For years, the land here was home to the Jefferson Theatre, which opened in 1913 as a B.F. Keith's vaudeville theater. The Cinema Treasures crew believe the Jefferson was in operation until 1977, when it ended its run as an XXX theater showing fare billed as "the adult film bonanza" for $1.99. The abandoned theater was demolished in 2000, and The Mystery Lot was born.
Last night, a reader passed along a poster on the plywood outside the construction site, which shows how the new residences are being marketed.
Yes, you, too, "can live on a site once inhabited by W.C. Fields, Mae West, the Marx Brothers, Burns & Allen, Milton Berle and Jack Benny!"
This pitch will likely appeal to my grandmother, though can't say the same for your average condo buyer looking for private rooftop cabana terraces, a feature of six of the deluxe spaces.
There's also a teaser site now where you can register for information on "21st Century living in the heart of Olde New York."
Per previously released materials, shared building amenities include a library, fitness center, residents and business lounges, and a rooftop terrace with an outdoor kitchen. Perhaps there will even be Marx Brothers Film Festivals on the roof.
Find more on the old building's history at Jeremiah's Vanishing New York.
Previously on EV Grieve:
City approves new building for Mystery Lot
The Mystery Lot likely facing a luxurious end
The last days of the Mystery Lot
Before it was the Mystery Lot
