The Space at Westbury

250 Post Avenue,
Westbury, NY 11590

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Showing 1 - 25 of 164 comments

robboehm
robboehm on June 4, 2018 at 7:12 am

Trouble with Westbury is location. Too near the former Westbury Music Fair which has a long successful history. Long Island is overburdened with performance spaces.

markp
markp on June 4, 2018 at 4:44 am

robboehm, the Union County Arts Center in Rahway NJ is the same way. 1400 seats fully restored. Brand new 35MM projection room. The works. They do maybe 2 or 3 things a month and maybe 3 to 4 movies a year. I just don’t get it.

robboehm
robboehm on June 3, 2018 at 7:36 am

With all the dollars that went into the reno this venue is only utilized for a handful of events each month.

robboehm
robboehm on April 27, 2017 at 8:13 pm

Several years later they only manage a maximum of three bookings in the main space per month.

JohnWestbury
JohnWestbury on July 18, 2014 at 11:46 am

Only one booking for the entire month of August on the 1st…the rest of the month is empty!

robboehm
robboehm on July 7, 2014 at 8:21 pm

Too many performing arts spaces on Long Island; one, long established, already in Westbury. Poor management, opening was more than a year behind schedule and the bookings are few and far between; bad location.

JohnWestbury
JohnWestbury on July 7, 2014 at 10:22 am

Posting an update. Unfortunately not many shows going on, actually this past whole week absolutely nothing. It is another summer of drunk guys hanging around with no activity. We were promised “something going on 365 days a year” to quote it’s management’s Facebook post. Not even the lounge is open every night! 10 events going on for the rest of this month is better than it was, but that’s still 10 days out of just over 20. And most events do not sell out, I was surprised that Billy Idol didn’t sell out, because they do have quite a few big names performing at The Space. I’m sharing a link to a recent article. http://thewestburytimes.com/2014/06/bid-talks-revitilization/ It’s more of a pitch to the Westbury BID than anything else. I live here and don’t see much of a difference due to the lack of shows. The Village will not do anything more to curb the loitering. My bet is people are turned off from coming here because of what they see on Post Ave with loitering & bodegas all over the place. It’s such a shame really.

JohnWestbury
JohnWestbury on March 4, 2014 at 12:01 am

Gotta agree with the previous post, for the month of March there’s only 5 shows listed. Most nights passing by there’s no activity, not even the Marquee is lit. And the lounges are still closed. Not even sure what’s going on with the “His & Her’s” lounge across the street. I was hoping for a more lively spring & summer in this town, but I fear its just gonna be another bunch of nights with nothing but drunk guys loitering around and no activity. I just dont see how this place can stay in business at this rate.

ejcamt
ejcamt on February 24, 2014 at 8:08 am

Anyone who has ever walked out onto a bare stage with only the ‘ghost light’ on for illumination knows what the developer of the Westbury Theater forgot: an empty theater is only a shell, until the moment a show is in it. The occasional one-day event booking may be nice, but one can’t keep a building alive, much less an entire community, with a policy like that. He needs a resident producer/director to fill the space with ongoing entertainment, offering runs of at least one week as the old Westbury Music Fair and Mineola Playhouses did in their heyday. Oh, and while I am at it, let me throw out a few other observations: [1] from their web site, the new interior looks tacky, and glitzy in a cheap sort of way, but that may be a matter of taste. What is not a matter of taste is the fact that the photographs are all too dark and are shot using the wrong lens. One gets no sense of the feeling the space can have and the relationship between the house and the stage. Loose the lobby photos that look like the place is still under construction and lighten the others up using basic Photoshop functions and/or take new and better pictures if you really want to attract business/rentals. [2] Further along those lines of thought, the owner/managers should add some basic technical information about the stage’s equipment package and capabilities for potential renters (they can look at the site for the arts center in Raleigh, NC for a good example of what I am talking about. And [3] ‘The Space at Westbury’ is a LOUSY name for a theater. Better to call it the Westbury Theater and Event Center. At least that conveys something…some identity and purpose! When it comes to theaters, I am VERY DUBIOUS about villages and property owners taking advice from ‘marketing’ and other MBA type hucksters, who come up with concepts/names like ‘The Space.’ They’d be much better off talking to theater people, with a measure of horse sense, instead. :>)

robboehm
robboehm on November 26, 2013 at 5:31 pm

I think these startups like The Space and the Suffolk should pick the brains of the successful operations, particularly Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center.

JohnWestbury
JohnWestbury on November 26, 2013 at 5:20 pm

Lots of work going on with the lounge area today, hopefully a good sign.

robboehm
robboehm on November 23, 2013 at 5:41 pm

So after three years it still isn’t finished. Unless things turn around it will be out of business before it’s completed. Was an unrealistic venture to begin with.

JohnWestbury
JohnWestbury on November 23, 2013 at 4:49 pm

I have taken photos of the theater to show you what’s going on. It appears all work has stopped on the lounge as no progress has been made. Even the lobby looks rather bleak. First photo is of the outside, second is the lobby through the doors, and the third is what was supposed to be The Lounge which was supposed to open this fall, which obviously isn’t happening. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v88/Btraindash/Snapshot-1060_zpsdf85e246.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v88/Btraindash/Snapshot-1062_zps7c0244c6.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v88/Btraindash/Snapshot-1065_zps69461e6b.jpg

JohnWestbury
JohnWestbury on November 22, 2013 at 11:54 pm

Patchogue seems to be doing alot better though, there’s shows most nights, in the next month they have stuff going on almost every night, especially holiday shows. The Space at Westbury has only 6 scheduled events for the next month. The difference here also is Patchogue has plays & holiday shows whereas The Westbury has mostly rock artists and comedians. I view it as a serious problem when a venue cant seem to schedule many acts. Most are similar to NYCB, which may be an issue in itself. I pass by The Space practically everyday and it’s depressing seeing such a beautiful place languishing day after day with nothing going on.

Ed Solero
Ed Solero on November 22, 2013 at 9:47 pm

I think Huntington stands apart from the other locations you mention. That strip of New York Avenue, where the Paramount is located, is such a hot spot on weekends, I don’t think it even needs the theater to remain vibrant. Though, I’m sure it helps. I met some friends for dinner and drinks at a local restaurant, just a block and a half from the Paramount last weekend, and the street was hopping. Lots were packed, and local pubs and restaurants all seemed to have good patronage. A significant portion of the crowd at the bar were waiting to go in to the ZZ Top concert at the Paramount, and someone there told me that a few solitary seats were still available for the show. I can recall being on this same strip a few years ago, before the Paramount opened, and when the former IMAC was still shuttered, and the crowds did not seem noticeably smaller, nor the bars and restaurants any less crowded, than they were on my recent visit.

Anyway, point being, you can’t really compare Westbury to Huntington. There really is nothing else going on along Post Ave. In that regard, it probably has more kinship with Riverhead, Patchogue, and Bay Shore – all sleepy little business districts, compared to Huntington.

NYCB Theater, as the Music Fair is now known, is in a fairly desolate (at night, anyway) stretch of office parks and light commercial strips, but it still seems to draw its usual roster of nostalgia acts and comics throughout the summer (and even during other seasons, though not quite as abundantly). I have a feeling, it gets the business it does, because promotors know it, and are used to booking it. It’s like a reliable fixture on the circuit.

robboehm
robboehm on November 22, 2013 at 6:28 pm

How many of these venues can Long Island support? The Suffolk in Riverhead has a lot of shows scheduled but one of the merchants said they weren’t doing well. Bolton in Patchogue has a very low profile. There is activity at Patchogue. Don’t know how the Paramount in Huntington is doing. Even the Music Fair, or whatever it’s called these days, doesn’t have as many. WHPAC is a smaller space but seems to attract diverse acts. Don’t know how well they do.

JohnWestbury
JohnWestbury on November 22, 2013 at 4:28 pm

I signed up just to post my observations since I’m a Westbury resident. The theater outside looks very nice, and I’m sure the inside is too. But there’s hardly anything going on. I read that NY Times article, the owner said that there would be stuff going on almost every day with a new bar and lounge by the fall, well, it’s almost the end of November and there’s still nothing going on. There’s hardly any shows, I would say one show a week would be pushing it, in fact it’s been over two since the last one. The next show isn’t until next Wed the 27th. There was to be a sushi bar and bar opening right across the street, haven’t seen any progress on that either, and the store that the sushi bar was to move into has “for rent” signs on it again. The news stories and elected officials will say how the town has been revitalized, but as a resident I can tell you not much has changed. Still shady people hanging around at night, especially in summer when they get drunk, and too many bodegas and money wiring stores. I dont even feel safe walking through town at night and get a ride back from the LIRR instead. There’s no one around, its desolate, and thats the problem. I dont think people are coming because of these issues. The first show at the theater had alot of ppl but the others have been quieter. In order for this to succeed the Village of Westbury has to agressively fight these Quality of Live issues and then the people will come. So far I have to say I’ve just been very dissapointed. From the photos I’ve seen it’s a beautiful venue, but with hardly any shows and the big “Westbury” sign in front dark most of the time, it’s discouraging.

Ed Solero
Ed Solero on September 6, 2013 at 8:24 am

Shows finally excheduled here, per the offical website. Most of the events so far appear to be rock music concerts, including the October 4th opener, headlined by Fountains of Wayne and Soul Asylum. Other dates in October include performances by Alice Cooper, and Dr. John. Those names are actually not all that shabby, for a venue of this size, and probably on par with what you might see at Westbury Music Fair, and other comparable Long Island venues.

As for ticket prices, looks like the typical show here will run in the $30-35 range, with bigger names like Alice Cooper and Dr. John commanding up to $75 for premium seating.

All of these shows go on sale today at noon.

RobertR
RobertR on September 4, 2013 at 7:23 am

The nutty Staehles should be invited to opening night

CaptRonLI
CaptRonLI on August 6, 2013 at 10:14 am

I wonder if they’ll leave that musty basement smell… you know, for old times' sake.

robboehm
robboehm on July 27, 2013 at 12:15 pm

Long awaited opening of The Space at Westbury is being touted for August. Still nothing on the official web page.

Ed Solero
Ed Solero on June 21, 2013 at 5:22 am

Video story and regular article from February about the pending opening. Still hasn’t happened. Appears the new name will be The Space at Westbury. There is a website and a facebook page. There are a couple of interior photos on the home page to the website, plus a gallery of images showing interior renovations in process. The events page, however, still seems to be a clean slate…

robboehm
robboehm on April 21, 2013 at 4:28 am

Looks like a catering hall.

Ed Solero
Ed Solero on April 20, 2013 at 9:10 pm

Drove past on my way home from the office this on Friday, April 19th, and snapped 5 quick shots with my cell camera. The place looks ready for business. There was an older, well-dressed gentleman and a much younger woman who accompanied him, walking the perimeter of the theater as I approached the block. I saw them turn the corner from Post Ave onto the northern side street, where the man checked that the two doors located just off Post were locked. Not sure what that was about.

Also struck me that there are no display cases along the main facade – though, I suppose, those could be easily anchored onto the wall at a later date, easily enough. However, there are two rectangular recesses in the wall at new side entrance on the southern facade, that appear to be intended for poster displays. Through those doors, one can also make out a mural depicting what seems to be a man on stage playing to a house of empty seats! Hopefully, not a prophetic image!

As MissVicki noted, the marquee lights are in – and I’m happy that they appear to be the old fashioned screw-in bulbs, rather than some modern LED type of affair. I’m sure the display panels will include some sort of modern animated signage, but at least the framing and undercarriage are to be lit incandescently!

Hopefully, the next time I snap some pics, there’ll be an attraction listed up on those boards!

MissVicki
MissVicki on April 12, 2013 at 1:44 pm

Rolled past yesterday and the crew was working on some additional outside lighting. The marquee is up and lights are in. I asked when the opening was projected and he man said about one month.