« Work in Progress at Christie's Red Hook Warehouse Park Slope Schoolhouse in at 5th Ave's 'Classic Modern' »

October 23, 2009

From Flicks to Fischer on 15th Street

226%2015th%20street%20w%20globe%20pic%2010-2009.jpg
A couple of years ago the old Globe Theater on 15th Street between 5th and 6th avenues was demolished. Cinema Treasures says the second-run movie house closed decades ago and was later used as a warehouse. What's risen in its place is a 48-unit apartment building, according to DOB records, that came from beneath the sea! was designed by architect Karl Fischer.
Development Watch: 226 15th Street [Brownstoner] GMAP DOB
Old Globe photo from kencta.




Posted by Gabby at 11:00 AM | Comments (28)
Categories: Development, South Slope

Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.brownstoner.com/mte/mt-tb.cgi/11970

Comments

It's not a horrible building... though I'm certain I wouldn't be able to afford living there.

Posted by: tybur6 at October 23, 2009 11:07 AM

Jane Wyman was a babe. She was Ronald Reagan's first wife.
Trivia tidbit du jour.

Posted by: Minard Lafever at October 23, 2009 11:15 AM

A very sad before/after. And goddamn I love those cars.

Posted by: BSD at October 23, 2009 11:17 AM

1956 looks nicer.

Posted by: dosteov at October 23, 2009 11:25 AM

Must be the angle of the old photo, but it looks like the marquee is about to come crashing down.

Posted by: Biff Champion at October 23, 2009 11:28 AM

Another vote for Jane Wyman. She was hot.

Posted by: buttermilk channel at October 23, 2009 11:33 AM

Once went to a lecture on old theaters in Brooklyn - it was quite interesting. It's a topic that lurks within the minds of many, many oldtimers.

Posted by: infinitejester at October 23, 2009 11:45 AM

RIP old Bklyn.

Welcome to the future, and it ain't pretty.

We can thank Karl for lower the bar for architectural design one notch lower.

Posted by: Action Jackson at October 23, 2009 11:46 AM

The building is very nice - 1956 actually looks pretty dumpy if you ask me - didnt anyone sweep the streets back then?

Posted by: fsrg at October 23, 2009 11:51 AM

Great. The new building looks like a cineplex. I prefer the "Classic Modern" condos above.

Posted by: mopar at October 23, 2009 11:53 AM

I agree that the 1950's were not the heyday of western civilization. In fact, it was when people abandoned cities like Brooklyn by the hundreds of thousands; if one
minority family moved in to a neighborhood all the whites would have a panic attack and flee in terror.


Posted by: Minard Lafever at October 23, 2009 12:00 PM

Check that car with the tail fins in the old photo. It's a 1957 Plymouth. I know that because it was the first car I ever drove. The car was a tank and I drove it until I got '66 Lemans convertible which was way cooler when I was in college.

Posted by: MarionG at October 23, 2009 12:13 PM

Check that car with the tail fins in the old photo. It's a 1957 Plymouth. I know that because it was the first car I ever drove. The car was a tank and I drove it until I got '66 Lemans convertible which was way cooler when I was in college.

Posted by: MarionG at October 23, 2009 12:14 PM

I want a car with fins and a chrome bumper.

Check out these beauties. The showroom is open to the public.
http://www.cooperclassiccars.com/Inventory1.asp

Posted by: brownjokester at October 23, 2009 12:38 PM

"if one minority family moved in to a neighborhood all the whites would have a panic attack and flee in terror"

Minard,

I think you know what neighborhood was an exception to this (at least in the sense that, while many whites fled, encouraged, among other factors, by unscrupulous blockbusters, a sizable number stayed).

Posted by: Bob Marvin at October 23, 2009 12:59 PM

My vote: 2009.

BTW: note the sign on the movie theater advertising that it is air-conditioned. Even into the 1960's, this was a big draw for the theaters, as most folks still didn't have AC in their home (at least in Brooklyn).

Posted by: benson at October 23, 2009 12:59 PM

While I much prefer the 1956b photo, the new building ain't half bad (not that I'd want to live in it, mind you).

Posted by: Bob Marvin at October 23, 2009 1:00 PM

it is a terrible building, though I have seen worse. My heart breaks every time I walk by it.

Posted by: cottontop at October 23, 2009 1:21 PM

I'm with bob :)

Now if only we could get those 1956 cars again, my day would be complete. But I actually do like the Fischer building.

Posted by: bxgrl at October 23, 2009 1:22 PM

i lived on this block for a few years up near 6th and 7th, agreed it;s a nice looking building - my only concern would be the noise and frenzy of the 24 hour taxi stand that sits below it. these cabs used to fly down the block and all idle in front of the stand. so if you don't mind that - then you shold be ok
hopefully the developer/agent will thing twice about pricing 2 bedroom apts above the 600k range

Posted by: gemini10 at October 23, 2009 1:27 PM


What is so terrible and "heartbreaking" about this building? Honestly... what should a 48-unit apartment building look like?

Posted by: tybur6 at October 23, 2009 1:28 PM

Tybur6;

Asking questions like that is not going to help you establish you new 'Stoner persona.

;-)

Posted by: benson at October 23, 2009 1:46 PM

what a travesty. so damn ugly. one can only hope that in 50 years (or before) this will come down, too, and something more soulful will take it's place. i won't be here to see it, but i can hope.

Posted by: Bsquared at October 23, 2009 2:21 PM

Sorry Benson... you're right.

This place is a complete travesty of all that is holy! Did they even have an architect to design this or did the builder just let his 11-year old draw some pictures! They probably won't even allow cats!

(How was that?)

Posted by: tybur6 at October 23, 2009 3:58 PM

The photo of the Globe is great, I wonder if the Lenny's Pizzeria is a precursor to the one on 5th Ave and Prospect. They used that script in their sign and boxes years ago. The Larsen's was an outlet store for day old cakes and such. I remember going there as a kid, that had to be the mid-1960's.

Posted by: Grumpy at October 23, 2009 4:04 PM

Awful brick color with awful artificial squiggle marks like the kind you find in suburban steakhouse interiors.

Posted by: IMBY at October 23, 2009 4:29 PM

Looks like an outlet mall.

Posted by: DitmasSnark at October 23, 2009 4:40 PM

Whats with thiose crazy windows, I get dizzy just looking at it.
and lets not forget, how do the people clean them from the outside//?????

Posted by: STARGAZER at October 26, 2009 10:14 AM

Post a comment

Please be patient while your comment is published. It may take a moment.

Latest Restaurant Additions