Thursday, January 24, 2013

Historic theater to be restored


14 comments:

Jerry Rotondi said...

SHAME on Queens Borough Hall--FOREVER !

Bear witness to a tale of two different boroughs,
and two VERY DIFFERENT borough presidencies!

Brooklyn FLOURISHES, while Queens has
LONG SUFFERED--under the iron boot of 2 borough presidents--Donald Manes and his protege Claire Shulman.

Both of them were DOWNRIGHT HOSTILE towards historic preservation in our borough--favoring destruction over restoration.

It is to the Shul-Manes administration's "credit", that Queens lost its historic RKO Keith's Flushing Theatre.

The Keith's former owner--criminal "developer" Tommy Huang--acted merely as their demolition contractor.

The ENTIRE INTERIOR of the RKO Keith's Flushing Theatre was originally granted landmark status (1984) by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Donald Manes saw to it that this designation was abridged--to cover ONLY the ticket lobby and grand foyer of this once grand theater.

When our committee (1986) sought to reintroduce the full interior designation (after Manes' death) to the LPC, Shulman DID NOT support it.

The LPC was willing to reopen the case of the Keith's, but borough president Claire Shulman just turned her back on the community regarding this.

SHAME ON SHULMAN !

Jerry Rotondi,
for the Committee to Save The RKO Keith's Theatre of Flushing Inc.

Anonymous said...

Where the fuck is Bloomberg when it comes to Queens?
He's holding hands with clubhouse pols!

AT LEAST THIS QUIRKY BILLIONAIRE DIDN'T HAVE TO TAKE TAIWANESE MONEY TO RUN HIS CAMPAIGN.

Anonymous said...

Community board 7 just sits there scratching their private parts, while the Flushing Keith's sits there rotting.

How come Queens BURRO HALL never took the initiative to restore the Keith's?

Many have criticized Brooklyn borough president Marty Markowitz...but few can say that he's not an avid booster for his borough...its history and culture.

BRAVO, MARTY!

Boos, hisses and a shoe up the asses of those petty thieves on Queens Boulevard!

What would it be like if the real estate industry lobbyist Peter Vallone Jr. becomes our next borough president.

TONY AVELLA for borough president...
or watch Queens get sold out to developers, like it did under Donald Manes.

The Flushing Phantom said...

I accuse CB#7 of dereliction of their responsibility
in preserving the RKO Keith's as a valuable community resource.

It should have been #1 on their agenda to push for the Keith's restoration (post 1986) when it was still economically feasible.

Oh, they went through all the motions, and gave plenty of lip service to the importance of this site, but did they pull out all of the stops to ensure its preservation?

DEFINITELY, NO! They wouldn't buck borough hall.
That's where their bread is buttered!

Anonymous said...

Look at how uncaring Peter Vallone Jr. is...allowing the irreplaceable Steinway Mansion to slip into ruin...right within his own damn district!

YES, he is responsible for this NYC landmark!

Now,
fast forward ahead...to how he will let our borough
slide over the cliff...if he gets elected borough president.

Head this sleazy self centered SOB off at the pass.
Vote him out at the Democratic primary election.

If not, you may see Queens turn into "Vallonia"!

Anonymous said...

Here's how Rotondi & Co can make a difference: organize a candidates forum for all the Queens BP candidates and grill them on historic preservation. Invite the public and the press for this forum.

Anonymous said...

organize a candidates forum for all the Queens BP candidates and grill them on historic preservation. Invite the public and the press for this forum

And hold it at the Flushing Library, so you can look north and point at Exhibit A - the derelict RKO Keith.

Anonymous said...

The neighborhood there sucks.....Good Luck!

Jerry Rotondi said...

Thank you for your advice to "organize a candidates forum". I'm sorry, but we've been there--done that--and much more, for over a quarter of a century!

That measure would wind up being an exercise in futility at this late point in time. Most candidates are liars anyway.

Our committee has done just about EVERYTHING possible and impossible under the sun and the moon, to preserve the Keith's.

As a theater--it's gone for good, I'm afraid--
unless somebody comes up with a guesstimate of about 100-200 million dollars to restore it!

Before that happens--there's the purchase price
for the building that must be paid--about $14,000,000 is'nt it?

The Flushing Keith's is in far worse shape than the Loew's Kings in Brooklyn.

I'm afraid that BOROUGH HALL has sold you all out!
They've stabbed us in the back!

Excuse me for asking,
but where is the Queens Historical Society?
It is THEY who should be conducting a "candidates' forum" regarding historic preservation.

They DARE NOT, because THEY are tied to borough hall's apron strings. If they try bucking the system, their funding will be severely curtailed or cut completely!

A parting thought--
I would be EXTREMELY wary of considering Peter Vallone Jr. for borough president.

I am personally not comfortable with the idea of a real estate developer's lobbyist occupying borough hall?

Be sure to VOTE in the upcoming primary election.
Short of a revolution, your vote is THE KEY to lasting change.

Please, VOTE WISELY!
Choose your candidate like you would choose a new appliance--VERY CAREFULLY!






Anonymous said...

LOL!
Hold a candidates forum at the Flushing library?
That's just a circle jerk off!

Next SOUND idea, please!

Put up ($$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$) or shut up.
Money talks here!

georgetheatheist said...

Jerry, you should have heard Helen Marshall's public ass-kissing of Shulman at Colden Auditorium this past Tuesday.

Jerry Rotondi said...

So I missed a fine display of butt kissing,George?

Maybe Marshal and Shulman
should be "69ing"--with mutual praise, that is.

Those 2 old coots--one dumber than dirt--the other as corrupt as an overripe bananna, would be quite a stage act.

Let's make sure that Katz & Vallone
don't show up for amateur night at burro hall.

My money is on Avella for beep!

Anonymous said...

Two old borough presidents out to pasteur, and the master of crookery (Donald Manes) already planted in the ground.

Let's see what sprouts up next!

Start weeding the garden at the November primary!
Watch out for those Melinda Katz poison ivy seeds!

ex gov.a.schwarzenegger said...

Vatching Marshall und Shulman 69-ing? Eefen I vood be a girrrly man to look at dat. Hahr-hahr.

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