Jackson Heights Cinema
40-31 82nd Street,
Jackson Heights,
NY
11373
40-31 82nd Street,
Jackson Heights,
NY
11373
12 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 141 comments
I worked the Jackson as a projectionist in 1982. The original projection booth served all 3 screens with the orchestra theatre projected between the split balcony screens. 📽️ 📽️ 📽️
Roosevelt Avenue is the border with Jackson Heights so, yes, the Jackson was in Elmhurst by half a block. The Sunnyside Theatre was in Woodside, just down the tracks a ways.
SlimFocus, wasn’t the bookstore (which I barely remember) on Ithaca and Baxter (where a Chipotle’s now stands)?
In 1978 I saw “The Wild Geese” there (Richard Burton, Roger Moore, Richard Harris). It was still an undivided theater. Smoking was restricted to the balcony.
In 1925, it was oriented toward the new neighborhood, Jackson Heights, but it was clearly in Elmhurst, no?
A current view of the ground site, along with news coverage of the controversy raging over what Target can build there, is available here
I will never forget seeing 2001 as an eight year old in 1976, and then walking outside and going to the paperback store on Baxter and buying The Making of Kubrick’s 2001. That changed my life. To the projectionists: thanks for making this gateway such a magical experience.
Jackson Heights Cinema site to become Target.
https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20170501/jackson-heights/target-jackson-heights-82nd-street-the-shoppes?utm_source=Jackson+Heights+%26+Elmhurst&utm_campaign=9ed087d8d5-Mailchimp-NYC&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_58f22e4455-9ed087d8d5-132051509
rest in peace, another part of my childhood gone.
Went there yesterday hoping to salvage something, anything.
The Jackson Heights Theatre is gone…
Articles in 1925 issues of Exhibitor’s Trade Review and Architectural Forum cite Charles A. Sandblom as architect of the Jackson Theatre.
Sun Equity Partners and the Heskel Group have purchased the property including the Jackson Theatre for $27 million and re-development still in the planning stages. No permits for demolition have yet been filed. Details here: http://www.qchron.com/editions/western/mixed-use-building-coming-to-nd-st/article_113a1749-6048-5f9b-b65e-68707daa5598.html?mode=story
It is said that the theater has closed down. It was the last remaining theater in all five boroughs built in 1924 to still be operating. The middle theater has 600 seats in it a large screen and a beautiful arch around the screen.The two other theaters to the left and the right of the middle theater or once the wings of the balcony. They have 230 seats each. Sadly I don’t know if the theater will ever open again. It needs to be converted to digital projection which is costly probably close to 150Thousand dollars. As well as the air conditioning and heating systems needing work. Because when I went to the theater in the winter it was kind of lukewarm and in the summer the main central air-conditioning did not work and they had to try to use a few window units to cool the theaters.
It seems the last movies played in this theater were Disney’s Frozen and Hunger Games, as the names are still on the marquee.
The upstairs theatre at the Plaza is still there too
Was the theater running again since the last Indian owner?
Good question, RobertR. One series of comments says the owner of the building wants the theater out. Lease expired in December but he’s willing to extend until June. Manager of the theater said no.
Other comments say manager was behind in rent and evicted.
Good question, RobertR. One series of comments says the owner of the building wants the theater out. Lease expired in December but he’s willing to extend until June. Manager of the theater said no.
Other comments say manager was behind in rent and evicted.
Whats going on here?
As a child in the 8o’s this was my favorite theater to go to. It was always between this and the colony theater.
Such a busy area surprising this cant make a go of it, very sad.
Hope it manages to come back again. A lot of the beautiful interior is still intact.
DNAInfo reports that the theater has closed. Evicted for owing back rent.
http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20140115/jackson-heights/jackson-heights-cinema-operators-evicted-for-owing-back-rent
I don’t know but I attended movies there in 1997-2000 and it was a triplex that entire time.
In which year was this theater converted into a triplex?