Loew's King Theatre To Be Restored
After years of talking about it, the city announced yesterday that it had finally found developer to restore and run the historic Loew’s King Theatre at 1025 Flatbush Avenue. Under the plan structured by the EDC, the Houston-based ACE Theatrical Group, which has restored a number of historic theaters around the country, would put up…
After years of talking about it, the city announced yesterday that it had finally found developer to restore and run the historic Loew’s King Theatre at 1025 Flatbush Avenue. Under the plan structured by the EDC, the Houston-based ACE Theatrical Group, which has restored a number of historic theaters around the country, would put up $5 million towards converting the building, most recently used in 1977 as a movie theater, to a performance space, while the city would kick in $50 million in development funds and another $15 million in tax credits. We feel like we have a deal we can deliver on, said Seth W. Pinsky, president of the New York City Economic Development Corporation. We are confident this project is going to move forward. The plan is for the refurbished theater to host approximately 250 live events, including concerts, theatrical performances and community events.
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Photo by tony10036
You are right, Harriet, and that could certainly be a great asset in a business plan for the space. The more events that happen, the better for the theatre. It would also help the neighborhood, hopefully promoting new businesses, helping existing businesses and beautifying that part of Flatbush Ave, which has some important and great architecture and history nearby.
I can see this theater becoming the most famous performing venue for Caribbean artists. This could help solidify and promote Flatbush as the center for the Caribbean community in the US.
…But let me know if you think this is an overstatement.
Last time I looked, there was a second adjacent building/lot suitable for conferences/offices and a third lot behind these buildings for parking or a parking structure.
Minard;
Well, I can always be pleasantly surprised!
😉
PS: in its last days as a theater in the mid-70’s, one of the ways it tried to stay afloat was to serve as a venue for graduation ceremonies. BAM, which was also down and out at the time, did the same thing. So many graduation ceremonies were held at BAM and the Kings back then! My wife’s HS graduation ceremony was held at the Kings, as was my cousin’s.
benson, this group, ACE (Arts Center Enterprises) is a no-nonsense serious business. They are based in Texas and have succesfully renovated a dozen or more theaters throughout the country including the Boston Opera House, the Warner theater in Washington DC, the Chicago Theater and many others. They have a business model that works. This is not a local amateur operation.
By the way I looked it up in the AIA Guide and the theater dates to 1929 and was designed by Rapp and Rapp -foremost theater architects of their day.
I have doubts about the success of this project.
There is already a succesful performing-arts space in the area (Whitman theatre in nearby Brooklyn College). They have a quite good program AND there is parking available. It is really, really tough to park in the area around the Kings.
I wonder if this theater could be viable just based on foot and subway traffic.
This is about the 5th time a deal has been announced to save this theater, and they all have gone nowhere.
The map shows that it is convenient to Ditmas park and PP South. I have to confess I have never noticed this building nor gone in. But I know theaters like it. This looks like an excellent example of its type. Most have been demolished and many others are now churches.
http://cinematreasures.org/theater/902/
Loew’s 46th Street Theatre
Brooklyn, NY
4515 New Utrecht Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219
What a legacy it would be for a billionaire to restore and preserve all of these movie palaces before it is too late.
Great news! I hope Montrose is right and they do create trades programs so people can learn skills from the restoration, the way St. John the Divine created their excellent programs.