From the Times Ledger:The federal government has decided that the proposed renovation of the RKO Keith’s Theatre in downtown Flushing would not pose a hazard to planes landing and taking off from LaGuardia Airport.
The Federal Aviation Administration declared the proposed development safe in December, and without any further appeals that declaration will become final at the end of the month.
Developer Patrick Thompson was cleared by the city Board of Standards and Appeals over the summer to build a 162-foot, mixed-use building on Main Street while incorporating the beloved and landmarked RKO Keith’s Theatre lobby into the design.
But on Sept. 23, the FAA issued Thompson’s lawyer, Howard Goldman, a letter saying the structure might interfere with the airport’s safe operation and that an investigation was needed.
That investigation has been concluded by the FAA’s Obstruction Evaluation Group.
On Dec. 13, the group sent a letter to Goldman clearing the proposed development of posing any hazard.
31 comments:
"Developer Patrick Thompson was cleared by the city Board of Standards and Appeals over the summer to build a 162-foot"
162 ft is more or less 15-17 stories.
A plane might hit that building in 25 years or something. Its inevitable at that height/location.
It must be nice to have a congressman in your pocket. Right Mr. Nussbaum?
Not to worry...
if a plane falls from the sky it will only kill a bunch of Taiwanese or Fujianese "coolies".
"Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown"...
as far as some politicos are concerned!
But if an aircraft should kill some Jews...well that's another story!
Eh, congressman Ackerman...Senator Stavisky and the rest of the political mishpooka?
Take notice.
In a peculiar circle of events---
it was Donald Manes who wanted the Keiths razed to the ground in the early 1980s---and now its his cohort Michael Nussbaum who is "representing" the owner Patrick Thompson.
Too bad the projection booth at the Keith's is no longer functioning.
This would have been one SRO (standing room only) blockbuster epic to light up its ghostly screen!
Who knows what other chain of events might unfold until this saga finally concludes.
Until we are finally rid of Gary Ackerman, we will continue to be sold out to Asian interests!
Congressman in a pocket?
This is an entire daisy chain of political corruption!
The axis of corruption:
Gary Ackerman; the Queens Tribune; Michael Nussbaum.
And what about their other Washington DC newspaper?
They've been busy butt-f-----g Queens for 3 decades.
Who is Patrick Thompson fronting for...Sam Chang...or some other Asiatic developer?
Thompson appears to be just a light weight on his own.
Or does he merely want to flip the property after he gets his variance?
Why is the same pick-up team from Shya Boymelgreen (Jay Valgora, architect and Howard Goldman, attorney) working for Thompson?
Why is Nussbaum needed?
Is it to round up Asian investors with his "connections" in the Orient?
BOOOOOOOO!
Let these shady characters pay with their careers, for every seat that was removed from the theater.
"It must be nice to have a congressman in your pocket. Right Mr. Nussbaum?"
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Any proof that Ackerman was involved?
A plane might hit the Sheraton La Guardia East Hotel someday too!
But what does "follow the buck" Chuck Apelian and the other connected scum care?
Their homes aren't in the flight path.
Righto!
And John Liu only maintains a residence across the street from Apelian.
Doesn't he commute from his real home in Connecticut?
Everybody follows the Stavisky play book.
Very few pols seem to live in the district they represent.
But who will stop them...a stacked deck of corrupt lawyers, investigators and judges?
DA Brown has to sit on at least 6 phone directories to be able to see over his desk...let alone note any corruption under his nose.
A tumbs up for Thompson and a shaft up the ass for the community!
Look at it this way folks.
If a plane scrapes about 7 floors off the top of the ugly building that replaces the theater...it will do the job we all wanted...shorten it!
And how how does "Nussie" (Mike Nussbaum) intend to find Oriental investors for a flight hazard?
What balls...
Nussbaum, Manes' old bag man representing the owner!
"Nussie" almost went to jail in the early 1980s.
Wasn't it about some Time Warner cable hanky-panky...bribery charges or something?
Schenkler doesn't appreciate this kind of stuff resurfacing on Queens crap, but maybe the feds will!
Keep on following the money trail, FBI.
The pot of indictment gold is at the end of the rainbow...CHINA!
Ackerman is the Chinese connection!
He's got to be the real bag man in all that goes on in Flushing.
"Nussie" is only his delivery boy!
Wouldn't it be picturesque someday,
to see all of the local crooks pulled from CB# 7, the Stavisky mob, "granny" Shulman (if she lives so long), on through sleazy Ackerman...locked up in a chain gang...doing road work at the terminus of Main Street on Northern Boulevard?
http://www.corporationwiki.com/New-York/Fresh-Meadows/michael-nussbaum/51512157.aspx
LGA Runway 22 lines up nicely with RKO Keith.
Someone please just tear down the old Keith's. Give them their damn land. The war is long over, we lost. Flushing is officially occupied by a foreign nation.
Someone please just tear down the old Keith's. Give them their damn land. The war is long over, we lost. Flushing is officially occupied by a foreign nation.
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Well said!
RIP Keith's
RIP Flushing
Someone please just tear down the old Keith's. Give them their damn land. The war is long over, we lost. Flushing is officially occupied by a foreign nation.
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Agreed. Please, just put the Keith's (and us) out of its misery already.
.....Flushing is officially occupied by a foreign nation.
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It has been successfully colonized by the Taiwanese and other Asiatics.
John Singleton Mosby
"The Gray Ghost":
"Let them pay dearly for every rock and hill they take"!
The "war" ain't over 'til it's over "Nussie" trolls!
The rest of you cowards...
fix bayonets or butter your bread with them!
I think someone struck an Ackerman nerve...and "Nussie" is f-----g pissed that many are wise to his double dealings.
BAG MAN!
Too bad you didn't go to jail or join your asshole buddy Manes!
I thought this was "good news" for the site of the former RKO Theater. I still think it is.
Good news?
It's just a delay...or far worse.
If the owner is blocked from building and the "theater" sits there rotting for 5 more years...what's left will fall apart on its own.
The cost of restoring the "theater" (which no longer exists)to its former glory is far too prohibitive for anyone (including NYC) to take on.
And for what purpose?
The "audience" has left at least 15 years ago!
Furthermore...if the owner cannot realize a certain percentage of profit...he can apply to the LPC to UN-LANDMARK the ticket lobby and grand foyer and raze the building to the ground!
Takes yer choice...
pie-in-the-sky-ers:
A building with a restored lobby and grand foyer or nothing!
Too bad, but the show is over!
If there is anyone out there who has the money to wrestle away the Keith's from Mr. Thompson (who paid $20,000,000 for it) THEN put up about an additional $80,000,000 to $100,000,000 to restore it...please speak up or forever hold onto your fantasies.
Sorry folks...
MONEY TALKS & BULLSHIT WALKS!
End of story!
Let us be reminded:
It is Claire Shulman who bears the prime guilt in the RKO Keith's not being used as a multi-purpose venue (i.e. performing arts center, film forum, convention center) today.
Shulman is public enemy #1!
Public enemy #2, Tommy Huang, was merely her demolition contractor.
In 1986 we submitted a petition containing at least 3,500 signatures---in addition to numerous letters from civic associations, local businesses, Flushing High School students, etc.---requesting that the original FULL interior landmark designation be reinstated.
Shulman, always the developers' obliging courtesan, refused to support this measure.
This left Tommy Huang free to destroy a most valuable community asset.
SHAME ON SHULMAN!
May her shameful "legacy" follow her to the afterlife!
I think it's good news that what is left of the RKO will be restored. It might just be the very last chance to save what is left.
No one can ever replace the magnificent RKO Keith's. The theater is long gone and so is the audience.
Luckily, the Keith's experience can be replaced elsewhere.
Just Google,
"Friends of The Loew's Jersey" and see what's still out there!
Sadly, I now have to travel to another city in another state to get what we could have had right here at home in the Keith's.
The Loew's Jersey, in Jersey City, which is a restored movie palace, offers movies projected in 35 mm on a 50 foot screen--in addition to various performing arts and cultural programs.
A few patrons I've spoken to travel there from as far as Coney Island, Brooklyn!
In November I just viewed a vintage (color tinted) silent screen classic--with theater pipe organ accompaniment--for only $5 (senior admission), $7 (adult admission)!
Wow! Can you beat
As long as we have corrupt officials (some taking overseas campaign contributions) and clubhouse dullards like Claire Shulman, Queens will be a backwater borough.
Just the same: who wants to live in a luxury condo where planes buzz over and rattle your windows? It's almost as good as the luxury condos they built over on College Point Blvd, which has the added ambiance of noise from the #7 train, along with the aroma of Flushing Creek.
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