RKO Keith's Theatre
135-35 Northern Boulevard,
Flushing,
NY
11354
135-35 Northern Boulevard,
Flushing,
NY
11354
51 people
favorited this theater
Showing 76 - 100 of 1,324 comments
I was involved in the attempt to save the Triboro in Astoria and the Keith’s. I was in it years ago and it is beyond saving. It is simply to far gone. In addition,there is no use for it especially in view of the neighborhood. The populace simply does not care about it.
I am sure that is true but everyone loves movies…Even if they are dubbed or just sub-titled. The fact that it is in a old theater brought back to life would just make it more interesting. People would go if it were open & running and they want to see the picture not just the building as we all at CT would..
The main problem with Flushing has been that the primarily Asian community (it was mostly Korean for a while, but that may have shifted) consists of people who have no memory of the theater or any connection with its heritage. (At this point, that would probably be the case no matter what the ethnic makeup of the area.) There is no community support for preserving or rehabilitating the Keith’s because as far as they know, it’s been a boarded-up, vacant, out-of-context hulk sitting in their midst for as long as anyone can remember. And all the ownership changes and redevelopment plans that have focused on high-end apartments and/or condos have essentially been irrelevant to them as well.
BobbyS, Crime is not an issue almost anywhere in New York City as crime rates are currently at historic lows. It is the prime reason why there is so much development all over the city and not just in Manhattan.
The last I heard Flushing was pretty much an Asian population. The last time I was there I couldn’t read the signage because it was in Chinese characters. Despite a lot of product coming from that part of the world very little is ever exhibited in this area.
I wonder what the crime rate is. The area looks well built up and could use a movie theatre I would imagine. It would need more than three auditoriums today. Perhaps 8 or 10 if the basement is used and they could restore the lobby. I think that would be the best use for the building. Crime rate is up around the Uptown Theater in Chicago. Both in front and behind the building. Shootings and stabbings etc. That project seems to be stuck in limbo for now.
My recollection too, though that seems like it was several owners ago. It was a silly plan to “preserve” a portion of the lobby behind glass, while destroying all the remaining artifacts of the remainder of the entryway, lobby and auditorium.
There wasn’t any plan that included the return of the Keith’s to some sort of theater use, correct? The best case was that the lobby would be retained in the new development. At least that’s my recollection.
I flew to NY last week and saw the RKO out of the window as I so often do. Bright sunny day and she looked so sad just standing there year after year..
My point exactly. The plan is so old it’s probably been forgotten and they’ll do whatever they want.
I’m not going to try scrolling back through the comments, but I’m pretty sure we’ve been through “proceeding according to plan” and “starting imminently” on here alone for at least a dozen years…
Whatever the plan may be.
The re-development of the RKO Keith’s site is proceeding “according to plan” and will start in the first six months of this year (which would mean by July at the latest), according to a report by the Queens Tribune: http://queenstribune.com/rko-keiths-development-according-plan/
The building was recently sold. Let’s see what happens next.
We shouldn’t lose hope in the Keiths. As bad a shape as shes in, the RKO Proctors in Newark NJ has been sitting abandoned since the mid 60’s. Still standing. Still waiting.
After three years of ownership, JK Equities has put the property back up for sale, according to this report: http://www.qchron.com/editions/queenswide/rko-keith-s-hits-the-market-again/article_bb201ff6-d2be-5c69-af07-ef7d7ef34c6d.html
Perhaps its time to let the Keith go.
The Three Stooges Fan Club is trying to verify a personal appearance of Howard, Fine & Howard (predecessors to the Three Stooges (Larry, Moe & Shemp) at the R.K.O. Keith’s, possibly on the 3rd week in May 1931 or the 1st week in June 1931, or any other appearance dates. My direct email is: . Thanks, Frank Reighter
Thanks for site. Very very sad to view…This theater keeps hanging on & on. Its almost like trying to survive!
A last took at Keith’s from Queens Brownstoner.
http://queens.brownstoner.com/2014/12/one-last-look-inside-the-crumbling-rko-theater-in-flushing/
Thanks, StevenJ! I’ll give it a try next photo post.
bazookadave…
First copy the link. Then in the comment box here Title the link in brackets [title of link], paste link in parenthesis(paste here). Note there is no space between ](. When you click Add Comment it should turn into a live link.
RKO Ticket Lobby
Collapsed dome
Any advice on how to post live links is appreciated. I just don’t know why it no longer happens, no matter which link I copy from photobucket.
Sorry I have no idea how to do live links here. They used to just appear live, no matter how I posted them, then a few years back they started posting only as text that had to be cut and pasted. Try:
[URL=http://s21.photobucket.com/user/davebazooka/media/RKOgrandFoyer2014_zpsijl4oh4f.jpg.html][IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b254/davebazooka/RKOgrandFoyer2014_zpsijl4oh4f.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://s21.photobucket.com/user/davebazooka/media/RKOticketlobby_zpsp5dyjowo.jpg.html][IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b254/davebazooka/RKOticketlobby_zpsp5dyjowo.jpg[/IMG][/URL]