Tompkins Theatre
534 Gates Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11221
534 Gates Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11221
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Island Theater Circuit
Architects: Tobias Goldstone, Abraham Sontag
Functions: Church
Previous Names: Rex Theatre
Nearby Theaters
Located in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. The Rex Theatre was opened in 1914. It was an airdome, which was ‘For Sale’ in July 1915 and closed.
In 1921 the Tompkins Theatre was built on the site and opened on December 20, 1921. It was designed by architect Tobias Goldsone and had 580-seats. It was operated by the Island Theatrs circuit. Alterations were carried out in 1932 to the plans of architect Abraham Sontag and the seating capacity was reduced to 567-seats. It was operated by K&S Amusement Co. By 1938 it was operating as an African-American theatre. It was closed in 1955.
The building exists today as a church.
Contributed by
Bway Chris
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
A curent status of what is using the building at this time would be appreciated.
The Tompkins Theatre shows an opening date of 1923 with a closing date of mid to late fifties.
Here’s a photo of the Tompkins Theater building. It’s that building with the lower roof and the gray front, the tree in front, and what looks like crosses on the building:
View link
A June 2006 photograph that I took of the Tompkins Theater, now with a re-clad facade:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/199600615/
Thanks Ken, it looks like it used to have the facade that a lot of these smaller theaters had.
According to Ken’s photo,m the frontage seems fairly large for a neighborhood house located on a residential street. Tompkins Ave. at the corner, is a larger thoroughfare but not a major artery.