From NY1:
Some big changes are on the way for one of the most iconic landmarks in Queens.
While Astoria Pool may be the busiest in the city, the diving pool nearby has not been used in some 30 years.
Now parks officials are set turn it into an outdoor performance space.
The city hopes the new project will make the park more accessible to residents.
Officials are also hoping to attract many community theaters, dance companies, and musicians in an effort to bring a whole new crowd to the park.
Let's read between the lines here. Does Astoria really need a "performance space?" Does the Bloomberg Administration suddenly like Peter Vallone again and think his constituents are deserving of a cultural venue? This is being done to spur more development. That rezoning happened just as the building brakes were put on and there's more gold in them thar hills.
24 comments:
Duh what dummy's !
Why are politicians making decisions engineers should be making ?
I smell some local IATSE in this expensive complex plan looking for job security and to lock local competition OUT !
You DONT "cap or fill it in !!
The smart thing to do stabilize, place seating & acoustic cut in the pool slopes (the are perfect grade for that) You could then add some bleachers around what you already created at 1/2 the cost.
What you then get is a split level mini amphitheater. 1500-2000 capacity perhaps
You then can keep the performance stage apron plus room for some lighting trees and FOH sound at ground level for easy loading, easy quick setups that require less production work and FOH (front of house) amplification.
This also means better acoustics and sound for the attendees with less noise complaints.
Added bonus: You wont need 20 local fat-cat IATSE their all day to load and run a 3 man show.
my basketball teammate from the west side of Manhattan,when we were 15 years old in 1948-50, were high diving nuts. we traveled to Astoria pool,Bklyn's Clark St. hotel pool ,London Terrace pool in Chelsea,Henry Hudson hotel pool Manh.
at Astoria, the top and middle dive level were closed, but the first level seemed high enough at the time.
we grew over 6 ', so our sport was strictly basket ball.
the powers to be will probably duplicate the band stand and summer dance facility at 64th street at Lincoln Center.i was still swing ,ball room dancing in Manhattan at age 70, UNCLE ---- .the SDSof NY.org, swing dance society,200 plus ,use to fill the IRVING PLAZA dance floor on E.15 St. every Sunday night.
the other swing dance venue was "swing 46",46St./8-9th Avenue.
really had the moves then.our H.S.B/B coach forced us to dance, once a week . it turned out to be a great exercise for the court and also impressing classy ladies after the game.
"JUST A GIGALO" Louis Prima/Keely Smith....what an era??
Sunday night. they had great live bands.
Frankie Manning,lead swing dancer ,with the Chick Webb band (singer Ella Fitzgerald), Savoy Ball Room in Harlem, organized the S.D.S. in the 80's.
his 70th or 80th birthday anniversary celebration at the Roseland Ballroom drew 500 dancers and two bands ,with two ten foot closed circuit screens.
was there ,did dance.
An aquatic performance stage?
It's time for Bloomberg and his boys to take a long walk off a short pier!
Queens once had a truly fabulous world class aquatic theater.
But thanks to "granny" Shulman....
Billy Rose's famed (1939 Worlds Fair) "Aquacade" theater in Flushing Meadows Corona Park was demolished (under community pressure) using false pretenses.
It was supposed to have been contaminated with asbestos.
That was another one of "Shillman's" many lies!
There was no (or minimal) asbestos found on the site!
It was all trumped up by borough hall and its "sympathizers" in adjacent Forest Hills.
The Aquacade (at the time of its demolition) was actually in very good shape...ready to become a theater once again.
It could have been Queens' premiere venue....another Jones Beach Marine Theater in easy traveling distance.
But, behold, Countess Claire.... Donald Manes crooked partner in crime....waved her hand and it's now dust.
Many of us just can't wait until "granny" vanishes from her earthly stage. Then our borough might find some respite from political tyrants such as her.
Uh....FYI....there was an impresario who had raised $40,000 to spruce up the Aquacade and use it for a light pop and classical music venue.
But, alas, he happened to have been a mixed race dark skinned music industry professional.
His name is Charles Atilles.
Methinks that whole affair smacked of racial bigotry!
Perhaps that snooty Forest Hills crowd didn't want a "N" running things so close to home.
Unfortunately, Shulman....being the malevolent cur that she is....
will continue to "F" Queens in the ass 'til she draws her last breath.
"Does the Bloomberg Administration suddenly like Peter Vallone again and think his constituents are deserving of a cultural venue?"
NO. Bloomberg and Vallone are just teaming up to pander to the hipster crowd that has moved to Astoria.
THEY'RE NOT EVEN REGISTERED VOTERS(for the most part).
Wow, lots of Bloomberg hating. Ever occur to any of you geniuses that the city (that's me and you-- the taxpayers) can no longer indemnify diving-- like every other municipality in the country? Know what indemnify means? Look it up. Sheesh.
Wow, lots of Bloomberg hating. Ever occur to any of you geniuses that the city (that's me and you-- the taxpayers) can no longer indemnify diving-- like every other municipality in the country? Know what indemnify means? Look it up. Sheesh.---
I think the point here is that Archie and Edith are only noticed as a revenue stream - once their land is valuable, everything is done to push them out.
Astoria needs hospitals, schools, a new power grid, hell what about the Steinway Mansion.
Instead the money is put into projects that add infrastructure to the new waterfront development while systematically hollowing out everything else.
The blackout a few years ago was everywhere in Astoria except the waterfront because - instead of upgrading the grid, they added to new buildings.
All Astoria had was web behind the ears Gianaris, who knew what the deal was, convince Lena and Frankie on Tony Bennett Blvd that he knew more about power generation than a utility that had been in business before his grandfather was born.
How about the big steam explosion at Big Alis this week? Everyone in Astoria heard it - and the media outlets killed the story. If it was gas half of Astoria would have been flattened.
How about the big steam explosion at Big Alis this week? Everyone in Astoria heard it - and the media outlets killed the story. If it was gas half of Astoria would have been flattened.
----
STORY KILLED BECAUSE IT WOULD RAISE QUESTIONS ON RAVENSWOOD DEVELOPMENT.
THOSE ORGS WITH BIG DEVELOPER PRESENCE - NOGUCHI, SOCRATES - WOULD HAVE A SHIT FIT.
OF COURSE IF YOUR BALCONY IS EVEN WITH THE TOP OF A POWER PLANT SMOKESTACK AND IS ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE SAME YOU ARE A DIP-SHIT ANYWAYS SO WHAT DO THEY HAVE TO FEAR?
Loud Noise At Queens Plant Was Steam Release, Officials Say
This is a great use for that space. Small theatre and performance is on the rise in Astoria. It is a major part of the current identity of the neighborhood.
Every summer the park hosts performances which currently have to play on the lawn over the sound of road traffic, with no acoustic and no electricity.
I have no idea at all what is the
"flip side" to this proposal. High dive is a thing of the past and was itself a niche offering that very few could use. Today it is a chain link fence and rust eyesore. Forget about irrelevant comments about the neighborhood at large—what did YOU want done with this particular space? A stage is a relatively cheap construction and can be beautiful—have you been to the one in Forest Park?
Local officials do garner millions for the cultural scene of western Queens, but it is all going into the major institutions.
APAC is in a church basement, non-institutional community artists are ignored at places like PS1, the ceiling is falling on Astoria Historical, Astoria Symphony and the Trinity Players decamped for lack of support from the politicians.
What is most telling on priorities by the taste makers in Astoria is that what should be the Ethel Merman School is (hopefully temporarily called) the Frank Sinatra School. I mean I want my kid to go to a school named for the guy that supposedly beat up Mia Farrow and was fund raised by a fellow that did interesting things (as rumor had it) under his toupee.
Cultural programs to the local pols are little more than origami classes at the Variety Club.
Admit it: if it wasn't for waterfront development, the pool would look like the Steinway Mansion.
This is great for the area. All types of music will be able to perform.
It's also not a aqua theater, there just filling in the diving pool.
For those of you who are complaining, you would also bitch if you didn't have one in your area and the upper west side did.
So embrace it as a good thing for all to enjoy.
Astoria has a Frank Sinatra School and a Robert F. Kennedy Bridge. Neither has ever been to Astoria, let alone lived in Queens.
Have we no pride in local talent? Or are we so obsessed with celebrity worship?
Myth
This is great for the area.
REALITY
BECAUSE .... ???
Myth
All types of music will be able to perform.
REALITY
THE PEOPLE AROUND THE PARK ARE GOING NUTS BECAUSE OF THE MUSIC PLAYED AT ALL HOURS.
Myth
It's also not a aqua theater, there just filling in the diving pool.
REALITY
SCHOOLS? HOSPITALS? CAPPING OVERDEVLOPMENT? NAW, JUST FILLING IN A DIVING POOL. NOW THATS THE TICKET!
Myth
For those of you who are complaining, you would also bitch if you didn't have one in your area and the upper west side did.
REALITY
THE UWS HAS A HELL OF A LOT OF STUFF ASTORIA DOESN'T HAVE. NO ONE SEEMS TO BE DISTURBED.
Myth
So embrace it as a good thing for all to enjoy.
REALITY
THE DAYS THAT POLS DETERMINE WHAT IS GOOD AND BAD FOR A COMMUNITY IS SLOWLY STARTING TO END.
Aside on the 2 hour roar of steam in Astoria waterfront:
NY1 did not air the clip at its 11 PM news. Went by the plant 3 hours after the 'accident' - steam was coming out of every window at the plant.
Note how they interviewed RI and a few in articulates in Astoria.
http://www.astorians.com/community/index.php?topic=22020.0
Anon No 13:
1) No
2) Yes
"Have we no pride in local talent?"
Most local talent are all locked out by the corporate pigs like Disney, Clear Channel, Viacom, Warner ect.
Check out the annual "Twisted Sister Christmas Show" at the Best Buy Theater (former Nokia)on Dec 17.
All are local talent from the band to the production people.
what does Green Shores NYC have to say about this? or Astoria Park Alliance? were they consulted? or was it their idea? or is this a "naming" opportunity for a "benefactor"?
re Sinatra HS -- very Astoria local Tony Bennett (& wife) had the idea and raised funds and did not want it named after himself -- instead inside the school is the Tony Bennett Concert Hall, where the Astoria Symphony gave a wonderful concert last month
what does Green Shores NYC have to say about this? or Astoria Park Alliance? were they consulted? or was it their idea? or is this a "naming" opportunity for a "benefactor"?
1. This will be the Vallone Entertainment Center. Do you want this name for the next 50 years?
2. Take a look a the city-wide green groups and gasp at the number of developers on their boards. The waterfront groups get 'suggestions' what they can do and the master plan already in place is something they are fully aware of. So you get 'community visioning sessions' that have results that pretty much look like the Mayors NYC2030. Surprise.
This is NOT for the local artists any more than PS1 is for the local artists.
When they took PS1 away from our community they gave the same line of bullshit - now the community can only be involved if they pay admission.
Don't believe it.
This is only a community amenity for the 1000s of tower people they want to add to your neighborhood.
It will help developers sell towers because believe me, those new people will not be interested in an evening at Riccardos or an afternoon at some cafe full of grim men watching the Arab Spring unfold on TV.
Most local talent are all locked out by the corporate pigs like Disney, Clear Channel, Viacom, Warner ect.
----------------
The local talent is locked out - and starved of funds by the their local elected officials.
You have millions being thrown at Noguchi who can host fates for Manhattan crowd and hire international consultants - not in Japanese art - but waterfront development (a rather interesting twist on its charter and mission statement don't you think?)
while the local groups depend get a few thousand and have to rely on pizza and broken obsolete office equipement.
those new people will not be interested in an evening at Riccardos or an afternoon at some cafe full of grim men watching the Arab Spring unfold on TV.
1. A Queens Democratic Machine function is a treat to see because you are witnessing something out of the days of Jimmy Walker and Al Smith. A trip down nostalgia lane a bit like Alexanders Ragtime Band or Going My Way in a Tony and Tinas Wedding format - you are actually part of the party!
2. Interesting to note how the vibrant diverse crowd is absolutely silent when an area becomes less diverse with development. Hunters Point is MORE white and Borough Hall which EXPECTS us to eat the diversity bullshit SAYS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!
"The local talent is locked out - and starved of funds by the their local elected officials"
*********************
As of 7 minutes ago the TS Christmas show is -120 of 6200 of being sold out.
F_ the elected officials, Disney ... If any one of them dare show up for a "op" they will no doubt get special treatment .
If Bloomberg "don't like" this private local non corporate deal or decides to turn some screws he best call call his caterers for 4200 hungry pissed off guests (SMFS) at his condo.
-ned
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