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Brooklyn’s Loews Kings to be restored
posted by
MarcH
on
February 5, 2010 at 9:45 am
BROOKLYN, NY—After years of false starts and rumors, it seems the Loews Kings is finally being rescued. The building is to be restored by Houston-based ACE Theatrical Group, for possible 2014 opening.
A developer has signed an agreement, made a down payment on a $70 million renovation of the Kings and plans to turn it back into a functioning entertainment venue, this time presenting live performances, city officials said Tuesday.
ACE, which has worked on similar restoration projects throughout the country including the Boston Opera House, will soon begin a review and design process expected to take a couple of years. Preliminary plans call for the space to open as soon as 2014, Mr. Pinsky said. The city has committed $50 million to the project, with another $15 million coming in the form of tax credits and $5 million from the developer, which would also be responsible for any extra spending, said Mr. Pinsky.
Read full article in the New York Times.
Comments (7)
This is great news. But file this one under the category of: I will believe it when I see it. I see many potential hurdles to clear before the Kings can open again.
The pics of the interior still look ornate and grand. What is the surrounding neighborhood like? I’m a non-New Yorker and am curious.
It’s a bustling neighborhood thoroughfare in the sense of foot and car traffic. The shops, not so much and the neighborhood is iffy. There are big boxes around the corner though.
This WILL happen. The city has been working on this since 2006. I was present for two of the tours that the city conducted while soliciting RFP’s for the restoration and though there is a lot of damage, it is in much better condition than The New Amsterdam was when Disney undertook its restoration into the spectacular theater we have today. NY1 (a local cable news channel) had a live on site interview this morning with the head of the NY Economic Develpment Corporation. He said it was fully funded and will employ up to 500 people through the resoration period and 50 permanently after it’s done.
The surrounding area is a middle class area primarily consisting of private houses and low rise apartment buildings (6 stories). It is primarily West Indian I believe, but Flatbush Avenue is a thriving retail strip though the retail tends to be lower end. However, there are few empty storefronts, except of course, for the eyesore of the Kings. Sears has a store about 2 blocks away.
This will be a great catalyst for this neighborhood.
Good news at last All the LOEWS WONDER THEATRES will be used in some way and not torn down.
So I gather the neighborhood has deteriorated into a drug dealing, gang infested neighborhood. That is a good thing. I remember when Barbra Streisand gave her comeback concert in ‘94 or so, she made mention of this theater and falling in love with Marlon Brando and a candy called a melarose(?).
Assuming the theater keeps its 3K plus seating, where do people park?
LuisV, I know you go around a lot and seem to be able to find out info on a lot of theatres. If you are ever in Elizabeth N.J. can you try to find out what is going on with the Ritz Theatre. I was going there for about 3 years up till the end of 2008 when I had a serious car accident. I have lost all my contacts and work prohibits me any time to go there. This is another 2760 seat beauty that has been completely restored. And I am so glad that after 30+ years the Kings day has finally come.