Loew’s Kings Theatre to get makeover

Former Loew’s Kings Theatre. Photo: Jonathan Reingold.

Request for Proposals seeks tenant for 80-year-old building in need of $70M in repairs. The New York City Economic Development Corporation is seeking proposals for a developer to lease, rehabilitate, and reuse the former Loew’s Kings Theatre at 1025 Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn.

The vacant building, located between Beverly Road and Tilden Avenue, opened in 1929 as Loew’s flagship theater. The designers of the 3,195-seat, French Renaissance-style building … <Read More>

IDA approves $46M in tax and other benefits

Proposed office tower for 125th St. Image: Swanke Hayden Connell Architects.

Major League Baseball project in Harlem is among the beneficiaries. On March 6, 2008, the New York City Industrial Development Agency held a public hearing on proposed public subsidies to private entities, including a joint venture between Vornado Realty Trust and California Urban Investment Partners. The joint venture was established to build a 21-story office tower on 125th Street and Park Avenue, directly southwest … <Read More>

Designation hearing held on St.Michael’s Church

200-year-old church receives wide support, though pastor ambivalent. On March 18, 2008, Landmarks heard testimony on the possible designation of St. Michael’s Church, Parish House, and Rectory located on West 99th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue. The church and rectory were designed by Robert W. Gibson, an architect known for his work on the West End Collegiate Church on West 77th Street. The parish house was built in a similar Romanesque Revival-style. The complex’s … <Read More>

Webster Hall designated over owner’s objections

Late 19th century building served as performance space, ballroom and assembly hall. Landmarks voted unanimously to designate Webster Hall, located at 119 East 11th Street, as an individual City landmark on March 18, 2008.

Architect Charles Rentz designed the Renaissance Revival-style building in 1886 with a brick exterior and terra cotta ornaments. The building once served as a venue for Progressive Labor Party rallies during the labor movement. In the 1920s, it was nicknamed … <Read More>

Hotel approved for West Village

Morris Adjmi and Landmarks agree on hotel design. On March 25, 2008, Landmarks voted to approve an application by 145 Perry Fee Owners LLC to build a six-story hotel, with penthouse, in the Greenwich Village Historic District. Under the application, the owners will demolish a two-story, 1938 stucco building to make room for the hotel.

The application originally proposed a seven-story hotel, with penthouse. At the initial public hearing on February 12th, Manhattan Community Board … <Read More>

Landmarks considers NoHo HD extension

Map of the proposed NoHo Historic District extension. Image: LPC.

Developers and property owners oppose extension. Landmarks heard testimony on a proposal to extend the NoHo Historic District to include 56 buildings, located between Broadway and Lafayette Streets from Bleecker to West 4th Street.

The proposed extension includes a historically commercial area characterized by mid-19th century loft buildings, Federal- and Greek Revival-style structures, and tenements built to house local workers. The area remained almost exclusively … <Read More>