South Bay Cinemas
495 Montauk Highway,
West Babylon,
NY
11704
495 Montauk Highway,
West Babylon,
NY
11704
3 people
favorited this theater
Showing 76 - 100 of 157 comments
Still no apparent change.
Absolutely no change in the box office area. Other glassed areas still sport the same faded, ripped curtains and cracks.
Went by the theater today. They have upgraded the pylon (see photos) to a sign which indicates the phone number and web domain, neither of which are currently functioning. Box office area has seen some activity as have a couple of other areas. Maybe sometime in 2020?
As a long time projectionist from a family of same, my father use to say that movies are a habit. This theatre has been closed for so long now that Im sure people no longer even think of it. They should just give it up already.
The comments of robboehm are excellent but: I subscribe to Property Shark and can see the tax maps. South Bay Cinemas is 15,000 sq.ft. on 29,000 sq.ft. of land owned by the Miller Family. There is 10 car parks behind and room for 15 car parks in front but robboehm pictures / google maps show they have not yet been built. The theater has 400 seats WITHOUT liquor store per the building department ( they will answer your queries! ) so parking is inadequate. The adjacent shopping center often filled ( see google maps) is 13.5 acres owned by Basser-Kaufman who do NOT know the Miller Family. A senior security guard of the 13.5 acre complex told me that any theater patrons cars on their land would be towed to make Star Bucks and their other tenants happy. Building department has no application to demolish and rebuild the liquor store site. They say the current building permit covers the existing site only. I think for free or close to fee that robboehm can obtain a FOIL of the building permit for the 400 seat theater or simply chat with the West Babylon Township about this project. Their web site welcomes inquires.
Perhaps the Miller family has run out of money? Perhaps the Miller family is trying to obtain an easement from the Basser-Kaufman family? I fully agree with robboehm that to open this theater with only 25 car parks is not a good idea.
Actually you have to go to South Bay Cinemas on Facebook. The site specifically says that there will be 5 auditoriums initially and subsequently more. If you look at the artists rendering it shows and expanded facade on Montauk Highway which would presume the current liquor store. However, as renovations progress it is obvious that the actual appearance will not equal the conception. As far as the parking is concerned this is a leased property in the shopping center so ownership should not be a problem. I would imagine sharing the lot would not be a problem since the key time for the theater would be in the evening which would not be prime time for the businesses at that part of the shopping center. At the rate they’re going it may be 2020 before the place finally does reopen. I think it’s a waste of time and money – people have done without so long.
Thanks but….. I cannot find any website. Please give me address. Last I looked liquor store still there. When they going to demo? The adjacent car park is often full and has different owner and guards to order tow away so I think parking there to see a movie not a good idea?
Roe5685- They have the whole shopping center parking lot at their disposal, not just the areas adjacent to the theater. And, if you look at their website for the artist’s rendering of the new facility you will note that it includes the space occupied by the liquor store.
I see they have 10 car parks behind? Are there any in front? If they ever open where will people park? Has anyone looked in from the side street behind the liquor store?
South Bay name has been “reapplied” to the Montauk Highway side of the building (perfectly aligned). The small dumpster has been removed. Nothing else has appeared to have changed since early July.
The small, empty dumpster is still in front of the building. The facade facing Montauk Highway and the parking lot has a coat of white paint over the grey primer. The name South Bay has been reintroduced above where the entrance had been, and I presume, will be upon completion of the renovation. See photo uploaded. But they did a lousy job of spacing the letters.
There is a small, empty, dumpster in the front of the building. Other than that there are no visible changes in status.
I’m in the area at least once a month. Let’s see what June holds.
Oh I agree 100%. Im just saying that it seems the owners are working on a shoestring budget. It may take them 5 more years to complete.
Well, they’ve gone to considerable expense to upgrade the theater by obviously upgrading the air conditioning for the five auditoriums and gutting the existing ones. At least they repaired all the exterior problems and gave the building a sealing protective coat to prevent further deterioration.
The Babylon Triplex ceased to exist and it served the same area. The only advantage at this site is a parking lot rather than catch as catch can street parking in Babylon Village. When something is gone this long I would think people have found alternatives (although there really is no theater to serve this large South Shore area of Amityville, Copiague, Lindenhurst, Babylon and Bay Shore}.
Why don’t they just call it a day and say Thanks for the Memories and either sell it to another theatre operator or turn it into retail.
Went by on May 12th and saw no observable difference from the previous month.
Don’t know what’s happening inside but nothing is happening outside.
Things are looking up. The dumpster is gone. They took down the South Bay signage, covered the side marquee, repaired all the exterior cracks and applied some sort of primer. There are a number of units being installed on the roof, presumably to heat/cool the projected five auditoriums in the first phase of the renovation. See photos uploaded.
Interior demolition has accelerated. There is now a chute from the building directly to a dumpster.
Can’t really see, Mike. Only a little over the top and they are behind a chain link fence.
What kind of stuff is in the dumpsters
The building materials are still on the roof and the cracks in the facade facing Montauk Highway have not been corrected. However, they have applied some sort of undercoating on some of the exterior walls, there are two dumpsters with stuff in them and one can see a pile of rubble through one of the windows.
They’ve stripped the exterior from the marquee and there are building materials on the roof but no other signs of activity since I passed in August.
Passed by a little while ago. Nothing seems to have changed. Figured out how they plan on going from 5 to 8 screens, assuming they ever get the 5 from the existing 3. They plan on taking over the building next door which houses the liquor store. When you look at the artists conception of the new South Bay you can see that. Incidentally there is also no new information on the Facebook page.