After several flips, the former Drake Theater, which later became part of Abbracciamento's Restaurant, has been demolished, along with the rest of the blockfront. A residential tower is expected to take its place.
Photos by Carmen Diaz
17 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Do we need another residential tower on Woodhaven? Hope there is parking.
My earliest memory of Drake theatre is from around 1993 or 94. I was around 9 years old and my mom and her friend took us to the little league office across the street from the theatre. Somehow the keys were locked in the car and we had to wait under the awning of the theatre because it was raining. Sucks to see it gone.
My fondest childhood memories are in that rubble. My friends and I saw too many movies to count there in the 70's an 80's. It wouldn't be so bad if this wasn't the way that ALL the Queens landmarks of my youth are ending up. The developers of this city and their politician puppets can all go to hell for razing every landmark that once made Queens great.
I saw Goodfellas there when it first came out. Probably the last time I saw a movie of such stature in a phenomenal venue. After that just lame ass cramped multiplexes.
I was sad when it shut down, but didn't mind because the restaurant took over. Now it's just another casualty of the takeover of tower pestilence.
QUEENS IS BECOMING A DUMPING GROUND FOR SHODDY HOTELS. JUST LOOK AT EAST ELMHURST, ASTORIA BOULEVARD, FLUSHING. THESE ARE AREAS THAT NOT TOO MANY TOURISTS VISIT IN THE FIRST PLACE SO WHY IN THE HELL IS THE CITY (DOB) ALLOWING DEVELOPERS TO BUILD HOTELS THERE !!
The debacle of the RKO Keith's Flushing Theater is far worse.... and it has been going on since 1986!
At least the Drake has passed on quickly with some dignity.
Queens borough presidents ARE NOT spearheading the preservation of Queens few, but important, historic sites. They are in the business of collecting their political campaign contributions from the same developers that are ravaging Queens.
Melinda Katz is the new queen of destruction. She feigns caring but will bend over for any developer. I.e. She did not prevent the destruction of the far superior theatre in Forest Hills...the Trylon...an Art Deco masterpiece reflecting the heritage of the 1939 World's Fair.
Most historical societies have proved useless in protecting Queens' history, other than mounting exhibits and selling books, which do Iittle. If they speak up,too loudly, their borough hall grants get cut.
Alas, the willful destruction of The Drake is a symbol of the greater (and irreversible) destruction of Queens County itself (and to the greater demise of ALL of the five boroughs).
But, the REAL forces of destruction are the SAME corrupt-and-failed leadership of Borough Hall, City Hall (and beyond), all of whom not only betray all pretense of public trust, ethics, integrity, accountability and transparency——but, a cabal of corporate fascist beholden henchmen who now DEVALUE all honesty itself——to pathological, ruinous and tyrannical effect!
And, the public be eternally duped, bilked, scammed and damned!
Welcome to Nazy Germany 2.0 (and the Iron Curtain revisited)!
Meanwhile, 'Triumph of Civic Virtue' (the towering statue that symbolizes virtue emerging victoriously over all corruption and vice), continues to languish in a Brooklyn graveyard, purportedly on 'temporary' loan.
Hey, Melinda Katz: Here's a new public artwork installation that could finally fill the blighted Kew Gardens Plaza, while TRULY representing what We the People got instead of Civic Virtue. Why not commission a bronze mold of yourself, coupled with the equally deranged (and drunk with power) Helen Marshall, as you BOTH emerge victoriously over all civic virtue, and all pretense of honest, ethical leadership (that leads by example) and altruism?
That way, art can imitate life, and life could imitate art? Then, there could be a daily reminder of the systemic corruption, graft and endless greed that continues to entrench city government (only steps away from Borough Hall and the Kew Gardens Criminal Courthouse), exactly like the languishing statue Civic Virtue (looking powerless without its pedestal base, no less), continues to keep vigil (by way of its allegorically universal portent), ironically over a graveyard of lifeless ash and bone!
If you miss properly spelling the name of one of the most destructive forces in world history...NAZISM....then you posess the intelligence level of a flea. Everybody knows how to spel Nazi but you. It indicates your tip of your cranial iceberg harbors an abundance of ignorance hidden far below the water line.
Look....with big home TV screens and the high price of movie attendance, the local theaters are dead. Get over it. The Drake is not an architectural treasure like the Loew's Kings in Brooklyn.
17 comments:
Do we need another residential tower on Woodhaven? Hope there is parking.
I miss the great food...
My earliest memory of Drake theatre is from around 1993 or 94. I was around 9 years old and my mom and her friend took us to the little league office across the street from the theatre. Somehow the keys were locked in the car and we had to wait under the awning of the theatre because it was raining. Sucks to see it gone.
There's nothing worth saving or preserving in Queens ...just ask our Queens Borough President.
My fondest childhood memories are in that rubble. My friends and I saw too many movies to count there in the 70's an 80's. It wouldn't be so bad if this wasn't the way that ALL the Queens landmarks of my youth are ending up. The developers of this city and their politician puppets can all go to hell for razing every landmark that once made Queens great.
I saw Goodfellas there when it first came out. Probably the last time I saw a movie of such stature in a phenomenal venue. After that just lame ass cramped multiplexes.
I was sad when it shut down, but didn't mind because the restaurant took over. Now it's just another casualty of the takeover of tower pestilence.
QUEENS IS BECOMING A DUMPING GROUND FOR SHODDY HOTELS. JUST LOOK AT EAST ELMHURST, ASTORIA BOULEVARD, FLUSHING. THESE ARE AREAS THAT NOT TOO MANY TOURISTS VISIT IN THE FIRST PLACE SO WHY IN THE HELL IS THE CITY (DOB) ALLOWING DEVELOPERS TO BUILD HOTELS THERE !!
The debacle of the RKO Keith's Flushing Theater is far worse....
and it has been going on since 1986!
At least the Drake has passed on quickly with some dignity.
Queens borough presidents ARE NOT spearheading the preservation of Queens few, but important,
historic sites. They are in the business of collecting their political campaign contributions from the same developers that are ravaging Queens.
Melinda Katz is the new queen of destruction. She feigns caring but will bend over for any developer.
I.e.
She did not prevent the destruction of the far superior theatre in Forest Hills...the Trylon...an Art Deco masterpiece reflecting the heritage of the 1939 World's Fair.
Most historical societies have proved useless in protecting Queens' history, other than mounting exhibits and selling books, which do
Iittle. If they speak up,too loudly, their borough hall grants get cut.
Is there any hope?
Alas, the willful destruction of The Drake is a symbol of the greater (and irreversible) destruction of Queens County itself (and to the greater demise of ALL of the five boroughs).
But, the REAL forces of destruction are the SAME corrupt-and-failed leadership of Borough Hall, City Hall (and beyond), all of whom not only betray all pretense of public trust, ethics, integrity, accountability and transparency——but, a cabal of corporate fascist beholden henchmen who now DEVALUE all honesty itself——to pathological, ruinous and tyrannical effect!
And, the public be eternally duped, bilked, scammed and damned!
Welcome to Nazy Germany 2.0 (and the Iron Curtain revisited)!
no parking required
no one can drive anymore - too congested
plenty of express buses & bicycle lanes!
Meanwhile, 'Triumph of Civic Virtue' (the towering statue that symbolizes virtue emerging victoriously over all corruption and vice), continues to languish in a Brooklyn graveyard, purportedly on 'temporary' loan.
Hey, Melinda Katz: Here's a new public artwork installation that could finally fill the blighted Kew Gardens Plaza, while TRULY representing what We the People got instead of Civic Virtue. Why not commission a bronze mold of yourself, coupled with the equally deranged (and drunk with power) Helen Marshall, as you BOTH emerge victoriously over all civic virtue, and all pretense of honest, ethical leadership (that leads by example) and altruism?
That way, art can imitate life, and life could imitate art? Then, there could be a daily reminder of the systemic corruption, graft and endless greed that continues to entrench city government (only steps away from Borough Hall and the Kew Gardens Criminal Courthouse), exactly like the languishing statue Civic Virtue (looking powerless without its pedestal base, no less), continues to keep vigil (by way of its allegorically universal portent), ironically over a graveyard of lifeless ash and bone!
Do not weep, people. We now only have official programming provided by the state - at your local Queens Library!.
Who cares about movies when you have entertainment provided by endless groups of ethic dance teams and voting block programming.
Funded by lavish amounts of your taxes under the care and prudent eyes of its respected library board.
Uh "Nazy" is spelled NAZI!
thanks spell check guy. now back to the rest of us thinking about the issue at hand.
If you miss properly spelling the name of one of the most destructive forces in world history...NAZISM....then you posess the intelligence level of a flea. Everybody knows how to spel Nazi but you. It indicates your tip of your cranial iceberg harbors an abundance of ignorance hidden far below the water line.
Look....with big home TV screens and the high price of movie attendance, the local theaters are dead.
Get over it. The Drake is not an architectural treasure like the Loew's Kings in Brooklyn.
The Drake is not an architectural treasure like the Loew's Kings in Brooklyn.
beats those architectural nightmares the QBPL is putting up with our taxes.
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