By Scott Sieber
But after a Brooklyn development company, Boymelgreen Developers, acquired the theater from its controversial owner, Tommy Huang, officials supporting its restoration say they finally have a development plan worthy of gracing the highly visible site.City Councilman John Liu (D-Flushing) recently spoke to members of the Board of Standards and Appeals in hopes of convincing them to approve a variance for an 18-story retail, community and residential building at the former theater. The proposal for the new RKO Plaza was designed to restore the landmarked lobby and staircases of the former theater. While not a complete restoration, Liu said it keeps the most notable of the old structure while providing economic growth. It's a compromise, of sorts, since no one is giving up too much.”I would love for it to be restored to an old theater. That's where I saw my first movie,” said Liu. “But I think people are generally understanding, as much as their nostalgia runs strong, of new economic realities. No one has made a proposal to (completely) restore the old theater.”Liu said the community will get the best of both worlds with the theater's new 10,500-square-foot ground floor, mezzanine retail space, 12,500-square-foot senior center, 200 condominiums, parking for 233 cars, and a glass curtain wall on the Northern Boulevard facade of the building.Joined by Borough President Helen Marshall, Liu said he expected his outspoken stance on the subject to help convince the BSA to pass on a variance currently holding up the plans. The variance would require a larger ratio of building area to lot size than what is currently allowed under existing zoning regulations.”The proposed building would be appropriate considering the critical location of this site, the historic theater lobby that will be restored, and the importance of the site as a gateway landmark in the city's effort to improve downtown Flushing,” said Marshall.Community Board 7 District Manager Marilyn Bitterman said the resurrection of RKO Keith's is long overdue.”It's been a vacant site for so many years, so we're very, very happy to see it happen,” Bitterman said.If approved, Liu said even with the new commercial and residential developments surrounding the landmarked area, people would know and remember the RKO legacy.”Everybody will recognize the lobby. Everybody who's spent any amount of time in Flushing will recognize RKO Keith's,” he said. “The old RKO is part of our psyche. To a greater extent, we're resurrecting that psyche.”Reach reporter Scott Sieber by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 138.
