The Space at Westbury
250 Post Avenue,
Westbury,
NY
11590
250 Post Avenue,
Westbury,
NY
11590
5 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 50 of 164 comments
Latest pair of pics posted. Marquee still under wraps, but looking pretty damn close to completion. Still nothing on an anticipated opening date or booking?
I like how the comments here go back to 2004, because Post Ave. was such a different place then, a lot has changed in the last 8 years. As long time residents of Westbury my wife and I remember the theater when it was open and all the nuttiness that went along with it. Like many on here I was sure that once it sold it would become yet another “senior living community” but was pleasantly surprised that the new owners fully intended on keep good on their promise to bring back the theater. Post Ave. is no longer the run-down strip of fly by night store fronts and ratty apartments. The village and community has done a lot over the years to fix that, once the theater is up and running, post will be a pretty sight again form the trestle to the parkway. I think the community has grown, for the better, and I look forward to seeing it continue to improve.
Posted another trio of pics, taken Saturday, December 8th, 2012. Pretty much down to the finishing details on the facade, now. No way of knowing how the interior is coming along.
More pics posted showing progress as of October 27th, 2012. I chatted with a contractor, who was on site overseeing the installation of the paving stones that comprise the side walk perimeter of the theater. While that brick work was to be completed by the end of the day, he estimated that the theater itself would not be ready for opening until sometime after the holidays. So, at best, we’re looking at winter of 2013.
He said that initial capacity for the theater will be around 650. However, he indicated that if the area can sustain the flow of traffic in and out for a performance, that number may be jacked up to around 1000. The plan is to have valet parking for theater events, unless folks care to take their chances on the streets or in one of the nearby municipal lots. He didn’t see parking being much of a problem at all. Nice guy, and a local who remembered attending the theatre as a younger man.
Posted another batch of images from the end of September, showing some progress, particularly on the new structure that runs along the southern auditorium wall. I’m doubtful of a fall opening for this theater – particularly since we are now in October and I haven’t heard any announcements as to what the headlining attraction will be for that opening.
I guess the big question is when it does open, will we be able to bring cough drops into the theater? :–)
According to an article in the May 17, 2012 Westbury Times The Westbury Performing Arts Center will open some time this fall. The theatre will feature a Broadway-sized proscenium stage in front of approximately 400 seats on the main level and 300 on the balcony.
The majority of the performances will be live although it is likely that second run and classic films may be shown.
I would think they should show independent films such as WHBPAC. They shouldn’t need a venue for second run films with the 12 plex down the road and the Silver Scrren Classics at the National Amusements theatres.
Updated photos from several different days in April have just been posted, showing dismantling of original Post Avenue facade and framing for new structure going up.
I suppose that’s possible, CaptRonLI. It’s far enough away that it seems feasible. I have some more recent images on my cell phone that I’ll have to upload when I get a chance from home. They have completely dismantled the old lumber on Post Avenue and, last I saw (about a week or so ago) they were well on their way to re-framing the entrance structure anew.
The new addition on the southern side of the auditorium was still clad in its insulation boards, looking quite the same as it did in my photos from January 9th. Of course, I have no idea what the progress has been inside the theater.
This article has a target date of Fall 2012. I haven’t been by there – does it look like they’ll make it?:
http://longisland.broadwayworld.com/article/Westbury-Performing-Arts-Center-on-Track-for-Fall-2012-Launch-20120420
Well, as of yesterday, the studs and beams forming the gabled roof of the Post Avenue mixed-use structure have been removed. This is the first sign of new work to the exterior that I’ve seen in many weeks. That is not to say work has not been proceeding on the interior. In fact, I’ve noticed that the various openings from the auditorium to the street have all recently been closed-off with plywood, suggesting that work is at a point where the builders are concerned about exposure to the elements.
I’m still unable to find any internet news regarding an updated completion or opening date.
Why did they bother to renovate and not demolish, there is NOTHING left.
I feel like I’m becoming CT’s preeminent monologist! Always seem to be carrying on with myself at one theater or another. In any event, this project definitely seems to be delayed, in terms of meeting its scheduled opening date. As of today, the Post Ave structure is still down to bare wood frame and there are still unsealed cuts in the auditorium structure that allow exposure to the elements. I would have thought this site would have been further along in its renovations at this point, particularly considering the extraordinarily mild winter we’ve had here on Long Island.
Meanwhile, this page on the contractor’s website has some photographs, including a glimpse at the state of the auditorium from when the old roof had been completely removed last year. As suspected, all decorative elements appear to have been stripped down to the brick and concrete.
I can’t find any updates online regarding the opening of the new Performing Arts Center here. I passed by this morning, once again, and the site appears just about the same as it was on January 12th, when I took the most recent round of photos. Can’t really say what the progress is on the interior, but there’s still a lot of work required to finish the exterior, for sure. The entire facade on Post Avenue is still exposed down to the bare wood frame, and the new structure on the south-side of the audtorium is still clad in exposed insulation panels. I can’t imagine this is still on pace for a grand opening within the next 4 – 6 weeks.
Finally captured and some images the other morning that I’ve uploaded to document progress on the renovations. Post Avenue structure is now completely down to studs and beam framing. Also looks as if the marquee has been taken away (can’t tell behind the construction shedding if the frame is still there – I imagine it would be needed to support a new marquee). The new addition on the south side of the auditorium is now clad in insulation panels, but much clearing of debris and some excavation is still ongoing at the property.
Seems to me that completion by March of this year will be a tall order for the contractor to meet! That’s only 2 short months away!
The entire upper floor of the formerly tudor-styled Post Avenue facade has been stripped to its wood frame. A great deal of the cement work seems to have been completed on the addition on the south side of the auditorium, as well. Unfortunately, with the recent time change, it was too dark to snap any photos the last couple of times I passed by on my way home from work.
It’s been announced that the Westbury Performing Arts Center will open in March 2012. After an 8 million dollar plus renovation the theatre will have approximately 400 seats in the orchestra and 300 in the balcony. There will be a Broadway sized procenium stage.
Passed by again the other morning. They have begun to strip the Post Avenue facade of its Tudor-style elements. Several large portions of the upper floor have been stripped down to the wood studs. The lower floor and marquee remain more or less intact behind the scaffolding.
Just uploaded a few pics of the recent progress along the rear and southern side of the building.
On my way to work yesterday morning, took a glance down Winthrop Street, which runs along the southern side of the theater where those huge cuts were made exposing the interior. They have framed out a rather large 2-story addition that runs almost the length of the auditorium side wall and looks like it will feature a peaked roof line. The Post Avenue facade and lobby/storefront structure remains untouched behind scaffolding.
Passed by again and seems they’ve extended the back of the rear stage wall to the lot line with a 1-story cinderblock structure that has a large opening on the south side. I presume this will be a bay for loading in productions. Other than that, the building looks much like it did in the most recent photos I posted from July.
I honest-to-God never thought they’d actually go through with restoring it as an arts venue. This is a great thing!
Passed by the other day and progress is about the same as the last time I snapped some photos a couple of weeks back. I noticed that they are excavating behind the stage house on the northern side of the building. Perhaps making for a new loading bay or maybe working on upgrading utilities for the theater. The construction gate was left open on the southern side of the building where those large cuts were made in the auditorium wall. Unfortunately, there was a heavy downfall at the time I drove around, or I might have chanced a bit of trespass and snapped some interior pics with my phone.
Yeh, we know there’s a new roof, the interior was gutted and now they’re going to change the facade. And what do you suppose they’ll name this, literally, new space?
Seems that the Westbury’s tudor revival Post Avenue facade will be completely replaced with a modern take on art deco, according to the article. I was a little confused when it noted that the new developer was struck by the theater’s “bare proscenium” as being “glamorous” and “beautiful.” Did he fall in love with the ruins of the original interior and then proceed to gut the theater? Or was the building already gutted by previous owners and he was just struck by the beauty of the theater’s form and bare bones?
In any event, it seems that the new performing arts center will look radically different – both outside and in – from the house originally opened by the Salvatore Calderone back in 1927.