Norwood Theatre

Fascinating research by tapeshare & LM. Only one thing threw me from the days I used Hale Lanes, c. 1958-65: “…the lanes ran parallel to Hale, not Fulton, so it was potentially a major renovation.” Yes, the structure had an L shape, but I recall that the entrance was on Hale and that the lanes were perpendicular to Hale. When expansion took place beyond the original 10, the owners added lanes toward Atlantic Ave.

My memories about this could very well be clouded and wrong. Speaking only for myself, the surprisingly good Hale Lanes pix on tapeshare’s ENY site added even more mystery than revelation and recollection!

[Sidenote to tapeshare: there was a combo billiard parlor and a 4 lane alley on Fulton St. just under the Alabama Ave. el station in the late ‘50s. I doubt if anyone living there now would even remember that specific hole-in-the-wall dive, but someday a pic of it – and one of the Norwood – might just be unearthed from someone’s dusty, musty vaults. Hope does spring eternal to historians.]

You two never cease to amaze me! LM has become a living annex to the buildings code division, and tapeshare is probably the only guy alive in the NYC area who not only remembers the name of the bowling/billiards combo dive, a relic from the depression years, but also the Gotham Theater a block away! Whoa, bro! You are GOOD! :)

I did jump over to read up on the Gotham page. I had NO idea it had ever existed, yet I’d passed that site, with or without a building or theater, on the old #15 train (now the J) and the old B-56 Jamaica bus (now Q-56) from Van Sinderen Ave. many, many times between 1957 and 1978. Will check my ancient Red Books for any additional info on this. I’ll post it on the Gotham page if successful.

Thanks LM. The insurance maps show there was a wood frame structure
back in 1908 on that lot so that sounds like the replacement. I'll
see if I can find a map between 1914 and 1925 that might indicate
the use of the building.

Brooklyn Jim, I spoke with my uncle on the Gotham Lanes; It was a
16 Lane facility, with 4 lanes upstairs with the billiard tables
and 12 downstairs. That was in 1943, so its possible in your time
they didn’t use the downstairs. My uncle claims the owner told him
at one time there was an outdoor bowling facility across the
street though looking at old maps I can’t figure out where it
would have been. He also mentioned the Gotham Lanes was a hangout
for number runners and other seedy elements. He was working there
underage because everyone 18 and over was off in the armed services.
Colorful stuff.

Thanks Brooklyn Jim. I did discover one tidbit on the Gotham; Mae West performed there as a teenager in Hal Clarendon’s stock theater company back in 1907. As far as the Norwood, I am going to try to
track down some theater ads and also check the development maps
over at the NY Public Library.

The September 6, 1913, issue of Real Estate Record and Builders Guide said that architect L. F. Schillinger was taking bids for a brick motion picture theater to be built for Edward Butt and Henry Freise. The 45x113-foot building was to be on the south side of Fulton Street, 57 feet east of Hale Avenue. That’s the location of the Norwood Theatre, but the date doesn’t match up with the November, 1914, building permits mentioned in previous comments. If the project was delayed for a year, it’s possible that Schillinger’s original plans were abandoned.