Not only can you find cobblestones on First Avenue, you’ll also see the rails for the freight trains there, that took goods between the warehouses along First Avenue and the waterfront.
Growing up I remember construction on the section that went towards to Verrazano Bridge. I remember the stores on the other side of Third Avenue disappearing.
Most of the business that lined Third Avenue at the time, mostly started to disappear from the area not because of the El so much, as because of the street gangs that popped up in the early 70s. I knew most of the owners on that block—having worked at 2 stores there growing up—and they decided they had enough with the gangs and either retired or moved to other locations. There is only one business that is still there from back then — that’s the grocery store on the corner of 55th Street.
According to the top of this page it had 450 seats. I just don’t remember it having that many. Think layout was center walk-in aisle with rows on either side and back to front aisles on the ends too.
If you walk around the corner on 54th Street you’ll see the back of the building next to the current apartment building on the corner (used to be a pizza joint there at one time). Back area there had a fire exit and was fenced in. Dumpsters were also back there for garbage.
I actually showed that B&W photo to the current walkers there this past summer and they couldn’t believe it either. Ha! That block has changed much over the years. Actually going back there today.
Just added a photo of the theatre from the NYC tax archive photos. Theatre was showing “Parents on Trial” and “Conspiracy” with Allan Lane.
A mystery: I noticed that there were El track posts in front of the theatre which I don’t remember from the late 1950s. Wondering if a train line ran that there— which is now the BQE (Brooklyn Queens Expressway). BQE Verrazano extension wasn’t built until the early 1960 there, so I have to do a little research.
Let me try and give what info I can remember: The Alben was run by my parents and godmother in the 1950s. My dad, Ernesto was working the projectors, mom, Gloria, was at the candy counter and my godmother, Vicenta, was at the ticket booth out front.
The theater ran mostly Spanish-language films during the mid- to late 1950s. It ran singing cowboy, drama and comedy films. I was born in 1956, and when I was old enough to walk, I would walk down the aisle singing along with the Mexican cowboy in the movie playing— having had seen the film a bunch of times. My father or mom would grab me and promptly put me in the big maroon wing back chair in the lobby for a time out (yeah, ‘time-out’ before there was such a thing. lol). Oh how I hated that chair. lol
My father stopped managing the Alben in 1958, when he went back to Puerto Rico. I can’t remember, and will have to ask family members still alive, if the theater continued in other hands or was sold as retail space. I do remember that a candy wholesaler has been at that location (the one shown in KenRoe’s shots), maybe to this day. I don’t recall the walls being painted white. Still had the old brick facade.
I’m going to see if there are any photos of the theater from my family pics. If I find any, I will post them. If anybody has any more news about the theater, please let me know. My mom and her cousin are the only ones left from that era. Have to pump them for more info.
I think this site is great. Lots of other Brooklyn theaters that I went to as a kid. Oh, the great memories. They just don’t make them like that anymore….
Not only can you find cobblestones on First Avenue, you’ll also see the rails for the freight trains there, that took goods between the warehouses along First Avenue and the waterfront.
Growing up I remember construction on the section that went towards to Verrazano Bridge. I remember the stores on the other side of Third Avenue disappearing.
Most of the business that lined Third Avenue at the time, mostly started to disappear from the area not because of the El so much, as because of the street gangs that popped up in the early 70s. I knew most of the owners on that block—having worked at 2 stores there growing up—and they decided they had enough with the gangs and either retired or moved to other locations. There is only one business that is still there from back then — that’s the grocery store on the corner of 55th Street.
Oops…that should be “workers” not “walkers”. Need coffee. Ha!
According to the top of this page it had 450 seats. I just don’t remember it having that many. Think layout was center walk-in aisle with rows on either side and back to front aisles on the ends too.
If you walk around the corner on 54th Street you’ll see the back of the building next to the current apartment building on the corner (used to be a pizza joint there at one time). Back area there had a fire exit and was fenced in. Dumpsters were also back there for garbage.
I actually showed that B&W photo to the current walkers there this past summer and they couldn’t believe it either. Ha! That block has changed much over the years. Actually going back there today.
Yep, it was a theatre. Pretty must looked like the B&W photo I posted until the late 1950s.
Just added a photo of the theatre from the NYC tax archive photos. Theatre was showing “Parents on Trial” and “Conspiracy” with Allan Lane.
A mystery: I noticed that there were El track posts in front of the theatre which I don’t remember from the late 1950s. Wondering if a train line ran that there— which is now the BQE (Brooklyn Queens Expressway). BQE Verrazano extension wasn’t built until the early 1960 there, so I have to do a little research.
Wow, can’t believe this is on here!
Let me try and give what info I can remember: The Alben was run by my parents and godmother in the 1950s. My dad, Ernesto was working the projectors, mom, Gloria, was at the candy counter and my godmother, Vicenta, was at the ticket booth out front.
The theater ran mostly Spanish-language films during the mid- to late 1950s. It ran singing cowboy, drama and comedy films. I was born in 1956, and when I was old enough to walk, I would walk down the aisle singing along with the Mexican cowboy in the movie playing— having had seen the film a bunch of times. My father or mom would grab me and promptly put me in the big maroon wing back chair in the lobby for a time out (yeah, ‘time-out’ before there was such a thing. lol). Oh how I hated that chair. lol
My father stopped managing the Alben in 1958, when he went back to Puerto Rico. I can’t remember, and will have to ask family members still alive, if the theater continued in other hands or was sold as retail space. I do remember that a candy wholesaler has been at that location (the one shown in KenRoe’s shots), maybe to this day. I don’t recall the walls being painted white. Still had the old brick facade.
I’m going to see if there are any photos of the theater from my family pics. If I find any, I will post them. If anybody has any more news about the theater, please let me know. My mom and her cousin are the only ones left from that era. Have to pump them for more info.
I think this site is great. Lots of other Brooklyn theaters that I went to as a kid. Oh, the great memories. They just don’t make them like that anymore….