Stupid as teens may be there was NEVER ANY thought of vandalizing ANYTHING at the Oriental! A place like that certainly deserves respect, and if it wasn’t already inhabited I certainly would have gone in to admire it’s beauty!
Theaterrat I remember the homeless people at the Oriental in 1995/96. I had plans to stay there also but I was only 15 and stopped atempting to get in after seeing people in there through the front gate, whoever it was certainly showed themselves to stop a few stupid teens from trying to break in. Well I remember climbing up the old fire escape staircase on the outside of the building which probably had 3 screws left to hold it up, the whole thing shifted with your weight from side to side. On the opposite side, and I asume this is where you enetred the building? There was a burntdown/abandoned 3 family house next door this is where I stayed, from the 3rd floor window I caught sights of the back and side of the theater and looked for some entrance swearing I’d come back and get in someday. I really envy you, to see all the history in that building that was even hidden when it was open Amazing! I too was there to use the bathroom at Marshalls 5 years ago and although I can’t remember too much of the inside from when I was 11ish and saw Hocus Pocus there, it does seem as if some things are intact above the first floor, the walls, the staircase, probably just not worth the money to tear everything down. (Unlike the theater on 18th ave between 64th +63rd which must be completely gutted, I’ve been through the first floor stores and the second floor doctors office.)
Maybe one day someone will realize how completely obsured it is to be using such a beautiful landmark as a one floor department store and turn it back into a theater, even though it would be very different apperance wise the structure of the building, the floor plans basically would still be the same. Maybe hang some original pictures in the lobby WoW!
Theaterrat I remember the homeless people at the Oriental in 1995/96. I had plans to stay there also but I was only 15 and stopped atempting to get in after seeing people in there through the front gate, whoever it was certainly showed themselves to stop a few stupid teens from trying to break in. Well I remember climbing up the old fire escape staircase on the outside of the building which probably had 3 screws left to hold it up, the whole thing shifted with your weight from side to side. On the opposite side, and I asume this is where you enetred the building? There was a burntdown/abandoned 3 family house next door this is where I stayed, from the 3rd floor window I caught sights of the back and side of the theater and looked for some entrance swearing I’d come back and get in someday. I really envy you, to see all the history in that building that was even hidden when it was open Amazing! I too was there to use the bathroom at Marshalls 5 years ago and although I can’t remember too much of the inside from when I was 11ish and saw Hocus Pocus there, it does seem as if some things are intact above the first floor, the walls, the staircase, probably just not worth the money to tear everything down. (Unlike the theater on 18th ave between 64th +63rd which must be completely gutted, I’ve been through the first floor stores and the second floor doctors office.)
Maybe one day someone will realize how completely obsured it is to be using such a beautiful landmark as a one floor department store and turn it back into a theater, even though it would be very different apperance wise the structure of the building, the floor plans basically would still be the same. Maybe hang some original pictures in the lobby WoW!
Stupid as teens may be there was NEVER ANY thought of vandalizing ANYTHING at the Oriental! A place like that certainly deserves respect, and if it wasn’t already inhabited I certainly would have gone in to admire it’s beauty!
Theaterrat I remember the homeless people at the Oriental in 1995/96. I had plans to stay there also but I was only 15 and stopped atempting to get in after seeing people in there through the front gate, whoever it was certainly showed themselves to stop a few stupid teens from trying to break in. Well I remember climbing up the old fire escape staircase on the outside of the building which probably had 3 screws left to hold it up, the whole thing shifted with your weight from side to side. On the opposite side, and I asume this is where you enetred the building? There was a burntdown/abandoned 3 family house next door this is where I stayed, from the 3rd floor window I caught sights of the back and side of the theater and looked for some entrance swearing I’d come back and get in someday. I really envy you, to see all the history in that building that was even hidden when it was open Amazing! I too was there to use the bathroom at Marshalls 5 years ago and although I can’t remember too much of the inside from when I was 11ish and saw Hocus Pocus there, it does seem as if some things are intact above the first floor, the walls, the staircase, probably just not worth the money to tear everything down. (Unlike the theater on 18th ave between 64th +63rd which must be completely gutted, I’ve been through the first floor stores and the second floor doctors office.)
Maybe one day someone will realize how completely obsured it is to be using such a beautiful landmark as a one floor department store and turn it back into a theater, even though it would be very different apperance wise the structure of the building, the floor plans basically would still be the same. Maybe hang some original pictures in the lobby WoW!
Theaterrat I remember the homeless people at the Oriental in 1995/96. I had plans to stay there also but I was only 15 and stopped atempting to get in after seeing people in there through the front gate, whoever it was certainly showed themselves to stop a few stupid teens from trying to break in. Well I remember climbing up the old fire escape staircase on the outside of the building which probably had 3 screws left to hold it up, the whole thing shifted with your weight from side to side. On the opposite side, and I asume this is where you enetred the building? There was a burntdown/abandoned 3 family house next door this is where I stayed, from the 3rd floor window I caught sights of the back and side of the theater and looked for some entrance swearing I’d come back and get in someday. I really envy you, to see all the history in that building that was even hidden when it was open Amazing! I too was there to use the bathroom at Marshalls 5 years ago and although I can’t remember too much of the inside from when I was 11ish and saw Hocus Pocus there, it does seem as if some things are intact above the first floor, the walls, the staircase, probably just not worth the money to tear everything down. (Unlike the theater on 18th ave between 64th +63rd which must be completely gutted, I’ve been through the first floor stores and the second floor doctors office.)
Maybe one day someone will realize how completely obsured it is to be using such a beautiful landmark as a one floor department store and turn it back into a theater, even though it would be very different apperance wise the structure of the building, the floor plans basically would still be the same. Maybe hang some original pictures in the lobby WoW!