Lost, yeah, I wasn’t sure of the numbers vs the configuration. All I remember (hopefully correctly) is that when in the lobby:
-the left most doors went to the old staircase in the back of the original full auditorium, and that was the left balcony (facing the screen).
-the middle doors went to the left orchestra theater
-the right most doors went to the right orchestra
-the old balcony stairway in the lobby went to the middle and rightmost balcony.
Robert, I agree, the Ridgewood will HAVE to renovate in order to compete. As for Atlas, it’s not “that” far. When I was a teenager, I “abandoned” the Ridgewood Theater to go to the Midway, Elmwood, and Continental Theaters in Forest Hills (as did many people from Ridgewood go to Forest Hills), and that was a heck of a lot further than Glendale….
Actually, that’s also somewhat what happened to “Studio 54” in Manhattan too when it was converted to the legendary club. Studio 54 originally opened as the “Gallo Opera House”, and later became the New York Theater, in addition to several other names before becoming the legendary disco “Studio 54”. Much of the old ornamentation survived. It became a srtip club for a while after Studio 54, and today I beleive it’s back to legit theater. I believe “Caboret” played there. That theater is not listed on this site, because I believe it never played cinema, so doesn’t qualify.
The Hammerstein Ballroom, Manhattan Center was another theater converted to concert hall, with all the seats ripped out. I believe that was the New York Opera House originally? I am not sure, but did see a few concerts there, and theater ornamentation does remain there yet too. That one is also not on this site as it also never showed cinema to the best of my knowledge.
And and just to add, the theater 3 stairway to the left balcony, I believe was in the back of the auditorium on the left if facing the stage (when one theater). When one theater, one balcony stairway was int he lobby (like you see in Ken’s photo), and the other was actiually in the auditorium, I believe in the back left when you walked into the main orchestra level (when it was one theater).
Lost, that’s a nice found about the seating. Now does anyone remember which theater is which? IIRC (and it’s been a LONG time ago), theaters one and two where left and right orchestra. From Ken Roe’s photos, it appear 4 is the middle balcony, and 5 I guess would be right balcony, and you used the old lobby balcony stairway to get to them. Theater 3 is gotten to the left of Theater 1 from the main lobby, and that led to a stairway on the left (which used to be the szecond balcony stairway. Theater 3 I believe is the left balcony theater.
What is so strange about the RKO Keiths, or at least when I first went in there in the early 80’s for a flea market was that, especially back then, it’s as if time had stood still, and you walked into the Twilight ZOne. Everything was still there, even though junk was being sold from tables where the seats were supposed to be. That’s the only thing that was removed. The tapestry curtain still hung, and had a mural on it (it really appears they painted it since then from your photos, although as small piece remains in the middle unpainted). Back then the ceiling was still original, so that added to the effect, although as I mentioned, the walls were painted ¾ up beige (to the point where the light and dark paint meet in your photos). Other than that, everthing stood there, dirty, but there.
As for the chandelier….I remember it being bigger, but that’s it, and obviously still there!! (and just a little dirtier, although it was filthy in the early 80’s already, as were the ones in the balcony). “Me thinks” they were dirty already in the final movie days……
Thanks again Ken. It appears aside from the painting of the ceiling, and whatever they did to the curtain on the stage….little has changed since the 80’s.
Ed, I agree the theater does in fact look better cared for then it was last time I was there. The current owners respect the building, as they have left all the important parts of the theater intact, yet are still use it for their purpose as a profitable investment.
The theater would look beautiful if it was restored, but you the only way if could be restored if it was done by some organization, and it would have to be for some profitable reason, as it would be a large and expensive undertaking to do it right. However, while it it’s a shame it’s not a theater, and it’s not restored, however, in the meantime, it is being minimally maintained (which is good, as it is not sitting falling apart by any means), and it’s in good hands, as while it’s not restored, it’s also not violated or gutted in any way. I mean just look, the chandeliers are even still intact, even if covered in cobwebs. Those could have been scavanged years ago if they wanted to. And who knows, as long as they keep doing what they are doing, and not rip anything out, who knows, perhaps someday far in the future they will find a profitable reason to refurbish it. But in the meantime, it’s happy just sitting there waiting.
You are right. NOW is the time to try and save the Ridgewood. Even if it doesn’t close. Once closed, the building is much more at risk, and it’s already late to try and save it (think of the Trylon, and what happned to it in the final hours).
And from the photos, Ken Roe posted, it’s still in decent shape, and at least minimally maintained, if not better. Once close, it’s a much harder battle. It may not even close, but now is when we need to hear the “emergency bells”, and try and work on it, not when it’s closed, and left to the elements.
And I thought I’d throw this in quick about the RKO Keith’s Richmond Hill while we are talking about landmarking or preservation. If you go to that section, you will see that Ken Roe just posted somewhat current photos of it, and it’s very much intact. Thankfully, the current owners seem to see the gem they have, and at least minimally maintain it, and really haven’t harmed it at all while still being able to use it for the use they are using it for (Bingo hall and flea market). While it’s a shame it can’t be a theater currently, and of course it’s not maintained the way it would if it was, they really have made great strides to at least keep all the old features there, right down to the chandeliers still hanging.
See link: /theaters/3972_0_2_0_C/
Now is also the time to save THAT Queens theater. It can go on as it has been used as the current owners are, but even the interior is basically intact, and should remain that way. They even worked with the restored marquee the movie company uncovered when filming in Richmond Hill. That shows they care about their building, but even so, it should be landmarked, as you don’t know what future owners will bring.
Thanks SO much Ken once again. The theater is EXACTLY the way I remembered it the last time I was in there 15-20 years ago. (See my descriptions above). The only change I can see is that they painted the ceiling (which was still original, multicolored and gold leaf paint – the beige only went up to the ceiling (and sides of procenium arch – actually, if you look closely, you can see that the ceiling paint is lighter than the wall paint), and the crystals on the chandeliers got blacker – haha. The original tapestry curtain still hung across the stage too the last time I was there, which looks like (gasp) they painted it?
It’s too bad they painted the ceiling, as it was quite intricate and interesting in detail. It did however need to be painted, as it was pealing, even back then already, but of course it was more interesting before painted. And they cleaned the mirrors in the lobby! They used to be black like the chandeliers….
But anyway, as I have been saying in various posts, and as you can see, the theater is VERY much still intact.
Your photos just reinforced my memories of how beautiful, and a diamond in the rough the Richmond Hill is, and thankfully very much intact.
Ken, was the huge old chandelier still haning in the inner lobby?
Wow, they quoted a lot of our comments from the site here! From how the theater had traditionally not always been well kept, to how the theater is near and dear to many of us, and right down to the Energizer Bunny comment!!!
Let’s all hope the Ridgewood can survive the new multiplex. But as the article suggests, the RIdgewood management can’t chose the status quo. They will have to find a nitch, or at least renovate.
I’m just amazed the staff writer waded though the hundreds of comments in this theater section.
From the photos prior to Walgreens buying it, it appeard the building was in pretty sorry shape. Even the marquee was destroyed/removed for some reason. They probably were required to recreate the marquee (which they did a beautiful job on), and restore the exterior (also beautifully done). However, the interior may have already been trashed. (Anyone know if any theater ornamentation remained in the Ripley days?). I was also in Key West in 1998, and Ripleys was open then, but didn’t go to it.
I was in the theater back in january, yes the floor was definitely leveled off. That may have already been done for the Ripleys. The opening comments are no longer accurate, as there are no wooden floors (it’s just standard white linoleum tiles like any store has), and I there’s no “lobby” anymore or original tiles that were in the lobby unfortunately. The ceiling is high, but it’s just plain regular drop ceiling tiles, and florecent lighting (like you would see in any store). There is a balcony in the back, with a railing around it, and that is opened to the windows out front, allowing natural daylight into the “store” from above. The back of the store has been opened up to the stage area, and that has a lower normal heigh ceiling. Little if any original elements of the theater interior survive.
The outside has been beautifully restored, but there is little left on the interior.
Ed, the flea markets (at least when I was last there, were on Sundays only (except certain weekends when they were also Saturday), however, they did indeed take up not only the outer foyer and lobby, but the entire auditorium also. There were vendors in the outer lobby (with the original etched mirrors on the walls yet), the inner lobby, and the auditorium itself.
Ken Roe, it’s been many years since I have been in the Ridgewood Theater, but all of the auditoriums retained ornamentation from what I remember. Vaguely, I remember the side balcony theaters having a lot. In each of those, you have the original walls on one side (outer walls of the original theater, and the ceiling had “half-circles” of ornamental plasterwork, until of course you would hit the “new” wall that divides it up. You also had the original fancy balistrade railings too. I remembered liking to sit in the first row in front of the railing on the sides, which would be about half way up in the what was the balcony.
Downstairs ornamentation also survived, but again, you have a “new” wall on one side, and the original on the other. I believe all the theaters were painted a dark blue, with brown railings, floors etc. The original paintjobs and all different colors are long gone.
If you come to Queens, and stop in Richmond Hill, you should REALLY try and stop at the RKO Keith’s Richmond Hill, which is now a flea market and bingo hall. Every Sunday the flea market is run, so you can freely enter the building, and look around. I haven’t been there also in many years, but when I was last there, it was a diamond in the rough, the only desecration done to that theater was removal of the seats, and painting the walls plain beige, other than that, just about everything remains inside, right down to the balcony seats and all the old original light fixtures (although flourescent lighting was hung withing the auditorium). Definitely worth a trip, but do it on a Sunday so you can go inside. I have been thinking about going back for years, but just can’t seem to get there on a Sunday.
Too bad.
Interesting how “parking” was a concern, and if I am not mistaken, there’s even a parking lot near by. If yout ake a theater like the Ridgewood, which has been 5plexed since the 80’s, and there isn’t a parking lot anywhere even remotely close to the theater, and they never had a problem.
Too bad they couldn’t get the Corona to work.
The last few remaining older theaters are beginning to drop like flies now. Hopefully the Ridgewood will be able to pull it off, and stay open (but now they are on an evening only schedule weekdays, like the Corona was doing according to the upper part of this comment page). In Forest Hills there is the Midway (although completely altered), and I think whatever the old Continental is running as, and then the Fresh Meadows, the Jackson, and the Cinemart, and a few others here and there, but we can almost count the theaters left in Queens (or Brooklyn too for that matter) on our two hands.
What I meant to say above, which came out sounding strange is that does the same owners own all three theaters?
Apparently someone also mentioned the Corona Plaza has closed it’s doors, even in what was left of the balcony?
Is this the Corona Theater that also owns the Jackson Triplex and the Ridgewood Theater?
Anyone know of any interior photos of the place before being turned over to Walgreens?
The problem is though that there would have to be some profitable use for the theater if anyone was to spend millions upon millions of dollars for it to be restored. In Flushing, finding that sort of use would be extremely hard. Even as a multiplexed theater it had trouble staying afloat, it’s harder for any use, even as a one auditorium restored theater.
No one is going to throw millions into a building that will not be profitable after it is done, no matter how great of a building it was.
Peter, you are so right. Just look what a neighborhood theater has caused here, one of the most popular theater threads on this site, at least certainly rivaling many of the “famous” theaters in popularity on the site.
It’s strange, we are all seperate people, yet in passing, the plaster in that lobby has seen us all, and our joys and happy moments we spent both before and after a movie walking in and out of that lobby, and think of all the countless other people that lobby has touched, both past and present. The movies have come and gone, and some movies I don’t even remember, but all the memories do flood back if I think hard enough, especially when a photo such as those spark buried memories.
I can close my eyes, and actually visualize sitting in the Ridgewood Theater, and can actually see the surroundings if I look had enough. I can see them opening and closing the curtains between the previews and the feature. I remember the cartoons before the movies (yes, they still did that in the 70’s!). I remember a lot of small details. I remember later years, the individual cut up auditoriums, especially the rightmost balcony one (if facing the screen), and the lower left auditorium. I remember looking up at the ceiling, and seeing semi-circles in plaster (that used to be full circles when it was one theater).
Ahh, the memories. It’s way more than plaster and bricks. The building is alove with all our memories.
Peter, we posted at exactly the same time!
Anyway, yes, if I hadn’t seen the recent scaled down schedule for the Ridgewood, and had just seen those photos instead, I would so optimistic for the theater’s future, as at least the lobby looks great, and well cared for. like I said before, it’s better and cleaner than I remember it.
Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the theater will continue to thrive….
Nice. It’s amazing how it looks exactly like I remember it. Even the floor is the same! Honestly, I even think it looks to be in better shape than I remember it the last time I was through there in 1991. It looks clean, and freshly painted.
The blue on the walls in the hallways to the individual screens was painted like that when they multiplexed the place. I honestly don'tremember the pain scheme from when it was one theater, I was too young.
But I DO remember that floor in the lobby!
I left Ridgewood in the early 90’s. I lived closer to Woodward, so it really wasn’t all that bad, but in the 80’s and 90’s the car situation was ridiculous. My car was stolen three times. Each time I got it back (they found it on the side of the Interboro once, the other time on Atlantic Ave in East New York, and the last time the guy must have cut himself really bad trying to rig it under the stearing wheel, and cut a piece of the my backseat out to sopp up the blood. It was two blocks from where I parked it, next to the Ridgewood Library when they found it, he must have been bleeding too bad, so he left it. That’s when I said, the heck with this, and relied on the subway for the rest of my stay in Ridgewood (2 or 3 more years).
When I left, there was a feeling the neighborhood could go either way. It wasn’t “bad”, but it wasn’t heaven either. Truthfully, when I go back, it seems to be better now than 13 years ago when I left.
As for the “city”. I could never move back again. I ike Ridgewood, and as Peter said, you can’t take it out of me either, however, I’m more of a suburbs guy now, I wouldn’t want to go back, no matter how great the neighborhood would become. Me leaving really wasn’t that I thought it “wasn’t safe”, it’s just I was sick of living in the city. I like grass and open space.
But one thing I can really say. Seeing Ken Roe’s photos REALLY makes me want to go back and take in a movie at the Ridgewood Theater again.
Here is a photo Lost Memory asked me to upload of the homes on Linden St he has, to show that they were indeed standard three family homes: Click here for link to photo
Lost, yeah, I wasn’t sure of the numbers vs the configuration. All I remember (hopefully correctly) is that when in the lobby:
-the left most doors went to the old staircase in the back of the original full auditorium, and that was the left balcony (facing the screen).
-the middle doors went to the left orchestra theater
-the right most doors went to the right orchestra
-the old balcony stairway in the lobby went to the middle and rightmost balcony.
Robert, I agree, the Ridgewood will HAVE to renovate in order to compete. As for Atlas, it’s not “that” far. When I was a teenager, I “abandoned” the Ridgewood Theater to go to the Midway, Elmwood, and Continental Theaters in Forest Hills (as did many people from Ridgewood go to Forest Hills), and that was a heck of a lot further than Glendale….
Actually, that’s also somewhat what happened to “Studio 54” in Manhattan too when it was converted to the legendary club. Studio 54 originally opened as the “Gallo Opera House”, and later became the New York Theater, in addition to several other names before becoming the legendary disco “Studio 54”. Much of the old ornamentation survived. It became a srtip club for a while after Studio 54, and today I beleive it’s back to legit theater. I believe “Caboret” played there. That theater is not listed on this site, because I believe it never played cinema, so doesn’t qualify.
The Hammerstein Ballroom, Manhattan Center was another theater converted to concert hall, with all the seats ripped out. I believe that was the New York Opera House originally? I am not sure, but did see a few concerts there, and theater ornamentation does remain there yet too. That one is also not on this site as it also never showed cinema to the best of my knowledge.
And and just to add, the theater 3 stairway to the left balcony, I believe was in the back of the auditorium on the left if facing the stage (when one theater). When one theater, one balcony stairway was int he lobby (like you see in Ken’s photo), and the other was actiually in the auditorium, I believe in the back left when you walked into the main orchestra level (when it was one theater).
Lost, that’s a nice found about the seating. Now does anyone remember which theater is which? IIRC (and it’s been a LONG time ago), theaters one and two where left and right orchestra. From Ken Roe’s photos, it appear 4 is the middle balcony, and 5 I guess would be right balcony, and you used the old lobby balcony stairway to get to them. Theater 3 is gotten to the left of Theater 1 from the main lobby, and that led to a stairway on the left (which used to be the szecond balcony stairway. Theater 3 I believe is the left balcony theater.
What is so strange about the RKO Keiths, or at least when I first went in there in the early 80’s for a flea market was that, especially back then, it’s as if time had stood still, and you walked into the Twilight ZOne. Everything was still there, even though junk was being sold from tables where the seats were supposed to be. That’s the only thing that was removed. The tapestry curtain still hung, and had a mural on it (it really appears they painted it since then from your photos, although as small piece remains in the middle unpainted). Back then the ceiling was still original, so that added to the effect, although as I mentioned, the walls were painted ¾ up beige (to the point where the light and dark paint meet in your photos). Other than that, everthing stood there, dirty, but there.
As for the chandelier….I remember it being bigger, but that’s it, and obviously still there!! (and just a little dirtier, although it was filthy in the early 80’s already, as were the ones in the balcony). “Me thinks” they were dirty already in the final movie days……
Thanks again Ken. It appears aside from the painting of the ceiling, and whatever they did to the curtain on the stage….little has changed since the 80’s.
Ed, I agree the theater does in fact look better cared for then it was last time I was there. The current owners respect the building, as they have left all the important parts of the theater intact, yet are still use it for their purpose as a profitable investment.
The theater would look beautiful if it was restored, but you the only way if could be restored if it was done by some organization, and it would have to be for some profitable reason, as it would be a large and expensive undertaking to do it right. However, while it it’s a shame it’s not a theater, and it’s not restored, however, in the meantime, it is being minimally maintained (which is good, as it is not sitting falling apart by any means), and it’s in good hands, as while it’s not restored, it’s also not violated or gutted in any way. I mean just look, the chandeliers are even still intact, even if covered in cobwebs. Those could have been scavanged years ago if they wanted to. And who knows, as long as they keep doing what they are doing, and not rip anything out, who knows, perhaps someday far in the future they will find a profitable reason to refurbish it. But in the meantime, it’s happy just sitting there waiting.
You are right. NOW is the time to try and save the Ridgewood. Even if it doesn’t close. Once closed, the building is much more at risk, and it’s already late to try and save it (think of the Trylon, and what happned to it in the final hours).
And from the photos, Ken Roe posted, it’s still in decent shape, and at least minimally maintained, if not better. Once close, it’s a much harder battle. It may not even close, but now is when we need to hear the “emergency bells”, and try and work on it, not when it’s closed, and left to the elements.
And I thought I’d throw this in quick about the RKO Keith’s Richmond Hill while we are talking about landmarking or preservation. If you go to that section, you will see that Ken Roe just posted somewhat current photos of it, and it’s very much intact. Thankfully, the current owners seem to see the gem they have, and at least minimally maintain it, and really haven’t harmed it at all while still being able to use it for the use they are using it for (Bingo hall and flea market). While it’s a shame it can’t be a theater currently, and of course it’s not maintained the way it would if it was, they really have made great strides to at least keep all the old features there, right down to the chandeliers still hanging.
See link:
/theaters/3972_0_2_0_C/
Now is also the time to save THAT Queens theater. It can go on as it has been used as the current owners are, but even the interior is basically intact, and should remain that way. They even worked with the restored marquee the movie company uncovered when filming in Richmond Hill. That shows they care about their building, but even so, it should be landmarked, as you don’t know what future owners will bring.
Thanks SO much Ken once again. The theater is EXACTLY the way I remembered it the last time I was in there 15-20 years ago. (See my descriptions above). The only change I can see is that they painted the ceiling (which was still original, multicolored and gold leaf paint – the beige only went up to the ceiling (and sides of procenium arch – actually, if you look closely, you can see that the ceiling paint is lighter than the wall paint), and the crystals on the chandeliers got blacker – haha. The original tapestry curtain still hung across the stage too the last time I was there, which looks like (gasp) they painted it?
It’s too bad they painted the ceiling, as it was quite intricate and interesting in detail. It did however need to be painted, as it was pealing, even back then already, but of course it was more interesting before painted. And they cleaned the mirrors in the lobby! They used to be black like the chandeliers….
But anyway, as I have been saying in various posts, and as you can see, the theater is VERY much still intact.
Your photos just reinforced my memories of how beautiful, and a diamond in the rough the Richmond Hill is, and thankfully very much intact.
Ken, was the huge old chandelier still haning in the inner lobby?
Wow, they quoted a lot of our comments from the site here! From how the theater had traditionally not always been well kept, to how the theater is near and dear to many of us, and right down to the Energizer Bunny comment!!!
Let’s all hope the Ridgewood can survive the new multiplex. But as the article suggests, the RIdgewood management can’t chose the status quo. They will have to find a nitch, or at least renovate.
I’m just amazed the staff writer waded though the hundreds of comments in this theater section.
I think it originally was called the “CinemaArt Theater”, and that evolved into “Cinemart”.
I agree, I also don’t care for the name.
From the photos prior to Walgreens buying it, it appeard the building was in pretty sorry shape. Even the marquee was destroyed/removed for some reason. They probably were required to recreate the marquee (which they did a beautiful job on), and restore the exterior (also beautifully done). However, the interior may have already been trashed. (Anyone know if any theater ornamentation remained in the Ripley days?). I was also in Key West in 1998, and Ripleys was open then, but didn’t go to it.
I was in the theater back in january, yes the floor was definitely leveled off. That may have already been done for the Ripleys. The opening comments are no longer accurate, as there are no wooden floors (it’s just standard white linoleum tiles like any store has), and I there’s no “lobby” anymore or original tiles that were in the lobby unfortunately. The ceiling is high, but it’s just plain regular drop ceiling tiles, and florecent lighting (like you would see in any store). There is a balcony in the back, with a railing around it, and that is opened to the windows out front, allowing natural daylight into the “store” from above. The back of the store has been opened up to the stage area, and that has a lower normal heigh ceiling. Little if any original elements of the theater interior survive.
The outside has been beautifully restored, but there is little left on the interior.
Ed, the flea markets (at least when I was last there, were on Sundays only (except certain weekends when they were also Saturday), however, they did indeed take up not only the outer foyer and lobby, but the entire auditorium also. There were vendors in the outer lobby (with the original etched mirrors on the walls yet), the inner lobby, and the auditorium itself.
Ken Roe, it’s been many years since I have been in the Ridgewood Theater, but all of the auditoriums retained ornamentation from what I remember. Vaguely, I remember the side balcony theaters having a lot. In each of those, you have the original walls on one side (outer walls of the original theater, and the ceiling had “half-circles” of ornamental plasterwork, until of course you would hit the “new” wall that divides it up. You also had the original fancy balistrade railings too. I remembered liking to sit in the first row in front of the railing on the sides, which would be about half way up in the what was the balcony.
Downstairs ornamentation also survived, but again, you have a “new” wall on one side, and the original on the other. I believe all the theaters were painted a dark blue, with brown railings, floors etc. The original paintjobs and all different colors are long gone.
If you come to Queens, and stop in Richmond Hill, you should REALLY try and stop at the RKO Keith’s Richmond Hill, which is now a flea market and bingo hall. Every Sunday the flea market is run, so you can freely enter the building, and look around. I haven’t been there also in many years, but when I was last there, it was a diamond in the rough, the only desecration done to that theater was removal of the seats, and painting the walls plain beige, other than that, just about everything remains inside, right down to the balcony seats and all the old original light fixtures (although flourescent lighting was hung withing the auditorium). Definitely worth a trip, but do it on a Sunday so you can go inside. I have been thinking about going back for years, but just can’t seem to get there on a Sunday.
I’m sorry, I meant the “Plaza” above when I said “Corona”. I always considered this the Corona Plaza. Sorry for the mix-up.
Too bad.
Interesting how “parking” was a concern, and if I am not mistaken, there’s even a parking lot near by. If yout ake a theater like the Ridgewood, which has been 5plexed since the 80’s, and there isn’t a parking lot anywhere even remotely close to the theater, and they never had a problem.
Too bad they couldn’t get the Corona to work.
The last few remaining older theaters are beginning to drop like flies now. Hopefully the Ridgewood will be able to pull it off, and stay open (but now they are on an evening only schedule weekdays, like the Corona was doing according to the upper part of this comment page). In Forest Hills there is the Midway (although completely altered), and I think whatever the old Continental is running as, and then the Fresh Meadows, the Jackson, and the Cinemart, and a few others here and there, but we can almost count the theaters left in Queens (or Brooklyn too for that matter) on our two hands.
What I meant to say above, which came out sounding strange is that does the same owners own all three theaters?
Apparently someone also mentioned the Corona Plaza has closed it’s doors, even in what was left of the balcony?
Is this the Corona Theater that also owns the Jackson Triplex and the Ridgewood Theater?
Anyone know of any interior photos of the place before being turned over to Walgreens?
The problem is though that there would have to be some profitable use for the theater if anyone was to spend millions upon millions of dollars for it to be restored. In Flushing, finding that sort of use would be extremely hard. Even as a multiplexed theater it had trouble staying afloat, it’s harder for any use, even as a one auditorium restored theater.
No one is going to throw millions into a building that will not be profitable after it is done, no matter how great of a building it was.
It’s a shame they didn’t keep the interior inact. They did such a nice job outside, you would think that would have found it’s way inside too.
Peter, you are so right. Just look what a neighborhood theater has caused here, one of the most popular theater threads on this site, at least certainly rivaling many of the “famous” theaters in popularity on the site.
It’s strange, we are all seperate people, yet in passing, the plaster in that lobby has seen us all, and our joys and happy moments we spent both before and after a movie walking in and out of that lobby, and think of all the countless other people that lobby has touched, both past and present. The movies have come and gone, and some movies I don’t even remember, but all the memories do flood back if I think hard enough, especially when a photo such as those spark buried memories.
I can close my eyes, and actually visualize sitting in the Ridgewood Theater, and can actually see the surroundings if I look had enough. I can see them opening and closing the curtains between the previews and the feature. I remember the cartoons before the movies (yes, they still did that in the 70’s!). I remember a lot of small details. I remember later years, the individual cut up auditoriums, especially the rightmost balcony one (if facing the screen), and the lower left auditorium. I remember looking up at the ceiling, and seeing semi-circles in plaster (that used to be full circles when it was one theater).
Ahh, the memories. It’s way more than plaster and bricks. The building is alove with all our memories.
Peter, we posted at exactly the same time!
Anyway, yes, if I hadn’t seen the recent scaled down schedule for the Ridgewood, and had just seen those photos instead, I would so optimistic for the theater’s future, as at least the lobby looks great, and well cared for. like I said before, it’s better and cleaner than I remember it.
Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the theater will continue to thrive….
Nice. It’s amazing how it looks exactly like I remember it. Even the floor is the same! Honestly, I even think it looks to be in better shape than I remember it the last time I was through there in 1991. It looks clean, and freshly painted.
The blue on the walls in the hallways to the individual screens was painted like that when they multiplexed the place. I honestly don'tremember the pain scheme from when it was one theater, I was too young.
But I DO remember that floor in the lobby!
I left Ridgewood in the early 90’s. I lived closer to Woodward, so it really wasn’t all that bad, but in the 80’s and 90’s the car situation was ridiculous. My car was stolen three times. Each time I got it back (they found it on the side of the Interboro once, the other time on Atlantic Ave in East New York, and the last time the guy must have cut himself really bad trying to rig it under the stearing wheel, and cut a piece of the my backseat out to sopp up the blood. It was two blocks from where I parked it, next to the Ridgewood Library when they found it, he must have been bleeding too bad, so he left it. That’s when I said, the heck with this, and relied on the subway for the rest of my stay in Ridgewood (2 or 3 more years).
When I left, there was a feeling the neighborhood could go either way. It wasn’t “bad”, but it wasn’t heaven either. Truthfully, when I go back, it seems to be better now than 13 years ago when I left.
As for the “city”. I could never move back again. I ike Ridgewood, and as Peter said, you can’t take it out of me either, however, I’m more of a suburbs guy now, I wouldn’t want to go back, no matter how great the neighborhood would become. Me leaving really wasn’t that I thought it “wasn’t safe”, it’s just I was sick of living in the city. I like grass and open space.
But one thing I can really say. Seeing Ken Roe’s photos REALLY makes me want to go back and take in a movie at the Ridgewood Theater again.
Here is a photo Lost Memory asked me to upload of the homes on Linden St he has, to show that they were indeed standard three family homes:
Click here for link to photo