Friday, October 1, 2010

Developer wants to enlarge RKO Keith's project

From the Daily News:

A MANHATTAN developer who wants to transform a historic Queens movie palace into a mixed-use building may push for nearly twice as many apartments and parking spots as first expected.

Sources said Patrick Thompson's plans for the RKO Keith's theater in Flushing could grow from 200 to 370 apartments - a dramatic shift that would spark another set of votes to approve the project.

If Thompson revises his proposal, the site's long-awaited rebirth would be delayed again while he presents the latest plans to Community Board 7 and the city Board of Standards and Appeals.

Such changes may also ignite fresh concerns about whether the plot - on Northern Blvd. at Main St. - can sustain such an influx of traffic.

Former Borough President Claire Shulman stressed the importance of working with Thompson, figuring anything is better than the currently abandoned site.

"It's such a disaster right now," she said.


And who let it get that way? Claire!

Photo from the Queens Tribune

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Shit head Shulman let that disaster happen.

Anonymous said...

Change from 200 to 370 apartments? They need to get in the overcrowding spirit of Flushing. Why not make it 3,700 apartments with no infrastructure improvements, and Bloomberg having a parade showing how much it benefits the community?

Anonymous said...

Oh why the hell are we even fighting any of this anymore. They win. Go ahead, Flushing is shot, Queens is shot. This is where I say to the developers, dump everything you have left into Flushing, it is way too far gone now. Enjoy your cespool.

Anonymous said...

LETS NOT WAIST TIME AND MONEY KELTY AND APPELLIAN WILL APROVE IT SO LET'S MOVE FORWARD ALREADY. SET UP THE PRICE FOR APPROVAL, FUNNELL THE MONEY, AND GET IT OVER WITH SO IT ONLY HURTS A LITTLE.

Anonymous said...

It would be interesting to actually increase the population density such that it might compete with the world record of 60,000 people per km2 - which would be about a box about 13x13 ft per person. Go for it, Flushing.

Anonymous said...

When it was used for parochial graduations in the seventies, parents were afraid it as too much of a fire hazard. Why should a vain theatre be historical? If it wasn't Aisans trying to tear it down, there would be no serious objections.

Jerry Rotondi, Committee To Save Keith's said...

Where were you Ms. Shulman when in August 1986, over 3,500 petition signers requested landmark status for the ENTIRE interior of this deserving historic theater...which were sent via certified mail return receipt?

Shulman actually had the gall to deny receiving the petition at a public event in 1987!

A later request was made to seize the RKO Keith's from criminal developer Tommy Huang for the public good through eminent domain proceedings.

Back then a possible reuse for the site could have been to convert the building into a performing arts/convention center.

Shulman's answer was an emphatic, "Hasn't he (Huang) suffered enough? He hasn't been able to build on the site for the past 2 years".

It's queer that Shulman has no problem today employing eminent domain to steal the Willets Point properties from established businesses to hand over to a politically connected developer.

Anonymous said...

Why should the "vain" Ming tombs (with its miniature pottery figured army in China) be considered of any historical importance to a communist nation?

I say dig them up...sell off the artifacts...and build to the max on that site!

Oh...heaven forbid...tsk, tsk, tsk...that's another story.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps it's time for Wellington Chen bare his face to the public for a change instead of hiding behind the curtain of all the over development that's been going on.

This diminutive devil might well be the quiet undetected force behind the long term destruction of Flushing...maybe even far more dangerous than Tommy Huang because he flies beneath the radar.

Wasn't it he who once declared, "Flushing was ripe for the taking"?

He's always so fond of employing military jargon...this wannabee little general living in Little Neck.

Anonymous said...

If it wasn't Aisans trying to tear it down, there would be no serious objections.
-----------------------------------
Oh really. So would you care to explain all strenuous objection on this blog to all the overdevelopment projects in Queens where Asians AREN'T involved? Nice but feeble attempt to play the race card, but we are against overdevelopment by ANY ethnicity, and we are sticking to our guns.

Velvethead said...

Has anybody noticed Main Street is looking more and more like the street scenes in Blade Runner?

Anonymous said...

Why not make it 3,700 apartments with no infrastructure improvements, and Bloomberg having a parade showing how much it benefits the community?


cant do that again. they already 'saved' asstoria.

Anonymous said...

Why can't we in Flushing save the Bowne House (no money?) if Peter Vallone Jr wants to piss away public funds on the Steinway Mansion.

Get in line buddy. Get in line.

Buy is with Daddy's money Junior.

Anonymous said...

Did Claire get fitted for her Orange Jumpsuit yet? Where is Omar the tentmaker when you need him?

Anonymous said...

Does the enlarged projest require a "mega-variance"?

Anonymous said...

What's the Bowne House got to do with this subject?

Could it be Bob "simpleton" bitching again?

Anonymous said...

When there were organized protests by the community against Larry Gresser (Donald Manes' deputy borough president) wanting to tear down and develop the Keith's site way back in the early 1980's into the "Flushing Mall"...were those who didn't agree with his plans and proposed landmark status for the theater anti Asian?

Blow it out your ass and come up with a better phony accusation!

That anti Asian race card seems to be popping out of that crooked deck of cards like a Joker every time a politically connected builder can't get their job greased through by CB# 7 and boro hall!

TOUGH SHIT!

Anonymous said...

"Blow it out your ass and come up with a better phony accusation!"

Now boys and girls. Welcome to Flushing's own version of THE BLOW-HOLE THEATER.

It's a fun place where you can blow it out your ass OR blow smoke up someones ass. It all depends on which side of the issue you are on.