Can anyone confirm or deny this astonishing claim that someone posted to the Across the Park blog:
“I understand that a developer has been found to rebuild and reopen the Loews Kings. It is a German company (Reichswerks) which specializes in urban areas. They have done similar work in Amsterdam and Naples. They will partner with an Amercian firm, possibly Disney, as this would be their first project in the USA.”
Posted by: Brooklyn Born | August 26, 2007 at 06:13 PM
NYC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND
BROOKLYN BOROUGH PRESIDENT SEEK
REDEVELOPMENT OF FORMER LOEW’S KINGS THEATER
New York City, September 28, 2006 â€" New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC), in cooperation with Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, issued a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) for the rehabilitation of the former Loew’s Kings Theater at 1025-1035 Flatbush Avenue. The theater contains approximately 63,000 square feet of space, including about 5,000 square feet of retail space, on a 53,900-square-foot-parcel. RFEI responses may include plans for additional City-owned parcels, containing about 77,200 square feet, adjacent to the theater. Redevelopment plans must be economically feasible, rehabilitate and reuse the theater building, and retain certain elements of the theater’s original architectural features. Public funds may be made available for initial capital expenditures.
“The unique character of the former Loew’s Kings Theater combined with its location in the middle of the Flatbush Avenue retail strip make this an especially exciting redevelopment project,” said EDC Interim President Joshua J. Sirefman. “Our goal is to receive responses that are forward-thinking, but with a genuine reverence for the theater’s glorious past. I want to thank Marty Markowitz for his enthusiasm and support of this important project.”
The RFEI envisions a wide array of possible uses, such as a commercial theater, a not-for-profit cultural institution, a gallery and auction house, a television and motion picture production facility, residential units, a hotel, restaurants, a community facility and retail establishments. Development opportunities for the adjacent City-owned parcels may include decking over the parcels or transfer of surplus development rights from the theater to the parcels, or the parcels to the theater. Respondents may also plan redevelopment of the adjacent City-owned parcels, provided their submissions recognize and adequately address certain existing agreements.
“Restoring the historic Loew’s Kings Theater represents an opportunity to create a world-class cultural venue for current and future Brooklynites by bringing back a little piece of yesterday,” said Borough President Markowitz. “The return of the Kings will confirm Brooklyn’s status as the creative capital of New York City, and when this people’s palace is back in the heart of the borough in all its former splendor, it will be a great day for both Brooklynites who have walked her aisles and those who have yet to discover her majesty.”
The Loew’s Kings Theater opened in 1929 as Loew’s flagship theater.
Designed in the French Renaissance style, the theater’s architecture
was heavily influenced by the Palace of Versailles and Paris Opera
House. The theater features high curved ceilings, ornate plaster
walls, wood paneling, pink marble, and a glazed terra-cotta ornamental façadeâ€"all in keeping with classic movie palace styling. The stage is approximately 70 feet wide by 30 feet deep and has a fly gallery about 80 feet high and a proscenium opening 60 feet wide by 50 feet high.
EDC will use a variety of criteria to evaluate the responses, such as: return to the City; financial feasibility; development team's
qualifications; development plan’s relationship to surrounding
community; design; and respondent’s satisfaction of development
guidelines. EDC also supports high performance, green building and
sustainable design.
The Flatbush Avenue retail corridor is a major shopping area with many businesses selling clothing, appliances, furniture, food and other goods. The theater is located near Sears, Staples, Old Navy, and a Super Stop and Shop serving the adjacent residential neighborhoods. It is within walking distance of the B and Q trains and numerous bus lines.
There will be an information session and site tour on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 at 10 a.m. at the theater, 1025-1035 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn. Please RSVP by calling Anifia Binns at (212) 618-5721 or e-mail , on or before October 17, 2006. Interested parties are encouraged to attend the information session and site tour. A copy of the RFEI can be obtained by calling (212) 618-5721, or may be downloaded at www.nycedc.com/rfp Responses are due no later than 4 p.m. on Wednesday, December 6, 2006. EDC may select a developer or development team from responses to this RFEI, or may issue a subsequent Request for Proposals (RFP). The RFP may be issued only to developers, or a selection of developers, that responded to the RFEI, so all interested parties are urged to respond to this RFEI.
Please accept my apologies. I finally heard from OHNY and, despite the blurb in their email, they were in the end unable to get permission to include the Loew’s Kings on their tour this year.
I am very sorry to have promulgated this false bit of news, particularly because I know you will be as disappointed as I am.
I have fixed the “Friends of the Loew’s Kings” email address on the Save The Loew’s Kings! web page (thanks Gustavelifting for pointing out the problem – I was beginning to think the LK had no friends).
Please email me your contact info if you would like to be kept in the loop regarding any organizing around the Loew’s Kings. I will reach out to you via email regarding any campaigns to get this renovation project moving!
By the way, the A&E channel will be airing a series of segments on the Loew’s Wonder Theaters that I am told will include a segment on the Loew’s Kings.
Set your DVRs! Sunday, June 18th between 8am-10am on A&E.
No one I know is talking about renovating it as a movie theater. The idea is to create a performing arts center with music, dance, theater etc. and possibly some commerical space as well. If acts are scheduled which target the large local carribean population it should do very well.
That said, you are going to have to sell a lot of tickets to make your initial investment back. I agree that a public investment in the economic future of that part of Brooklyn – in partnership with private investors – would likely be neeed. IMO there are far worse things to spend public money on than the economic well-being of a long underserved area, the restoration of an historic landmark and the arts.
We started to think that either the project had stalled out, and no one wanted to admit it, or that some kind of behind the scenes negotiations were taking place which no one wanted to talk about before a deal is signed. While we have nothing concrete to back up the latter idea, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, when reached by the Planet for comment, had this to say;
“I am putting the entire effort of my office in saving and in restoring the Loew’s Kings as a performance venue for this and future generations of Brooklynites. It will be a challenging assignment but one that will really benefit Brooklynites.”
When pressed for specifics Markowitz stated “I will discuss in further details sometime in July”. Hmmm… this sounds promising but, unless we find someone willing to talk off the record, it looks like we’ll have to wait until July to see if our optimistic hunch is on the mark.
Bruce and anyone else involved in the effort to bring this beautiful theater back to life. Please contact me at dan AT planetplg.com. I would like to help focus attention on the movement to restore the Loew’s Kings as well as cover the story of your fight to get this done.
That’s a very Nazi sounding name now that i think about it. Perhaps this was a hoax post?
Can anyone confirm or deny this astonishing claim that someone posted to the Across the Park blog:
“I understand that a developer has been found to rebuild and reopen the Loews Kings. It is a German company (Reichswerks) which specializes in urban areas. They have done similar work in Amsterdam and Naples. They will partner with an Amercian firm, possibly Disney, as this would be their first project in the USA.”
Posted by: Brooklyn Born | August 26, 2007 at 06:13 PM
Let’s hope Marty can get some payback from Ratner for supporting his AY project in the form of a Loew’s Kings rennovation.
The NY Daily News article does not appear to be online :–(. If someone scans it and sends it to me, I’ll post it for the others.
If you missed the A&E show you can see a snippet on the Loew’s Kings by clicking here:
http://www.planetplg.com/docs/LoewsKings.mp4
You’ll need pateince and an MP4 player (QuickTime should work).
Dan
BIG NEWS:
NYC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND
BROOKLYN BOROUGH PRESIDENT SEEK
REDEVELOPMENT OF FORMER LOEW’S KINGS THEATER
New York City, September 28, 2006 â€" New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC), in cooperation with Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, issued a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) for the rehabilitation of the former Loew’s Kings Theater at 1025-1035 Flatbush Avenue. The theater contains approximately 63,000 square feet of space, including about 5,000 square feet of retail space, on a 53,900-square-foot-parcel. RFEI responses may include plans for additional City-owned parcels, containing about 77,200 square feet, adjacent to the theater. Redevelopment plans must be economically feasible, rehabilitate and reuse the theater building, and retain certain elements of the theater’s original architectural features. Public funds may be made available for initial capital expenditures.
“The unique character of the former Loew’s Kings Theater combined with its location in the middle of the Flatbush Avenue retail strip make this an especially exciting redevelopment project,” said EDC Interim President Joshua J. Sirefman. “Our goal is to receive responses that are forward-thinking, but with a genuine reverence for the theater’s glorious past. I want to thank Marty Markowitz for his enthusiasm and support of this important project.”
The RFEI envisions a wide array of possible uses, such as a commercial theater, a not-for-profit cultural institution, a gallery and auction house, a television and motion picture production facility, residential units, a hotel, restaurants, a community facility and retail establishments. Development opportunities for the adjacent City-owned parcels may include decking over the parcels or transfer of surplus development rights from the theater to the parcels, or the parcels to the theater. Respondents may also plan redevelopment of the adjacent City-owned parcels, provided their submissions recognize and adequately address certain existing agreements.
“Restoring the historic Loew’s Kings Theater represents an opportunity to create a world-class cultural venue for current and future Brooklynites by bringing back a little piece of yesterday,” said Borough President Markowitz. “The return of the Kings will confirm Brooklyn’s status as the creative capital of New York City, and when this people’s palace is back in the heart of the borough in all its former splendor, it will be a great day for both Brooklynites who have walked her aisles and those who have yet to discover her majesty.”
The Loew’s Kings Theater opened in 1929 as Loew’s flagship theater.
Designed in the French Renaissance style, the theater’s architecture
was heavily influenced by the Palace of Versailles and Paris Opera
House. The theater features high curved ceilings, ornate plaster
walls, wood paneling, pink marble, and a glazed terra-cotta ornamental façadeâ€"all in keeping with classic movie palace styling. The stage is approximately 70 feet wide by 30 feet deep and has a fly gallery about 80 feet high and a proscenium opening 60 feet wide by 50 feet high.
EDC will use a variety of criteria to evaluate the responses, such as: return to the City; financial feasibility; development team's
qualifications; development plan’s relationship to surrounding
community; design; and respondent’s satisfaction of development
guidelines. EDC also supports high performance, green building and
sustainable design.
The Flatbush Avenue retail corridor is a major shopping area with many businesses selling clothing, appliances, furniture, food and other goods. The theater is located near Sears, Staples, Old Navy, and a Super Stop and Shop serving the adjacent residential neighborhoods. It is within walking distance of the B and Q trains and numerous bus lines.
There will be an information session and site tour on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 at 10 a.m. at the theater, 1025-1035 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn. Please RSVP by calling Anifia Binns at (212) 618-5721 or e-mail , on or before October 17, 2006. Interested parties are encouraged to attend the information session and site tour. A copy of the RFEI can be obtained by calling (212) 618-5721, or may be downloaded at www.nycedc.com/rfp Responses are due no later than 4 p.m. on Wednesday, December 6, 2006. EDC may select a developer or development team from responses to this RFEI, or may issue a subsequent Request for Proposals (RFP). The RFP may be issued only to developers, or a selection of developers, that responded to the RFEI, so all interested parties are urged to respond to this RFEI.
Bruce Friedman reports that things are moving forward on getting an RFP written for the Loew’s Kings. See details on PlanetPLG.com.
http://www.planetplg.com
Dan
Please accept my apologies. I finally heard from OHNY and, despite the blurb in their email, they were in the end unable to get permission to include the Loew’s Kings on their tour this year.
I am very sorry to have promulgated this false bit of news, particularly because I know you will be as disappointed as I am.
Dan
PlanetPLG.com
Loew’s Kings to be open to the public for tours for two days in October for the first time since the 70s!
See www.PlanetPLG.com
Dan
There is a new comment on the Loew’s Kings from Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz on PlanetPLG.com:
http://www.planetplg.com
Hello all,
I have fixed the “Friends of the Loew’s Kings” email address on the Save The Loew’s Kings! web page (thanks Gustavelifting for pointing out the problem – I was beginning to think the LK had no friends).
http://www.planetplg.com/loews.htm
Please email me your contact info if you would like to be kept in the loop regarding any organizing around the Loew’s Kings. I will reach out to you via email regarding any campaigns to get this renovation project moving!
Thanks,
Dan Canale-Parola
PlanetPLG.com
Hi all,
I just posted the other A&E shot of the Loew’s Kings and I created a separate section for the theater:
http://www.planetplg.com/loews.htm
Enjoy!
Dan
PlanetPLG.com
New photo and quotes from poiticos on the Loew’s Kings on PlanetPLG.com – wow!
http://www.planetplg.com
By the way, the A&E channel will be airing a series of segments on the Loew’s Wonder Theaters that I am told will include a segment on the Loew’s Kings.
Set your DVRs! Sunday, June 18th between 8am-10am on A&E.
Dan
PlanetPLG.com
No one I know is talking about renovating it as a movie theater. The idea is to create a performing arts center with music, dance, theater etc. and possibly some commerical space as well. If acts are scheduled which target the large local carribean population it should do very well.
That said, you are going to have to sell a lot of tickets to make your initial investment back. I agree that a public investment in the economic future of that part of Brooklyn – in partnership with private investors – would likely be neeed. IMO there are far worse things to spend public money on than the economic well-being of a long underserved area, the restoration of an historic landmark and the arts.
From PlanetPLG.com:
We started to think that either the project had stalled out, and no one wanted to admit it, or that some kind of behind the scenes negotiations were taking place which no one wanted to talk about before a deal is signed. While we have nothing concrete to back up the latter idea, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, when reached by the Planet for comment, had this to say;
“I am putting the entire effort of my office in saving and in restoring the Loew’s Kings as a performance venue for this and future generations of Brooklynites. It will be a challenging assignment but one that will really benefit Brooklynites.”
When pressed for specifics Markowitz stated “I will discuss in further details sometime in July”. Hmmm… this sounds promising but, unless we find someone willing to talk off the record, it looks like we’ll have to wait until July to see if our optimistic hunch is on the mark.
Great tip and great article! Thanks very much Warren. Dan
There is a brief feature on the Loew’s Kings on my website with a promising new comment by Marty Markowitz:
http://www.PlanetPLG.com
Dan
PlanetPLG.com
Bruce and anyone else involved in the effort to bring this beautiful theater back to life. Please contact me at dan AT planetplg.com. I would like to help focus attention on the movement to restore the Loew’s Kings as well as cover the story of your fight to get this done.
Thanks,
Dan
PlanetPLG.com