Bellerose Theater
245-14 Jericho Turnpike,
Floral Park,
NY
11001
245-14 Jericho Turnpike,
Floral Park,
NY
11001
10 people
favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 75 of 178 comments
rvb, I tried again! Let me know!
If, in fact, the Bellerose is going to become a church and, if it is not an expansion of the nearby St. Gregory’s and Baptist parishes, it would indicate there has been a major change in the neighborhood. Bellerose is a long established community with Lutheran, Catholic, Episcopalian and Baptist churches within a mile of the site. Of course the proximity to the Cross Island Parkway could be a factor. However, there is only on street parking, a situation which prevented the Bellerose from, logically, becoming a multiplex when single screen theatres became passe.
Kitnoir. I never got that photo you promised me way back when. I’m still I’ve picked up a few computer skills and have actually been able to link photos at various sites to CT theatres. Also, re the FD practice site, when I lived in Bellerose, my father was on the Bellerose Terrace Fire Department. Even when the theatre was open they used it for practice since it was, and probably still is, the tallest building in town.
Also, if you have blueprints can you verify a childhood memory of the rest rooms being located in the basement to the left of the lobby. I seem to recall them being there before they did the grand staircase to the upstairs lounge area.
Also, since there are window indentations in the facade was there ever retail space on the second floor or was that just part of the design, or possibly a plan for a future option (like when the Cross Island Parkway was built they actually had the foresight to design it and the bridges for expansion to three lanes).
I hope so too, but that’s what I was told by the woman who worked for the carpet store guy. I’ll look on my blueprints to see if the architect’s name is there.
I am keeping my fingers crossed that much remains of the interior as well. With the exception of the ground floor/removal of the marquee, the upper facade, which is the majority of the front, remains intact, and the condition of its terra cotta is superb. I will conduct a search via Proquest and see if I can come across an architect’s name and any other historic references. The theaters that remain across Queens, especially those that are moderately to mostly intact, should remain, be restored, and be adaptively and creatively reused. With a vision, it can make a community thrive. Let’s be proactive!
Yes, I did mean the Bellerose! This lapse probably requires treatment at Bellevue, if not at the mose assessable Creedmore!
By the way, does anyone know the name of the Bellerose’s architect? Since the facade is – even now – quite impressive, it may very well have been designed by an architect of note. But who was it?
Finally Kitnoir, I clearly hope you are wrong about the impact of the Fire Dept’s. practice at this site.
John, are you talking about the Bellerose? You said Bellevue in your post. I have been told that F.D. used the interior for practice, and much, if not all, was destroyed. A tragedy.
Thank you for your report, John!
Let’s hope that this church does not lie to the media and the community like that of the Rock Church occupying the Elmwood Theatre on Queens Blvd in Elmhurst. What a shame that was! You may recall that the Rock Church said they will restore the facade in 2004 and 2005, and the community then praised them, but they ended up concealing and carting away ornate glazed terra cotta, and masked the whole facade with stucco in late 2006.
I hope the Bellerose Theatre congregation will work the community, acquire grants and tax credits after applying for National Register of Historic Places status, and preserve and restore the glazed terra cotta facade and as many period interior finishes as possible. This is a historic gem that should not go unrecognized, and needs our TLC as much as possible right now!!!!
I enjoyed reading this terrific thread – and receiving a very detailed geography lesson – or lessons.
I passed by the old Bellevue earlier today and have a lot to report. Specifically, the old building is – once again – under renovation and apparently will soon host a church. (Since my bus passed by before I could write it down, I can’t provide the name of the congregation. Hopefully, someone will also visit the site and retrieve this information.)
As we know, conversion to a church represents one of the most benign re-uses that former movie palaces can experience. So, unless the interveening users totally trashed the old theater’s interior architecture, we may find that a lot has been preserved. Or at least we can so hope.
Let’s hope for the best!
Michael – please refer to earlier postings which have links to photos of the facade. Unfortunately, none show the original marquee. Incidentally, the Bellerose is in Nassau County if that matters to you as a Queens based organization.
Does anyone have any vintage or recent past photos of the former Bellerose Theatre? The glazed terra cotta facade and whatever may remain of the interior merits preservation. Please e-mail me at
Thank you,
Four Borough Preservation Alliance Corp, Queens VP
I hope everyone had a great thanksgiving.
I don’t know what a Daemon is. Is anyone running this board who can tell me how to post pics (and update the info at the top of the page)?
I’m not getting any mail from you at all. The only reason I’m responding to this is I got the notice from CT that someone had responded, etc.. And I’m getting a lot of other Email so I’m in a receiving mode. If you didn’t get the dreaded Daemon, where did it go. A thought, if you are willing to give me your EMail I’ll send a note to you and you can reply with photos and beat the system.
rvb, are you getting the email but not the pic? My system is telling me it went.
nothing
Sent it again. Any messages?
didn’t get it
Sent it, rvb!
There is a way to put things on this site but I’m not a techie. If you have the capability to EMail then you have sufficient tools to add a photo to this site, that much I know. If you’d like to send me a personal copy I’m
How would I do that, rvb?
kitnoir could you also share the photo with the rest of us. The Bellerose was my home theatre for more than 25 years before I moved east.
On it’s way, Nash!
Kitnoir? Can you e-mail that photo of the bellerose movie from 1978? My e-mail is Thanks!
Steve…..
You’re right.The good humor trucks were on braddock. The tracks i walked went to van buren to the right. To the left was the good humer plant and train depot. I’d LOVE to have any photo’s from back then!!!