Ridgewood Theatre

55-27 Myrtle Avenue,
Ridgewood, NY 11385

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Showing 51 - 75 of 2,835 comments

Bway
Bway on August 29, 2013 at 2:19 am

A church would be wonderful in the theater, especially if they leave the plaster walls!!! Perhaps they are just removing the 1980’s multiplexing fake walls and maze of corridors. A church would also be able to used for other functions (theater) during the week perhaps. This could be good news.

PeterKoch
PeterKoch on August 28, 2013 at 3:47 pm

As Bway once commented, a church is the most beneficial post-theatre function that a former theater can experience, in that it (hopefully) leaves most of the interior intact. Like the Loews Valencia in Jamaica, Queens becoming the Tabernacle of Prayer.

Luis Vazquez
Luis Vazquez on August 28, 2013 at 12:25 pm

I have a good source that the space has been taken for a church. If so, it is likely that the walls are being removed to function as such. This may not be bad news after all. I will check my source again.

PeterKoch
PeterKoch on August 27, 2013 at 6:03 pm

Very bad news indeed.

Bway
Bway on August 27, 2013 at 5:57 pm

Wow. That is very bad news. It appears the Ridgewood’s interior is in it’s final hours. After all this, this is where we are now…. Who would have thought….

—–“INTERIOR DEMOLITION , TO REMOVE ALL WALLS AND FIXTURE FORM THE BASEMENT ,FIRST FLOOR THOU THRID FLOOR. NO HCANGIES TO EGRESS, OCCUPANCY AND USE”

Let’s hope it’s only for the fake dividing walls from the multiplexing, but that remains to be seen. This is the closest the Ridgewood has gotten to destruction to date.

Here’s the link:

http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/DocumentOverviewServlet?requestid=3&passjobnumber=420875002&allbin=4082442

Matt Lambros
Matt Lambros on August 26, 2013 at 10:04 pm

According to the NYC Department of Buildings website, the demolition plan was approved on 8/21/13.

NativeForestHiller
NativeForestHiller on August 11, 2013 at 9:33 pm

Are there any quotes from the Landmarks Preservation Commission? It is of the utmost significance to calendar a public hearing for the Ridgewood Theatre’s interior. This is famed architect Thomas Lamb’s earliest and most intact example of a theater throughout NYC!

johndereszewski
johndereszewski on August 11, 2013 at 9:22 pm

While the 8/8/13 edition of the Times Newsweekly confirms that a reovation permit for the Ridgewood’s first floor and basement was submitted, it also indicates that the Landmarks Preservation Commission blocked implementation of this permit on 7/31/13 pending further review. So, keep tuned.

johndereszewski
johndereszewski on August 3, 2013 at 5:05 pm

According to a local blog called Wyckoff Heights, which covers these matters pretty closely, an internal renovation permit for the old theater was recently filed. So some “progress' here may soon occur. While the blog disclosed no details of the application, it is presumably on file at the Building Department and probably subject to inspection.

By the way, the emergence of a locally based group in support of the Ridgewood’s preservation is very good news indeed. Until recently, it seemwd as if the only persons supporting this were this bunch of non-resident movie enthusiasts who comment on this page. Locally based support provides a real boost to this effort.

PeterKoch
PeterKoch on May 23, 2013 at 4:00 pm

Thanks, Ridgewood_towncrier !

Ridgewood_towncrier
Ridgewood_towncrier on May 23, 2013 at 4:05 am

WeLoveRidgewoodTheater.org is a community group dedicated to encouraging the new owners (in contract March 2012) to engage in a dialogue regarding revitalizing the theater as a mixed use venue for arts and entertainment in Ridgewood. Facebook.com/WeHeartRT

PeterKoch
PeterKoch on May 13, 2013 at 3:42 pm

Thanks, Tinseltoes. I’ll believe rumors when I see something done with the Ridgewood Theatre.

PeterKoch
PeterKoch on March 22, 2013 at 9:12 pm

I walked by the Ridgewood Theatre this morning. No change since I last walked by it a year ago (March 23 2012).

THE BUSHWICK TWIN-S is still on the western face of the marquee, facing Madison Street.

There is now something about C-PEX on the southern face of the marquee, facing Myrtle Avenue. There was an area code 718 phone number, and four names I did not copy down.

Michael Perlman probably has additional information on the current status of the Ridgewood Theatre.

PeterKoch
PeterKoch on October 1, 2012 at 3:32 pm

The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY reopened 4 weeks ago on Monday September 4th with Bob Dylan. Dylan is to perform later this year at the Barclay Center in downtown Bklyn only a few miles west southwest of the Ridgewood Theatre. It would be great if the Ridgewood Theatre reopened with Bob Dylan as wll.

PeterKoch
PeterKoch on October 1, 2012 at 3:28 pm

What’s the “wild goose chase”, Tinseltoes ? Thanks for the link.

PeterKoch
PeterKoch on August 30, 2012 at 6:10 pm

I’m reminded of the TV show “The King Of Queens”, and the Eddie Murphy film, “Coming To America”, in which Murphy plays an African prince looking for a queen in Queens, NYC, NY.

robboehm
robboehm on August 29, 2012 at 6:51 pm

At one time there was major confusion on CT about the listings for theatres in the Borough of Queens. Some showed the community name, some had the community and Queens, so just showed Queens. Queens is unique, along with Staten Island (Borough of Richmond), where there are distinct community identies rather than “sections”. At my request these Queens entries on CT were listed, uniformly, under their community, post office, identities. Accordingly, only the Queens and Community Theatres in Queens Village would be accessed by inputting “Queens”, excepting, of course, other locations in the world such as Queensland, Australia.

Nicholas Vargelis
Nicholas Vargelis on August 29, 2012 at 2:54 pm

This theater is in Queens, NOT Ridgewood !

RobertR
RobertR on June 19, 2012 at 9:30 pm

Some pics when it was open http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2010/07/02/landmark_ridgewood_theater_back_on_the_market_for_cheap.php#ridgewood-theater-5

PeterKoch
PeterKoch on May 21, 2012 at 3:12 pm

Good photo, Tinseltoes. Thanks. I would attempt to date it if I could get it large enough to read the movie titles on the marquee.

PeterKoch
PeterKoch on May 8, 2012 at 4:25 pm

You’re welcome, Brad. My pleasure.

I will consider it.

Brad Smith
Brad Smith on May 8, 2012 at 3:56 pm

Thanks for the good words Peter. Send me your e-mail address at and I’ll send you a link to a file that will allow you to make a print for your wall at just about any size you want.

PeterKoch
PeterKoch on May 8, 2012 at 3:01 pm

GREAT photo !!!!!

I’m going to print it, and stick it on my wall at work.

PeterKoch
PeterKoch on May 8, 2012 at 2:59 pm

Thanks Brad, and welcome to Cinema Treasures.

Brad Smith
Brad Smith on May 5, 2012 at 7:51 pm

Click here for an exterior view of the Fox’s Ridgewood Theatre in 1929.