on the inside. I haven’t been in the theater since 1985 when I saw the last movie I saw in the theater, “Back to the Future”. Part of the fun of the movies was actually looking at all the intricate details before the lights went out, and the movie started.
I am also curious, does this mean they are renovating the Elmwood as a theater? That would sure be good news.
BTW, isn’t the architect listed right here on this page?
Groneberg & Leuchtag
What a shame this is happening. This theater was in very decent condition right to the end, and it’s only closed for two years. This is one that really should have and could have been saved.
There’s still hope, but more and more of the interior seems to be compromised as this conversion continues. The theater is in it’s final hour right now unless something happens quick.