FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com MAY 23, 2013 • THE COURIER SUN 9 COMMUNITY TO NEW RIDGEWOOD THEATER OWNERS: HEAR US OUT BY MAGGIE HAYES [email protected] The curtain might be closed for good at the Ridgewood Theater. The 1915 building has been vacant since March 2008, said Theodore Renz, executive director of the Myrtle Avenue Business Improvement District (BID). In 2010, the Guzman brothers took over ownership and intended to put a supermarket in the building, but the plan was never implemented. The brothers are now selling, with the new owners expected to come in at the end of May, according to George Danut of the CPEX brokerage fi rm. “Whatever the new owners have in mind, it will be good if they engage the community going forward,” said Mercy Wong, co-founder of the We Love Ridgewood Theater group and member of Community Board 5. Danut said the new owners, whose names could not be disclosed due to terms of the sale, shelled out $7 million for the property. With the facade registered as a landmark, the new owners plan to renovate the building shortly after the deal is closed. They will put in a retail space on the bottom fl oor and convert the top into a residential spot. But not so fast, said Ridgewood residents. Wong has worked since 2010 to revitalize the vacant theater and make it an entertainment venue. She and the group have reached out to community leaders and politicians to see what can be done, and said the Guzmans’ sale “threw them for a loop.” “Generations of Ridgewood residents have gone to the theater,” Wong said. “They’ve gone on their fi rst dates there, gone to prom and graduated high school. It has a really deep history in the neighborhood.” Danut said the new owners have retail and residential properties in Brooklyn that have done well, so “they know what they’re doing.” Community members still want to sit down and discuss options for the space. “Whether the new owners will be receptive to what the community wants, that I can’t tell you,” Renz said. Wong said she has spoken with people that live in the area or have been to the theater, and many want the site restored as something entertainment-related or even as a theater. “This is a cause worth saving,” Wong said. The owners “could be risking the identity of the building.” Renz said BID is open to discussions with the owners and simply wants to restore the site to viable use. Once the new owners have offi cially moved in, Renz was told they would meet with him and other community representatives. “We’re open to any kind of adaptive use,” Renz said. “If they decide to do housing on the upper level, maybe The Ridgewood community wants to meet with the Ridgewood Theater’s new owners to discuss revitalizing the historic site. they’ll allow the bottom to go to entertainment use. We can help each other.” “At least listen to us,” he added. THE COURIER/File photo “That’s all we’re asking at this point.” The Guzman brothers could not be reached for comment as of press time. Checking that earns like savings. BestRate Checking 1.00APY1 % On balances of $5,000 or more. Plus, get up to $ 1 5 0 when you open a new checking account.2 Additionally, a BestRate Checking account provides you with: Free online banking and bill pay, Free Mastercard® ATM/Debit card, Free direct deposit and more. 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