By Carol Tannenhauser
Something is happening with the Metro Theater — and, after a decade of false starts, it is substantive.
A notice was posted on the entrance to the long-shut theater this week announcing that there will be a Public Hearing via Zoom on Wednesday, September 14, at 6:30 pm, regarding a “new application to the SLA [State Liquor Authority] for a two-year liquor license” by an entity called Metrocinema 1, operating at the Metro Theater address.
We don’t know the name yet — we’re awaiting a callback from Metro owner Albert Bialek — but we do know that the 90-year-old theater, located on Broadway between 99th and 100th Streets, is reopening as a “Community Entertainment Center, with multiple restaurant-theaters, showing films and serving food and alcohol,” Bialek told WSR, and Borough President Mark Levine confirmed, in March.
The Metro, originally called The Midtown, opened in 1933. In 1989, its Art Deco facade was landmarked, although the interior was not, leading to it being gutted in 2006. Over the years, The Metro showed first-run, art-house, and porn films.
To find out what its next iteration will be, register for the Zoom at the link below:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-XbJJB7PT2Cfb6OgMoSp8A
Thanks to Mark Elliot for the tip.
Finally a place to buy alcohol in the neighborhood.
Sunshine Cinemas in the Lower East Side applied for a similar permit and was turned down. The directly lead to the closing of the theater, it’s purchase by developers, it’s demolition, and eventual replacement by a 9 story office tower.
https://ny.curbed.com/2019/8/7/20758727/sunshine-cinema-demolished-lower-east-side-east-houston
https://www.thelodownny.com/leslog/2012/12/sunshine-theatre-says-alcohol-permit-is-key-to-staying-on-the-les-cb3-balks.html
” eventual replacement by a 9 story office tower”
9 stories is hardly a tower
That was a huge loss. I loved that theater. And Lincoln Plaza Cinema!
The corporate filings of Metrocinema 1 LLC would suggest it is a subsidiary of Alamo Drafthouse which tried to do a deal in this space a few years ago but were unsuccessful. I guess they are back with a new idea.
I asked Albert Bialek the first time you wrote that they were taking the space over and he said it wasn’t the case, rent on one place was enough. Not sure where that rumor started, but don’t think it is true.
I only see movies where the seats are super comfy / recline and have a really nice big screen. So, that’s 86th AMC and the Dolby theater at Lincoln Square AMC. The Imax is the best on the entire east coast, but the seats are too crammed together. These two are the best seating of any theater in Manhattan. While I’m happy that Alamo will come here, I don’t think I’ll be a customer. Just venting, but these two theaters are one of the great features of living on the UWS.
To each their own, but I’ve never understood why people have to lie down to watch a movie. IMO, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the seats at the Lincoln Square IMAX. Furthermore, lounge seating destroys seating capacity and it leaves many theaters with only a few ideal seats, especially smaller auditoriums. In 1987, NYC had 175,000 seats in theaters. Today it has fewer than 60,000.
CardiZ
So, please stay home.
This space has sat empty for decades and the surrounding blocks have suffered. We are finally seeing a tenant come through and some positive developments and you’re here to say you won’t go because they (as you speculate) will not feature recliner seating. NO ONE CARES.
Let the hate flow…(Emperor Palpatine)
I don’t watch films for
the seating.
Many, many moons ago, in a little building next to the Metro, upstairs, was a Chinese restaurant called Eastern Gardens. To this day I have never found a similar restaurant up to their superb standards.
B cause they were up on 2nd floor?
I find it amazing that they would be applying for a liquor license when the interior is *literally* collapsing and rat-infested. Why apply for a license when the interior is in such disrepair that it will take millions of dollars and at least two years to rehab it? Very confusing…
A liquor license is a critical boost to revenues. Without one, it most likely doesn’t make sense to invest the “millions of dollars and at least two years to rehab it.” If we want someone to take the space, we should support a liquor license – that’s my view at least.
Cue the usual self-appointed community- leaders They were all great supporters of Alamo coming until they found out that they were looking to get an SLA-permit. As soon as that happened, they and our local elcteds suddenly decided that the plan needed to be killed as it would create to much noise and nuisance, public drunkenness etc. Their suits cased Alamo to decide not to spend the money to fight, even though they would have won and went to another location. They day anything opens her I’ll believe it Getting an SLA-permit is a long way from an actual opening.
I don’t really think they will be MORE public drunkenness. Lol!
This is still in the very early stages. They said they were constructing last March and nothing happened. Don’t get your hopes up. If they lose the liquor license, that will kill the project.
I will believe it when I see it; Mr. Bialek’s comments on this are, once again, quite coy. At least the Metro cannot be torn down because of landmarking. 18 years! The city should take a much more active role in making sure wastes of space like this do not go on.
Serving alcohol in a movie theater is an accident waiting to happen! Drunken movie goers will be nothing but trouble and detract from others trying to enjoy a film.
Most adults are capable of engaging in activities such as eating and movie watching while imbibing alcoholic beverages without morphing into drunken fools.
Are you opposed to restaurants that serve alcohol? Because basically what happens in these places is that there’s a restaurant inside the theater that serves alcohol with food.
Molly,
So please, for your own safety, please stay home.
Their business plan for “a Community Entertainment Center, with multiple restaurant-theaters, showing films and serving food and alcohol” is so suited to and needed by this community. I’ve been grinding my teeth in sleep over this for so long.
Some alcohol brings in business. No alcohol could mean no or not enough business in comparison. Anyway, we’re talking art lovers – I hope – not drunkards.
I doubt this is going to be an “art theater” so categorizing the clientele as “art lovers” is a bit of a stretch. But if someone wants to eat and drink and spend money locally while watching the latest Marvel movie, that’s fine with me.
Without a liquor license, any restaurant or establishment would be cost prohibitive.
Once again–I will believe it when I see it.
just left this meeting. Sounds like a new Metro is really happening, in some sort of biz partnership with Alamo. Supposedly Alamo fell through last time due to construction costs expanding beyond their already thin margin. But this time they’ve got it figured out. Everyone agreed it can only improve that block. Was impressed by the board, who handled this and dozens of other issues efficiently. I may come back to future meetings, even if they’re not discussing movies and beer.