RKO Keith's Theatre
135-35 Northern Boulevard,
Flushing,
NY
11354
135-35 Northern Boulevard,
Flushing,
NY
11354
51 people
favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 75 of 1,324 comments
Is their “Screen X” three sided screen similar to the USA Barco screens???
Probably two screens for these films and the rest of the same from Hollywood that all the other bland chains show every week. Wonder if will have dine-in options and recliners like seems to be the norm today?. I was at one once and never again. People chewing and talking and sending back the food because it wasn’t warm enough and ordering drinks. Would make Marcus Loew shed a tear!
It’s a Korean company. And, of course… “When we discovered the opportunity to be an integral part of Tangram, we knew being in this economically vibrant and evolving neighborhood was where our first East Coast movie theater had to be,” said Paul Richardson, COO of CJ CGV. Yep — economically vibrant and evolving neighborhood. Just can’t possibly support refurbishing the Keith’s. Only a new building a couple of blocks away will do. Sad.
What is new about this concept? Cinerama & theater seats shaking have all been done before 30+ years ago. I knew there was an audience out there in Flushing. It has to be a foreign company to realize it I guess.
Comparing a functioning RKO to this is like comparing a Cadillac with a Kia.
The RKO Keith’s movie theater was my favorite movie theater, I always looked forward to seeing movies there. And I always looked forward to possibly seeing a ghost in the upper balcony. I know you are going to say I’m a nut, but if you sat in the middle of the largest theater (after they split the theater up to show multiple movies at a time) anyway back to the ghosts, if you sat in the middle about half way up sometimes you would see movement only out of the corner of your eye in the upper right side balcony, but as soon as you turned your head to look they would be gone there was usually more then one person sitting in the balcony it was strange and thought I was seeing things especially since the upper balcony was closed off to the public. I asked a friend to verify what I was seeing and they said that I was crazy but the next that we went to see a movie, they too saw the ghosts as well. So believe it or not that’s one of the reasons that I loved going to the RKO Keith’s movie theater as well as the plush velvet seats ant old world movie theater experience. I MISS THAT WONDERFUL MOVIE THEATER. Michael
April 19, 1936 photo added credit Percy Loomis Sperr. RKO Keith’s with roof top sign on the right.
Glad to hear it, BobbyS! Now we just need several million dollars…
I’m with you Jeffrey1955!!
Ahem, I’m back…
Signed, Loew’s Kings
Last word. If it has not been done in 30 plus years it is not happening. If you want to continue to hold onto it please do.I am moving on. I will see the restored lobby when the building is finished. I want to see the restored Brooklyn Paramount which should be great
Of course the building is unsafe — in its current condition. Of course it would require a huge investment. That doesn’t mean it’s not possible or that there’s nothing left to save. Building a condo/office complex utilizing the air rights rather than demolishing what’s there is not beyond comprehension. Neither is an indoor concert venue in a densely populated area with access to mass transit that currently has none. Pipe dreams simply require someone with imagination to pay for the pipe.
Look at the photo on this page. Are you kidding? I have been in hundreds of theaters over the years as a historian. Many were derelict and some were in better condition than the Keith’s. They all had one thing in common and that is they never reopened . If you think this could ever be brought back as a functioning theater you do indeed believe in pipe dreams.No one in their right mind would sink money into it even if their was interest in it.The building itself may be unsafe . I was in it years ago and you could see that.
Also, “there is nothing left to save” is disproved by all the photos that have been posted here.
I like pipe dreams..The community may not care for it, but could it not remain as a multiplex in some form. Maybe not fully restored, but in a modern type cinema? Movies are still very popular and it is in a dense area from what I see from the airplane above.
The community does not care about it. The politicians also do not give a hoot.More importantly there is nothing left to save. I worked on saving it during the 80’s . Save what you can as trying to restore the theater as it was is a pipe dream.
And the saga goes on & on……I will believe it when the ball & crane comes in. Still say the apartments should be built above the theater which could be restored. People need more than the tv or personal screens for entertainment!
Whatever is in the auditorium will go down when they demolish it. Doubt anything will be saved
At least the plan to use the landmarked lobby as the entryway makes more sense than the original plan, which was for the lobby to be encased in glass. (Given that the lobby would really only be visible from within, that made no sense at all. What would anybody have seen — the back side of the walls enclosing it?) However, as anyone who has seen all the photos of the surviving auditorium posted here knows, the fact that the rest of the building will be demolished is tragic. “According to the current estimated project schedule, removal of historic material will begin next month and the demolition of the non-landmarked surrounding building will begin in late October.” I assume that the “historic material” to which they refer is limited to the pieces of the lobby that need restoration — not all the artwork and architectural details that remain in the rest of the building.
The Queens Courier of 5/25/17 reported that the removal of “historical material” will begin in June, and the demolition of the non-landmarked surrounding building will start in late October. The new building will start construction in April 2018, and is expected to be completed two years later (2020). Full article and sketch of entrance to new building can be found here: http://qns.com/story/2017/05/17/photos-luxury-condos-built-atop-flushings-landmarked-rko-keiths-theater/
That and the LIRR into Grand Central and the completion of the Second Avenue Subway.
I’ve heard that before too! lol
Different developer this time. May get done now
I thought they gave the OK to that plan years ago. The plan is unchanged, and still makes no sense. As for “finally coming to fruition”…have heard that before. Over and over and over again.
Just read that Landmarks Preservation gave OK for plan to build condos above the lobby. It will be glass enclosed and will serve as the entrance to the condos . It is finally coming to fruition . At least that will be saved as the rest of the building is a wreck. Would be nice if they could restore the fountain.