Hahaha. Yup, unfortunately, as an older multiplex, the Patchogue 13 is a lot more old fashioned, and run down than the others in the area, and I guess he’s just bitter about that. I have to laugh when someone comes in so bitter. I was just at the Patchogue to see Casino Royale a few weeks ago, because it was playing there a little longer than some of the other theaters around, and I didn’t get to see the movie sooner. I always go to the Patchogue hoping for the best, but of course, it lived up to what I expected. The screens are small, had spots on it, the bathrooms dirty (with water or hopefully it’s water all over the floor), and it shows it’s age. If they were planning to keep it open, it would need an upgrade, or at least some renovation. And of course in this day, people expect stadium seating. Don’t get me wrong, I want the Patchogue to do well, (and it wasn’t unbusy), and it’s convenient. I want it to stay open. This is constructive critism. This is what people that come to the theater feel when they go therer. You can’t with a straight face say that the Patchogue is a clean, well kept theater. It’s not “that” bad, but unfortunately, it needs some work too, which I don’t know will be done if it’s questionable that they will stay open. It’s probably even possible to convert the auditoriums to stadium (or some of them), if there was any hope of staying open.
And yes, while I can accept $19 for two movie tickets, but $21 for two popcorns and two drinks is completely outrageous (although that’s about the same nonsense at most theaters today)….and again, to the credit, it was some of the best popcorn I have had at a theater in years.
Instead of coming here with a bug up your, well you know, remember, we are on your side, we want the Patchogue to stay open. But with that attitude, it’s hard to keep a straight face.
Speaking of narrow prosceniums, the Meserole in Brooklyn! That’s the smallest one I have ever seen. It’s now an Eckerd’s pharmacy, and the theater is completely intact (minus the seats of course), and they even project slide sales on the old screen area!
But wow, check out the photos linked there, the proscenium is TINY!
Not to mention that seeing that the Loews Capitol, the Roxy, etc are torn down or gone, what’s wrong with praising the theaters that are left? It may not have been the “grandest” theater in NYC….but it sure is a beautiful place regardless, espeically pooling from the theaters that are left, intact, and in good condition.
Balloon, great photo! I like all the others in your album too…
You should post this in the Valencia section. In your address bar where it says “548” for the Paramount, just put “903”, and go.
Either that, or you can search for any theater in the top left where it says “search” theater, and type in any name, like “Valencia”.
Actually, aside from the addition of a chandelier in the ceiling of the valencia, the Calencia is completely intact, and the same as it was when it was a theater….sure, it’s colors are painted quite guady now, but at least it’s being maintained, cared for, and technically could become a theater again within some minor revisions back. Thats a lot more than can be said for most.
Nice! Well, it appears there will be a lot more visitors coming to this page soon! (as I was saying last week will happen).
Let’s hope they don’t get scared off reading this monstorous page!
Like I said, it sure looks like someone hacked away at the plasterwork all over the theater. That is certainly not normal “neglect” damage, and it’s also too extreme damge that vandals could have done. That had to be done with either sledgehammers or machinery…..and your typical vandal doesn’t go walking around Northern Blvd with a Bobcat or a sledge hammer, so I think it’s pretty obvious who did that horrible destruction to destroy the place.
Wow, that would be really nice! I have seen plenty of old photos of the Madison (not that I wouldn’t want to see more), but the Ridgewood’s exterior (and especially interior) shots are hard to come by. I have only seen a few old exterior photos of the Ridgewood, and NONE of the interior…..so anything on the Ridgewood would be most welcome.
Why? Because gutting the place would have destroyed the building. At least in this case, they get the store, and preserve an old historic building at the same time. I think it’s great!
Most of the standard NA multiplexes were built similarly. They had larger theaters (which were like double-smaller theaters). After some years, many of the larger theaters were cut in half to form more smaller ones.
If you picture the typical NA auditorium, you will notice that to get into the auditoriums, you have a little alcove, and on your left will be the door to one theater, and on your right will be the door to to another theater. The original large auditoriums had the same alcove and two doors on either side, except both sets of course led into the same large theater. When they added more theaters, they just cut many of those larger ones in half.
Did they actually build more auditoriums, or did they cut bigger ones in half to make the 14? I know at the NA Brookhaven Multiplex (now demolished), they cut a few larger auditoriums in half to create the 14 theaters it had at it’s end. They never built on to the existing building.
I guess they named it “Whitestone” because of the proximity to the Whitestone Bridge. I guess it doesn’t really matter what the name is, people wanting to go to that theater will look up whatever name it is in the paper, and then go to it. It could be called “Los Angeles” Multiplex, and if it’s their, that’s it’s name, and people will look it up in the paper.
Wow, so that screen remnant was for the upstairs theater!
So how exactly was the theater divided? Did they out a fake ceiling in? How did they stop sign from coming though?
In the Ridgewood Theater, they put up full sheetrock walls from floor to ceiling, and sectioned off the balcony like that. I have also seen photos of the Paradise, and it also had a strange set of walls, etc dividing them up.
Actually, the RKO Madison page has it’s fair share of length and clutter too, and even closed, yes, more interest than let’s say the Parthenon.
However, of course there are plenty of low or zero interest theaters like the Wyckoff, Imperial, etc where off topic discussion will completely be not noticed. The Ridgewood just seems a little too important and high profile because of it’s status, but as I said, what’s done is done.
Wow. These photos are like seeing photos of the Titanic for the first time in the 1980’s. We have all heard about the inside, but it’s great to get the photos for perspective. It appears that the theater “could” be salvaged, but it would be a tremendous and expensive undertaking. it’s quite obvious that the former owner deliberately destroyed key features of the auditorium and theater. For example, what happened to the plaster in the below linked photo does not just happen from neglect or possible water damage. This is deliberate destruction: View link View link
Ligg, you are correct. the asking price is absurd. You could definitely probably find a theater in Manahttan (where real estate prices are WAY higher) to fix up.
Interesting idea. I think the Ridgewood page is at this point to far gone to ostart that anyway, but I do see both sides of this. Obviously there is a need and want for this type of discussion, and as mentioned, what are theaters anyway without the movies – just buildings of bricks, concrete and plaster. That being said, yes, the Ridgewood page is hard to read, especially for a newcomer to the site seeking information about the Ridgewood Theater. In fact, it would take someone days to catch up, or sift through the information (and there is still lots of valuable imformation on thi9s page mixed in). The Ridgewood Theater will get lots of people coming to it because, well, it’s still open as a theater, and has a lot of historical importance. The Ridgewood is perhaps one of the most important theaters in Queens or Brooklyn because of it’s status as one of the last old theaters operating. Even the RKO Madison is less important as it’s gutted.
Now don’t get me wrong, I like (and even email) with a lot of the people on this page, and enjoy their “company” very much….but at the same time, I do understand what others are saying too.
I probably wouldn’t want to have come to this page for the first time, and try to sift through it to get useful and valuable information about the Ridgewood (which definitely is on this page if you want to sift through it).
We must also remember that now that the Ridgewood is fastly approaching a crossroads, and may or may not be in it’s final hours, many more reporters, historians, newswriters, etc MAY be coming to this page to seek information. A google search for the Ridgewood Theater very quickly leads to this page. You will not be having such important activity in theaters such as the Madison or Parthenon.
I really wish there was a place to do that here on the site…. Obviously there is a need and a want to do it. I guess in the absense of that for the time being, I guess the Ridgewood Theater is the best place, after all, at this point, its not going to make much of a difference as this thread is huge anyway….
If there is little water damage (because of the new roof from when it was a theater), it appears that all that plaster destruction was deliberate. Plaster usually doesn’t just fall off the walls in that extreme unless water damage is involved. For example, the interior of the Shore Theater in Coney Island lost a lot of plaster on it’s ceiling and procenium, but that’s because the theater’s roof was left unchecked for years, with water coming in.
The plaster in the Keiths looks like it was deliperately attecked and sledgehammered.
Jeez guys, I like many of you guys, but man, i think I may have to uncheck the Ridgewood Theater too…
I really wish the site had a place that stuff like this could be talked about without cluttering up a theater….obviously there’s a need and want for it. Hopefully it will come one day. Even if it’s temporary, it should be easy to get such a spot if they would upoload a theater page for “talk” like this (as Lost had suggested)….that could be done with existing software, and without the need for an upgrade until which time an upgrade of the site may come.
Hahaha. Yup, unfortunately, as an older multiplex, the Patchogue 13 is a lot more old fashioned, and run down than the others in the area, and I guess he’s just bitter about that. I have to laugh when someone comes in so bitter. I was just at the Patchogue to see Casino Royale a few weeks ago, because it was playing there a little longer than some of the other theaters around, and I didn’t get to see the movie sooner. I always go to the Patchogue hoping for the best, but of course, it lived up to what I expected. The screens are small, had spots on it, the bathrooms dirty (with water or hopefully it’s water all over the floor), and it shows it’s age. If they were planning to keep it open, it would need an upgrade, or at least some renovation. And of course in this day, people expect stadium seating. Don’t get me wrong, I want the Patchogue to do well, (and it wasn’t unbusy), and it’s convenient. I want it to stay open. This is constructive critism. This is what people that come to the theater feel when they go therer. You can’t with a straight face say that the Patchogue is a clean, well kept theater. It’s not “that” bad, but unfortunately, it needs some work too, which I don’t know will be done if it’s questionable that they will stay open. It’s probably even possible to convert the auditoriums to stadium (or some of them), if there was any hope of staying open.
And yes, while I can accept $19 for two movie tickets, but $21 for two popcorns and two drinks is completely outrageous (although that’s about the same nonsense at most theaters today)….and again, to the credit, it was some of the best popcorn I have had at a theater in years.
Instead of coming here with a bug up your, well you know, remember, we are on your side, we want the Patchogue to stay open. But with that attitude, it’s hard to keep a straight face.
Speaking of narrow prosceniums, the Meserole in Brooklyn! That’s the smallest one I have ever seen. It’s now an Eckerd’s pharmacy, and the theater is completely intact (minus the seats of course), and they even project slide sales on the old screen area!
But wow, check out the photos linked there, the proscenium is TINY!
Not to mention that seeing that the Loews Capitol, the Roxy, etc are torn down or gone, what’s wrong with praising the theaters that are left? It may not have been the “grandest” theater in NYC….but it sure is a beautiful place regardless, espeically pooling from the theaters that are left, intact, and in good condition.
Yes, thanks Peter! Quite a few…actually here’s a more direct link:
http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/stations?192:86
Balloon, great photo! I like all the others in your album too…
You should post this in the Valencia section. In your address bar where it says “548” for the Paramount, just put “903”, and go.
Either that, or you can search for any theater in the top left where it says “search” theater, and type in any name, like “Valencia”.
Actually, aside from the addition of a chandelier in the ceiling of the valencia, the Calencia is completely intact, and the same as it was when it was a theater….sure, it’s colors are painted quite guady now, but at least it’s being maintained, cared for, and technically could become a theater again within some minor revisions back. Thats a lot more than can be said for most.
Nice! Well, it appears there will be a lot more visitors coming to this page soon! (as I was saying last week will happen).
Let’s hope they don’t get scared off reading this monstorous page!
There’s a good photo of the Parthenon Theater on the Queenspix.com website, on the Ridgewood page.
Like I said, it sure looks like someone hacked away at the plasterwork all over the theater. That is certainly not normal “neglect” damage, and it’s also too extreme damge that vandals could have done. That had to be done with either sledgehammers or machinery…..and your typical vandal doesn’t go walking around Northern Blvd with a Bobcat or a sledge hammer, so I think it’s pretty obvious who did that horrible destruction to destroy the place.
Yes keep them coming. ESPECIALLY the Ridgewood. Are these photos online somewhere, or did you have to obtain them somehow?
Wow, that would be really nice! I have seen plenty of old photos of the Madison (not that I wouldn’t want to see more), but the Ridgewood’s exterior (and especially interior) shots are hard to come by. I have only seen a few old exterior photos of the Ridgewood, and NONE of the interior…..so anything on the Ridgewood would be most welcome.
Why? Because gutting the place would have destroyed the building. At least in this case, they get the store, and preserve an old historic building at the same time. I think it’s great!
Wow. Just look at Queens Blvd in the distance!
Most of the standard NA multiplexes were built similarly. They had larger theaters (which were like double-smaller theaters). After some years, many of the larger theaters were cut in half to form more smaller ones.
If you picture the typical NA auditorium, you will notice that to get into the auditoriums, you have a little alcove, and on your left will be the door to one theater, and on your right will be the door to to another theater. The original large auditoriums had the same alcove and two doors on either side, except both sets of course led into the same large theater. When they added more theaters, they just cut many of those larger ones in half.
Did they actually build more auditoriums, or did they cut bigger ones in half to make the 14? I know at the NA Brookhaven Multiplex (now demolished), they cut a few larger auditoriums in half to create the 14 theaters it had at it’s end. They never built on to the existing building.
I guess they named it “Whitestone” because of the proximity to the Whitestone Bridge. I guess it doesn’t really matter what the name is, people wanting to go to that theater will look up whatever name it is in the paper, and then go to it. It could be called “Los Angeles” Multiplex, and if it’s their, that’s it’s name, and people will look it up in the paper.
Wow, so that screen remnant was for the upstairs theater!
So how exactly was the theater divided? Did they out a fake ceiling in? How did they stop sign from coming though?
In the Ridgewood Theater, they put up full sheetrock walls from floor to ceiling, and sectioned off the balcony like that. I have also seen photos of the Paradise, and it also had a strange set of walls, etc dividing them up.
Mike, that would be unfortunate, but I guess it’s your choice to make.
Actually, the RKO Madison page has it’s fair share of length and clutter too, and even closed, yes, more interest than let’s say the Parthenon.
However, of course there are plenty of low or zero interest theaters like the Wyckoff, Imperial, etc where off topic discussion will completely be not noticed. The Ridgewood just seems a little too important and high profile because of it’s status, but as I said, what’s done is done.
Wow. These photos are like seeing photos of the Titanic for the first time in the 1980’s. We have all heard about the inside, but it’s great to get the photos for perspective. It appears that the theater “could” be salvaged, but it would be a tremendous and expensive undertaking. it’s quite obvious that the former owner deliberately destroyed key features of the auditorium and theater. For example, what happened to the plaster in the below linked photo does not just happen from neglect or possible water damage. This is deliberate destruction:
View link
View link
Ligg, you are correct. the asking price is absurd. You could definitely probably find a theater in Manahttan (where real estate prices are WAY higher) to fix up.
Interesting idea. I think the Ridgewood page is at this point to far gone to ostart that anyway, but I do see both sides of this. Obviously there is a need and want for this type of discussion, and as mentioned, what are theaters anyway without the movies – just buildings of bricks, concrete and plaster. That being said, yes, the Ridgewood page is hard to read, especially for a newcomer to the site seeking information about the Ridgewood Theater. In fact, it would take someone days to catch up, or sift through the information (and there is still lots of valuable imformation on thi9s page mixed in). The Ridgewood Theater will get lots of people coming to it because, well, it’s still open as a theater, and has a lot of historical importance. The Ridgewood is perhaps one of the most important theaters in Queens or Brooklyn because of it’s status as one of the last old theaters operating. Even the RKO Madison is less important as it’s gutted.
Now don’t get me wrong, I like (and even email) with a lot of the people on this page, and enjoy their “company” very much….but at the same time, I do understand what others are saying too.
I probably wouldn’t want to have come to this page for the first time, and try to sift through it to get useful and valuable information about the Ridgewood (which definitely is on this page if you want to sift through it).
We must also remember that now that the Ridgewood is fastly approaching a crossroads, and may or may not be in it’s final hours, many more reporters, historians, newswriters, etc MAY be coming to this page to seek information. A google search for the Ridgewood Theater very quickly leads to this page. You will not be having such important activity in theaters such as the Madison or Parthenon.
I really wish there was a place to do that here on the site…. Obviously there is a need and a want to do it. I guess in the absense of that for the time being, I guess the Ridgewood Theater is the best place, after all, at this point, its not going to make much of a difference as this thread is huge anyway….
If there is little water damage (because of the new roof from when it was a theater), it appears that all that plaster destruction was deliberate. Plaster usually doesn’t just fall off the walls in that extreme unless water damage is involved. For example, the interior of the Shore Theater in Coney Island lost a lot of plaster on it’s ceiling and procenium, but that’s because the theater’s roof was left unchecked for years, with water coming in.
The plaster in the Keiths looks like it was deliperately attecked and sledgehammered.
Jeez guys, I like many of you guys, but man, i think I may have to uncheck the Ridgewood Theater too…
I really wish the site had a place that stuff like this could be talked about without cluttering up a theater….obviously there’s a need and want for it. Hopefully it will come one day. Even if it’s temporary, it should be easy to get such a spot if they would upoload a theater page for “talk” like this (as Lost had suggested)….that could be done with existing software, and without the need for an upgrade until which time an upgrade of the site may come.