The inside pictures look that this could almost have been easily quaded. Century’s did announce the Brook was going to re-open as a quad but it never happened.
With the sad passing of screen icon Elizabeth Taylor, its time for the Ziegfeld to show the 70mm print of “Cleopatra” that has been shown a few times on the west coast.
They still could have made theatres in the balcony?
Pre-World War II movie theatre in Ridgewood to hawk food over films
BY Nicholas Hirshon
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Friday, November 26th 2010, 4:00 AM
A landmarked Queens movie theater that opened during World War I and became the longest continuously operated theater in the nation will be transformed into an Associated supermarket, the Daily News has learned.
The Ridgewood Theatre – shuttered since 2008 – will turn from film to food next year, changing its use for the first time since the Myrtle Ave. mainstay opened in 1916, sources said.
“Oy!” exclaimed Orlando Lopes of the Theatre Historical Society of America. “A part of history is lost, and that is really terribly sad.”
The movie house earned city landmark status this year, protecting its ornate facade from alterations or demolition. Insiders insist its stage and grand staircase are beyond repair.
Still, the sale raises questions about the site’s future.
Associated can’t change the exterior without city approval, but it can wreck the largely intact lobby and other interior attributes of the two-story venue.
Harry Laufer, president of the Long Island-based chain, estimated the store will open in “maybe six months.” But he said he did not know the renovation plans of franchisee Tony Guzman.
Guzman’s attorney did not return calls seeking comment.
The Ridgewood survived the advent of the TV, VCR and DVD during an epic run that began on Dec. 23, 1916. Designed by renowned architect Thomas Lamb, the 2,000-seat theater initially ran films and vaudeville acts.
The theater was expanded into a five-screen multiplex in 1980. It closed in 2008 amid competition from a new multiplex at the Shops at Atlas Park, a mall in nearby Glendale.
When real estate agent Tony Montalbano bought the theater that year, he said he wanted to run films on its second floor and lease the ground level for stores. He later admitted he was struggling to find a movie operator.
The city designated the Beaux-Arts structure a landmark in January, crediting The News for “crusading” reports that had alerted city officials to the building.
Before reaching a deal with Associated, Montalbano fielded poorly financed pitches for housing, a church, a laundermat and a parking facility, sources said.
Laufer said that Guzman runs other local supermarkets. Associated already boasts three stores in Ridgewood and dozens of others in the city, Long Island, upstate New York and New Jersey.
They still could have made theatres in the balcony?
Pre-World War II movie theatre in Ridgewood to hawk food over films
BY Nicholas Hirshon
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Friday, November 26th 2010, 4:00 AM
A landmarked Queens movie theater that opened during World War I and became the longest continuously operated theater in the nation will be transformed into an Associated supermarket, the Daily News has learned.
The Ridgewood Theatre – shuttered since 2008 – will turn from film to food next year, changing its use for the first time since the Myrtle Ave. mainstay opened in 1916, sources said.
“Oy!” exclaimed Orlando Lopes of the Theatre Historical Society of America. “A part of history is lost, and that is really terribly sad.”
The movie house earned city landmark status this year, protecting its ornate facade from alterations or demolition. Insiders insist its stage and grand staircase are beyond repair.
Still, the sale raises questions about the site’s future.
Associated can’t change the exterior without city approval, but it can wreck the largely intact lobby and other interior attributes of the two-story venue.
Harry Laufer, president of the Long Island-based chain, estimated the store will open in “maybe six months.” But he said he did not know the renovation plans of franchisee Tony Guzman.
Guzman’s attorney did not return calls seeking comment.
The Ridgewood survived the advent of the TV, VCR and DVD during an epic run that began on Dec. 23, 1916. Designed by renowned architect Thomas Lamb, the 2,000-seat theater initially ran films and vaudeville acts.
The theater was expanded into a five-screen multiplex in 1980. It closed in 2008 amid competition from a new multiplex at the Shops at Atlas Park, a mall in nearby Glendale.
When real estate agent Tony Montalbano bought the theater that year, he said he wanted to run films on its second floor and lease the ground level for stores. He later admitted he was struggling to find a movie operator.
The city designated the Beaux-Arts structure a landmark in January, crediting The News for “crusading” reports that had alerted city officials to the building.
Before reaching a deal with Associated, Montalbano fielded poorly financed pitches for housing, a church, a laundermat and a parking facility, sources said.
Laufer said that Guzman runs other local supermarkets. Associated already boasts three stores in Ridgewood and dozens of others in the city, Long Island, upstate New York and New Jersey.
Out of all the movie palaces restored or about to be restored (Jersey, Kings, Paradise)the Keith’s is in one of the most populated areas to support concerts. Flushing is more populated then ever.
“Islands in the Stream” was the the last film to play under the Loew’s banner. Somewhere among all of these posts I printed some information I found that the theatre was operated independantly for a short time on two different occasions.
The inside pictures look that this could almost have been easily quaded. Century’s did announce the Brook was going to re-open as a quad but it never happened.
I wonder if this church ever thought of buying the much larger Ridgewood Theatre?
AMC is letting this fall to crap, the vertical and marquee have so many burned out bulbs.
“The last BP who had any real power was Donald Manes”.
His protégé the equally crooked Claire Shulman sneakily has the 1939 Worlds Fair Amphitheatre torn down saying it was “dangerous”. The building was all brick and would have stood for 1000 more years. There were developers interested in producing shows there but many of the same people who kept shows out of the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium did not want shows done at Flushing Meadows. Ms Schulman is also directly responsible for the condition of the NYS Pavilion next to the Queens Theatre. She has been quoted as saying “we don’t need another museum in MY Park”.
I think its PATHETIC to edit this Oscar winning film. Doing an alternative DVD version is one thing but for theatres its just greed.
With the sad passing of screen icon Elizabeth Taylor, its time for the Ziegfeld to show the 70mm print of “Cleopatra” that has been shown a few times on the west coast.
The 1975 marquee was beautiful but it looks like it was let go to hell by 1982
Love that marquee
Very sad indeed I always liked seeing movies here.
They still could have made theatres in the balcony?
Pre-World War II movie theatre in Ridgewood to hawk food over films
BY Nicholas Hirshon
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Friday, November 26th 2010, 4:00 AM
A landmarked Queens movie theater that opened during World War I and became the longest continuously operated theater in the nation will be transformed into an Associated supermarket, the Daily News has learned.
The Ridgewood Theatre – shuttered since 2008 – will turn from film to food next year, changing its use for the first time since the Myrtle Ave. mainstay opened in 1916, sources said.
“Oy!” exclaimed Orlando Lopes of the Theatre Historical Society of America. “A part of history is lost, and that is really terribly sad.”
The movie house earned city landmark status this year, protecting its ornate facade from alterations or demolition. Insiders insist its stage and grand staircase are beyond repair.
Still, the sale raises questions about the site’s future.
Associated can’t change the exterior without city approval, but it can wreck the largely intact lobby and other interior attributes of the two-story venue.
Harry Laufer, president of the Long Island-based chain, estimated the store will open in “maybe six months.” But he said he did not know the renovation plans of franchisee Tony Guzman.
Guzman’s attorney did not return calls seeking comment.
The Ridgewood survived the advent of the TV, VCR and DVD during an epic run that began on Dec. 23, 1916. Designed by renowned architect Thomas Lamb, the 2,000-seat theater initially ran films and vaudeville acts.
The theater was expanded into a five-screen multiplex in 1980. It closed in 2008 amid competition from a new multiplex at the Shops at Atlas Park, a mall in nearby Glendale.
When real estate agent Tony Montalbano bought the theater that year, he said he wanted to run films on its second floor and lease the ground level for stores. He later admitted he was struggling to find a movie operator.
The city designated the Beaux-Arts structure a landmark in January, crediting The News for “crusading” reports that had alerted city officials to the building.
Before reaching a deal with Associated, Montalbano fielded poorly financed pitches for housing, a church, a laundermat and a parking facility, sources said.
Laufer said that Guzman runs other local supermarkets. Associated already boasts three stores in Ridgewood and dozens of others in the city, Long Island, upstate New York and New Jersey.
Read more: View link
They still could have made theatres in the balcony?
Pre-World War II movie theatre in Ridgewood to hawk food over films
BY Nicholas Hirshon
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Friday, November 26th 2010, 4:00 AM
A landmarked Queens movie theater that opened during World War I and became the longest continuously operated theater in the nation will be transformed into an Associated supermarket, the Daily News has learned.
The Ridgewood Theatre – shuttered since 2008 – will turn from film to food next year, changing its use for the first time since the Myrtle Ave. mainstay opened in 1916, sources said.
“Oy!” exclaimed Orlando Lopes of the Theatre Historical Society of America. “A part of history is lost, and that is really terribly sad.”
The movie house earned city landmark status this year, protecting its ornate facade from alterations or demolition. Insiders insist its stage and grand staircase are beyond repair.
Still, the sale raises questions about the site’s future.
Associated can’t change the exterior without city approval, but it can wreck the largely intact lobby and other interior attributes of the two-story venue.
Harry Laufer, president of the Long Island-based chain, estimated the store will open in “maybe six months.” But he said he did not know the renovation plans of franchisee Tony Guzman.
Guzman’s attorney did not return calls seeking comment.
The Ridgewood survived the advent of the TV, VCR and DVD during an epic run that began on Dec. 23, 1916. Designed by renowned architect Thomas Lamb, the 2,000-seat theater initially ran films and vaudeville acts.
The theater was expanded into a five-screen multiplex in 1980. It closed in 2008 amid competition from a new multiplex at the Shops at Atlas Park, a mall in nearby Glendale.
When real estate agent Tony Montalbano bought the theater that year, he said he wanted to run films on its second floor and lease the ground level for stores. He later admitted he was struggling to find a movie operator.
The city designated the Beaux-Arts structure a landmark in January, crediting The News for “crusading” reports that had alerted city officials to the building.
Before reaching a deal with Associated, Montalbano fielded poorly financed pitches for housing, a church, a laundermat and a parking facility, sources said.
Laufer said that Guzman runs other local supermarkets. Associated already boasts three stores in Ridgewood and dozens of others in the city, Long Island, upstate New York and New Jersey.
Read more: View link
Same to you :)
“Caravans” was not the last stage and screen show it was “The Promise”
I never believed this would happen, awesome news.
Is all the property still empty? Why dosen’t someone reopen this?
Its amazing this could operate with a film policy as it did until 1981.
I love that incredible CINEMASCOPE sign from 1963. Is there another word in neon on the same sign also that maybe it flashed from one to the other?
I think the American in the Bronx. It was stupid of them to rip the walls apart in the downstairs.
The Best Buy Theatre sounds like a dollar house.
A great shot from 1938
View link
Out of all the movie palaces restored or about to be restored (Jersey, Kings, Paradise)the Keith’s is in one of the most populated areas to support concerts. Flushing is more populated then ever.
“Islands in the Stream” was the the last film to play under the Loew’s banner. Somewhere among all of these posts I printed some information I found that the theatre was operated independantly for a short time on two different occasions.
Seems a vintage photo of the Belvedere operating as a theatre has still not turned up.
Bart
Almost since inception the Ziegfeld has closed for weeks and sometimes months at a time between bookings or for private screenings.
If they want to restore this theatre I would think someone would close up the huge hole in the roof. I drove by today and the snow was blowing in.