Fort Jay Theatre
Owasco Road at Division Road,
Governors Island,
New York,
NY
11231
Owasco Road at Division Road,
Governors Island,
New York,
NY
11231
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Has anyone else noticed that if you choose New York, New York City on the CT search option there are no listings?
By the way, entering “Owasco Road at Division Road, Governors Island, NY” (with or without an apostrophe in “Governor’s”) does bring up a correct google map indicator – at least it did when I tried it a few minutes ago. I think the address should be modified to drop the “New York, NY” in favor of “Governors Island, NY.”
There are some interior shots at this site:
http://www.avoidingregret.com/2010/09/photo-essay-inside-governors-island_21.html
Ed, I agree with you that the zip code is very odd – and probably not correct. The 11231 zone includes the Red Hook section of Brooklyn, which is separated from Governors Island by Buttermilk Channel. As witnessed by the two Ridgewood zip codes that once straddled the Queens/Brooklyn border, zip codes do not always conform to county lines. But, in this situation, the ONLY public way to access the island has always been via the ferry leaving from the Battery in Manhattan. Also, Governors Island has always been a part of the Borough of Manhattan. Thus, no rational reason exists to lump this area into Brooklyn. I am sure that a Manhattan zip code – probably 10004, which covers the Battery area – covers this area. But, however, since nobody currently lives there, it will be hard to find out.
Well… changing the address to include the intersection didn’t move the drop-pin on the map. I wonder if they had to drop the “Governor’s Island” part of the address for a specific reason. The “112” prefix in the zip code would normally indicate a Brooklyn, NY, address, not one in New York, NY.
Since the entrance is on Owasco, I would update the address to “Owasco Road at Division Road.” I think that’s likely as accurate as we are going to get. Not sure what the map will do with that data.
I googled the theatre and came up with the website page that I unsuccessfully tried to link at the bottom of this message. (Haven’t yet figured out how to do this under the new system.) If someone can make the link work, please do so, since it contains a number of interesting pictures of the Fort Jay.
The address referenced in that site is simply: Division Road at Owasaco Road. That is about as exact as it gets. However, even if we cannot indicate an exact street address – and it is possible that a specific street number was never designated to it – I think this location should be indicated at the top of the page.
http://michaelminn.net/newyork/theatres/movie_theatres/fort_jay_theatre/
If somebody can find a “proper address” we will post it. I don’t think I could find it online when I added this one.
Actually, John, the map location is wrong. I still think it’s in a fairly safe location (within the green colored portion of the map). The theater is situated on Owasco Road at the corner of Division Road. If you drag the map up a little, its near the sharp corner at the bottom of the green area where Division runs into Craig Road South. Zoom in a bit and all the side street names are labeled. The facade faces northwest on Owasco Rd and the auditorium wall runs southeast along Division. I wonder if there is a proper address for the building. If so, updating the information on this page may relocate the map pin to its correct location.
Thanks Ed for swinging the Google map to capture a look at the old theater.
If the Fort Jay Theatre is situated on that portion of the island as is indicated on the map. then I think its chances of survival are pretty good. In fact, it may very well have a new life as a greeting/presentation center for the new development.
The portion of Governer’s Island that will be radically changed is the southern portion, which is mainly landfill, that consists of relatively newly constructed residences for the military staff – and their families – who were assigned there. These are hardly “historic” buildings and their replacement by a park and other modern institutions will be a positive development. But, this should not affect the old movie house.
I was able to swing the Google Street View around for a nice look at the entrance and facade. You can pan to the left or go around the corner to the right to view the side walls and get an idea of the building’s size. I hope this somehow survives, too, LuisV. Visiting the island must be a bit of a strange experience. Beautiful as it is, seems that there must be a certain Twilight Zone air about roaming around the abandoned – but not entirely dilapidated – grounds. Particularly on a day when visitors are sparse and one finds oneself turning a corner with no one else within sight or earshot.
I wonder if this theater will be included as part of the structures that will be saved. My gut is that it is not. This section of the island is soon slated for reconfiguration into a stunning new park that will, in effect, create a Central Park for downtown. I would hope, however, that this theater could be saved somehow and still show movies.
Last year, a different volunteer editor was in charge of US cinemas. As you say, many military families enjoyed the cinema, so they can now look it up on this website and add their recollections.
I submitted this last year but it was turned down b/c it wasn’t open to the public.
My rationale was that it was at the time, to military families, etc.
It’s a great building when you see it.
Auditorium, photographed during the Open House: View link
More photos including auditorium, for the Open House event:
View link