RKO Keith's Theatre
135-35 Northern Boulevard,
Flushing,
NY
11354
135-35 Northern Boulevard,
Flushing,
NY
11354
51 people
favorited this theater
Showing 526 - 550 of 1,324 comments
Easy to demolish
Difficult but possible to restore in current framework (been done before)
Impossible to replace design, workmanship and history once it’s gone
Paulsp click on the link an doante $20.00 it’s a start!
Clearly an important theatre and well worth restoration, if Loew’s Kings gets the go ahead New York will have preserved two very important movie palaces which will make some amends to the dreadful destruction of the 60’s and 70’s.
It’s times like this that I wish I was a lottery winner (like most other people of course) How I would love to make a substantial donation to save some wonderful theatre from destruction.
RKO Keith’s Fundraiser information can also be accessed on my Rego-Forest Preservation Council blog.
Direct link: View link
Blog link for future reference: http://regoforestpreservation.blogspot.com/
Please feel free to become a Google Follower and post your comments on our Rego Park, Forest Hills, and Queenswide news, preservation alerts, and research. If you would like to write a piece, contact with a pitch.
Also visit http://www.savethekeiths.com It will also feature a silent auction, music & dancing! Power to the people in sparing a highly significant gem, since once it’s gone, it is gone!
For anyone who is interested there is a stand up comedy night on March 19th at Fuzzy’s in Bellrose to raise money for the RKO Keiths. Tickets are $20.00 in advance and thirty at the door. Here is the link:
View link
Wouldn’t it be tragic to start construction of a 16 story condominium, while painstakingly preserving a landmarked foyer, only to find out that the best you could do is a 7' ceiling height per floor to get the magic ‘approved’ FAR 7.5?
I came across a great RKO Keith’s postcard now up for auction on ebay. May the lucky soul win! I would normally place a bid on it, if it’s economical, but I already own one. Now is your chance!
View link
Good luck!
March 24, 1939 and October 11, 2009:
Showing incredible detail:
enough to show playing on that day:
They Made Me a Criminal – John Garfield, Ann Sheridan (Jan 28, 1939)
Beauty for the Asking – Lucille Ball, Pat Knowles (Feb 24, 1939)
Disney’s Donald Duck The Fox Hunt (July 29, 1938)
Not a happy sight on it’s 80th birthday….
RKO Keith’s 80 years old:
They don’t care about our quality of life. They did it to line their pockets. The only way to restore the beautiful courtyard, would be to sell the building and have the future owner demolish the construction that lacks integrity. Shamefully, some of our neighbors are a disgrace. We must teach our children from early on, so they’ll be community-minded visionaries.
OMG, it’s horrible, they built condos in the coutryard! How could the city even have issued a permit for this horror?
38th and Bowne St
Based on the above photo:
NOT what we envision for the RKO Keith’s Theatre!
Here is what Venator Capital did to the Bowne Tree apartments: built a condo (right) in the courtyard of a 1930’s apartment (left). Unoccupied for over 2 years.
The same article by Reporter Weilun Soon appears in the Queens Tribune. This is a great piece that is preservation-friendly, rather than drowning the theater in what a minute fraction of people want; another oversized condo with a demolished historic site. Hats off to Weilun Soon!
http://www.queenstribune.com/news/RKOFuture.html
Based upon Boymelgreen’s vision for an “Anytown USA” high-rise, and Suzuki not being more open with the public regarding his plans, should he take it over, it doesn’t sit well. Will they ever get it? Their reputation is drastically diminished by a diverse, extensive coalition. May the sensible citizens with a creative vision prevail! A performing arts center in a restored theater could symbolize a major economic boom. This is no ordinary theater. It was designed by one of the world’s greatest, and the memories within its walls are phenomenal.
Read the latest piece of coverage – “A Community Emerges To Preserve A Beloved Flushing Theatre” by Weilun Soon, Dec 1, 2009 of Queens Uncovered: View link
Why can’t the Times ever just come out and stop glorifying these guys? It’s obvious from all the facts presented in the article that Boymelgreen is a crook, not “a Star of Real Estate”. The two scariest parts of the article are:
1. The claim that Boymelgreen “will develop the Queens theater site” which we thought was no longer his to develop; and
2. The closing comment, “They don’t stop, ever.” Heaven help us.
I see your point. Thanks for the creative feedback, and for taking the time out! Perhaps Ed &/or Rick on behalf of Friends of The RKO Keith’s Flushing Theatre can read the article I posted, and come up with a consensus amongst members, and send it to City Council, City Planning, all assemblymembers, and mostly all forms of government that can play a role.
Very interesting story. Of course, they’re getting $15 million in federal grants through the Louisiana Recovery Authority. Apparently we need a natural disaster before we can get any assistance, not simply a Huang-Boymelgreen disaster. Also, the deal details:
>>Under a deal inked in January, the Saenger Theatre Partnership donated the theater building to Canal Street Development Corp. In return, the management group will run the theater for 52 years, provided it hosts at least 80 shows a year at the 2,800-seat theater and sells 100,000 tickets annually. A portion of sales will be earmarked for rent and future capital improvements. In addition to live theater, the developers plan to use the Saenger for comedy shows, musical acts and movies.<<
Would it be possible to achieve a similar result here? Selling 100,000 tickets annually at a downtown theater in a tourist-attraction city is a lot more doable than selling tickets at a theater in Flushing that has to compete with an endless number of other venues in the city. The key, of course, is community support and involvement, which thus far has been sorely lacking. And obviously, it would make a lot of sense to include this redevelopment as part of the plan for Willets Point just down the street, but that kind of synergistic thinking seems beyond the abilities of city planners.
Read this story of an Atmospheric theater under restoration. Let’s relate it to the RKO Keith’s: View link What do you think Ed, Rick, Tom, & other CT fans?
View link
A friend provided this photo link.
I have sent a comprehensive press, preservation, and political list to all of your e-mails as an attachment, to guarantee receipt. Please let me know. I also included paragraph recommendations for the press release, since you started working on it. I look forward to doing all I can. Power to the people!
go for it. You’ve got my email address.
It wouldn’t make much sense circulating an additional press release, so it’s best on behalf of the Facebook and RKO Foundation. I was planning to do it and have the RKO Foundation approve it. I can e-mail it to you. It contains some great information on its history and current preservation status, which I am unsure you have. The ideas should be incorporated. Can I send it to you in draft mode, as well as my updated press and political contacts list consisting of hundreds? Please let me know what you think. Thanks!