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
"Now you too can live on a site where old desperate perverts would masturbate in public, often on your neck" - this is the marketing that would MOVE these properties.
ReplyDeleteThat is so cynical, to evoke the history that is so grand and interesting and then to build this boring glass temporary looking building in its place. There is nothing about this structure that evokes the time and place they are marketing except the name.
ReplyDeletewhen the jefferson was no longer regularly showing movies they had silent nights a with piano player accompanying the silent movie.
ReplyDeleteand i believe this is where we saw the last of lenny bruce during his final performances while he was in court with the suits - for profanity.
most of his performance was about the court case and it was very sad.
We used to sit in an After Hours bar in there in the 80's- Jefferson.
ReplyDeleteArthur Weinstein ran it until he turned agent for NY City and turned in his partners after being shutdown.
Would the trustafarians and Euro-Trash Jet Set even know who those people were?
ReplyDeleteBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! bring back the Mystery Lot!!!
ReplyDeleteThis site has been blighted for at least 20 years as owned by the Milstein family. Its a nice looking building and a fine addition to bring up property values in this area. The naysayers are the old guard in the neighborhood who just hate change for changes sake...move on
ReplyDeleteWhy would I cooperate.with a change that doesnt include me you.priveleged punk
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