Paramount
370 New York Avenue,
Huntington,
NY
11743
370 New York Avenue,
Huntington,
NY
11743
3 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 29 comments
I saw the Allman Brothers here in July 1971. Unforgettable concert. The venue had a very cool vibe.
Balcony Theatre : 1980 : Rock N' Roll High School at Midnights !
Rob, Go in person to Huntigton Historical on Main St. closer to Huntington Cinema Arts Center on the hill on the northside castle like historic building, you can’t miss it. They are very nice when I did a slide lecture in the historic Red Barn adjacent Cinema Arts entrance. I loved every one of the Century Theatres in Huntington and glad I worked them all (Exc. 110 Drive In and Huntington). In person is always the way to go and call for appointment so that they can have the materials for you to see. You’ll see pics of the Paramount marquee and a few others not mentioned on this site… and enjoy Huntington Main St. even though it has dramatically changed since the early 1980’s when it had the flavor of a true style Main Street. Try the Mexican restaurant 2 blocks from the Shore.
Uploaded a picture of the Paramount as it appeared when it opened as the Huntington which I found at Huntingtonhistory.com.
Orlando, the Huntington Historical Society has been involved with a renovation for a couple of years. I have been trying to get material from them, particularly images of the Station and Palace and the original and subsequent marquees of the Huntington for several years. I sent them them another email in September but have had no response.
I saw some, I guess, documentary on the space program at the Balcony. Quite a steep venue.
I have many photos of the Huntington Theatre, but you’ll have to go to the Huntington Historical Society and the Huntington Library to access them and get permission to use them as I did. There all original photos and many more of the Station Theatre and others on New York Avenue. However Century ruled Huntington with five locations! There are original building and opening photographs of Century’s Huntington, real cool! I believe the lobby only has some theatre features. The Balcony had the original theatre’s features down to the spatter rug that Century designed for all their locations. A short live gym occupied the leveled orchestra floor. The Balcony was huge and used the the staircase, upstairs lounge and restrooms were from the original theatre and updated.
There is a big faux-pas in the overview. The Huntington Theatre closed in 1971-2 with “Fritz The Cat”, when the nearby Century’s Shore was finally twinned. It had NOTHING to do with Century’s takeover of RKO-Stanley Warner. That happened in 1983 or so. At a point about 1979, the balcony became known as the Balcony Theatre sort of making the theatre a stadium seater to the disliking of Century Theatres which had a clause of no movies being shown there. Ushers, employees and managenent were sent there over the weekends to do house counts on the Balcony,of course buying a ticket and changing into street our street clothes before going over there. They played cult,rock and other films but never mainstream first run product. How do I know????, because I was a Century assistant area manager at the York, Whitman and the Shore and I went to the Balcony several times. Please try to eliminate the “Century-RKO merger” from Warren’s comment, they are untrue. Corrections are necessary so that people get the best information from people who have experienced the situation.
When I was 18. I got the job to fix a phone jack in the old theater. I worked all through Huntington stores and professional builds and still do today. I became the front phone guy to the theater An I was amazed how the place was built… and how it had endless storage. Some of the things I found were real cool. passage ways to a network of tunnels that went under Huntington. I was told is was set up as an early munitions hold. But its wet, dark and packed with history. Such a great Town Landmark. TG for the renovation. I feel it will be here for years.. Eddie
This is where I saw the Robert Redford picture The Hot Rock way back in the 20th century.
Next week I’m seeing Olivia Newton-John here in concert; I wonder if any of the old place still exists…
Uploaded three photos of the theater in its IMAX days, the façade just before the Paramount opening and the Paramount marquee. Now all I need to find are images as the Huntington Theater.
Their website: http://paramountny.com/
The website has some great interior photos – it’s all a new urban industrial look – probably no old décor was left to save. It’s a good modern design though.
According to a front page article in the Smithtown Messenger, the Huntington Theatre converted to talkies as of April 1, 1929 (no fooling). Open feature was “On the Trail”.
In May 1949 thieves decided to rob the theater after the Saturday night show. However, their timing was premature since the proceeds had not yet been released to the assistant manager. According to newspaper reports they got the princely sum of $1.21. Yes, $1.21.
This is a cool concert venue….but not a thing remains of the former interior ornamentation. Is bare brick walls and bare steel. You can see you are in the balcony where you walk through sloped beams to enter the main floor.
It seems that a significant alteration of the theater’s interior was undertaken during the renovations. I’m not sure what remained of the original decor and architecture when it was home to IMAC, but I don’t think much, if anything, remains today.
As of today, this theater has reopened as the Paramount. It’s now strictly a concert venue. http://long-island.newsday.com/things-to-do/music/paramount-opens-with-sold-out-costello-gig-1.3214242
They’re going to have to move their butts on this. When I did my August 18th posting the front of the building was open at the balcony level and they were still filling a dumpster.
This venue is scheduled to reopen on September 30 as a music venue. Elvis Costello is performing on opening night. This theatre will now be known as the Paramount Theater.
They’re still in the demolition phase so the October date which was originally given is unlikely.
And what has happened to this project. The Islip deal fell through, the Patchogue Plaza deal fell through, work seems have stopped on the Suffolk in Riverhead and I haven’t heard any more about the Westbury.
Sounds like it will soon be another overpriced Long Island venue. :(
Although parking remains a issue with some, it appears that a majority of merchants and residents of Huntington village [and neighboring communities] believe that it will benefit the Town. The Zoning Board of Appeals seems to agree…
“PARAMOUNT THEATRE PLANS APPROVED"
[Reported by: Alessandra Malito – The Long-Islander, 2 September 2010 (v.171, issue 33)]
The Huntington Zoning Board of Appeals has approved plans to move forward with Paramount Theatre, a live entertainment venue planned at the site of the former IMAC.
The ZBA on Aug. 27 accepted a proposal submitted by Paramount Theatre LLC to resurrect live entertainment in Huntington village so long as several of their conditions regarding traffic and safety are agreed upon.
Paramount requested a special use permit to renovate the New York Avenue theater and use municipal parking to account for increased occupancy from 700 to 1,665 seats. Parking plans include the use of valet service to and from the upper Elm Street lot and incentives to park in Town Hall and in a lot at the train station, from which shuttle service will be provided. They also asked for permission to erect a marquee on the front of the building, where a two-story glass wall will overlook the busy road.
The complete article appears in The Long-Islander.
The former IMAC may be getting a new lease on life, as the “Paramount Theatre” – once again a live performance venue – much to the delight of local merchants…
“PARAMOUNT ANTICIPATION BUILDS…
Business owners: theater would grow foot traffic, revitalize economy."
[Reported by: Alessandra Malito – The Long-Islander, 19 August 2010 (v.171, issue 31)]
Read the complete article in this week’s issue of The Long-Islander.
The project’s investors revealed the plans for this renovated and expanded version of the IMAC at a July 29th hearing of the Town’s Zoning Board of Appeals. [“Paramount Reveals Plans†– The Long-Islander, 5 August 2010 (v.171, issue 29)]
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