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I think this comes across worse than it is meant. He's just saying that he sees this as a local theater that can be supported by the immediate neighborhood, and not a regional destination that needs people from all over to make a profit.

We are thinking the same way: we're refusing to patronize Bozo's. But are we going to Newport? I prefer Loew's.

At least Hoboken is building things that will Hoboken money in Hoboken. People in Jersey City should be thinking the same way. If people are going to Manhattan to see movies and shunning Newport, then there must be a problem

"We do not expect to get, nor are we trying to get, Union City or West New York or Jersey City residents to come to this. This is a Hoboken cinema," Bado said.

What the what? I live in the Heights and am offended by this.

I will show up at that !@#$ theater whether they like it or not.

In addition to Mr. Bado's elitist attitude, this certainly is a deterrent. It's easier for revenue-generating movie-goers from Jersey City to take the PATH to Film Forum or IFC Cinema. As a matter of fact, it's easier for residents of Hoboken living at the other end of town to go into NYC for movies. Bado's unwelcoming words will keep me away.

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"We plan to fail not because we fail to plan, but because we have no plan," Bozo later said.

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Well then, good luck to ya.

View Larger Map Movie theater slated for August opening Saturday, June 20, 2009 By CARLY BALDWIN JOURNAL STAFF WRITER HOBOKEN - The movie theater under construction in uptown Hoboken is scheduled to open sometime this August, officials said. The 20,000-foot, five-screen theater, to be operated by Clearview Cinemas, is located on 14th Street between Grand and Adams streets, underneath the 14th Street viaduct. Construction of the two-story structure began last summer, Hoboken Community Development Director Fred Bado said. Before construction could begin, environmental remediation had to be done on the site, which once housed a factory, Bado said. Bado said he expects enough Hoboken residents will go to the theater to keep it profitable. "We do not expect to get, nor are we trying to get, Union City or West New York or Jersey City residents to come to this. This is a Hoboken cinema," Bado said. He said that since the Hudson Street Cinemas, a tiny, two-screen cinema at Hudson and First streets, closed down several years ago, demand has been great for a theater in Hoboken. "There are over 40,000 residents here with no movie theater," he said. "Within a 15-minute walk of this site you have 20,000 residents - Maxwell Place, The Shipyard, Hudson Tea Building. They have no entertainment outlet." He added that the theater may not even be big enough to sustain large out-of-town crowds. The fact that a parking lot is not in the plans is another deterrent to out-of-towners. The theater is part of the Northwest Redevelopment Zone, a 22-acre plot in the northwest quadrant of the city. Developer Tarragon/URSA owns the land on which the theater sits. Tarragon/URSA has also built several hundred residential units near the theater, including 1118 Adams St., a 90-unit property for low-income families. Currently, Tarragon is building 50- to 60-market rate housing units in the area, as well as additional affordable units. Tarragon/URSA has also promised Hoboken it would build a pool and a community center in the northwestern edge of town, but that redevelopment plan hasn't been approved yet by the Hoboken City Council, according to Bado.

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Plan 5-screen theater in northwest Hoboken

Tuesday, June 03, 2008
By PAUL KOEPP
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Hoboken has gone almost three years without a movie theater, but the city should have a new one by next spring.

City officials and representatives of Clearview Cinemas, a subsidiary of Cablevision, broke ground yesterday morning at a sneak peek for a planned five-screen cinema between Grand and Adams streets under the 14th Street viaduct.

Mayor David Roberts said the 20,000-square-foot "state-of-the-art" theater, on land leased by developer Tarragon/URSA, would fill the gap left when the Hudson Street Cinemas shut down in 2005.

"This is an urban theater designed for urban life," Roberts said. "When people set aside their public agendas, good things happen."

Fred Bado, the city's head of community development, said parking requirements had been relaxed to help move the project forward as an entertainment venue in walking distance for city residents.

The 22-acre Tarragon/URSA redevelopment area will also feature a swimming pool and community center on 11th Street, between Madison and Monroe streets.

That half of the Northwest Redevelopment Zone is tied up in litigation, but Tarragon/URSA President Michael Sciarra said he still hopes to have the pool open by next summer.

Sciarra added that Tarragon/URSA has built 90 affordable housing units in the area, with 55 more on the way, while about 800 market-rate units are nearly completed.

Bado gestured to the south while speaking at yesterday's ceremony.

"Five years ago, all the blocks you see buildings on were vacant," he said. "In five years, we've created a new residential area in the city of Hoboken."

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I'm all for it. As long as it's not cold. I hate being cold. Maybe throw in a Vermont Castings gas fireplace to add some ambiance and heat. As for snacks... un-salted popcorn (add the salt yourself) and real cans of soda and seltzer instead of fountain.

I also like the Jersey City Museum ideas. I (too) saw the Black Maria there and thoroughly enjoyed the evening. I would support that.

i agree. the museum theatre would be excellent. it is very nice. wonder if it would consider trying it one day a week for a month to gauge response. i'm sure the museum would face more overhead to open late night but perhaps it could open its doors in the afternoon one day a week - 3pm to midnight on fridays instead of the 9-6 it's probably opened now.
the theatre is great space and should be used more for movies, music, plays, dance...

sounds like an excellent idea

I think Brewster first raised this issue. The Jersey City Museum's Theater should act as an Indie Movie Theater.

I read in todays New York Times travel section that Berkeley's Art Museum does it.

Why can't we?

NYTimes
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(Article Excerpt:)

The Pacific Film Archive www.bampfa.berkeley.edu, at the Berkeley Art Museum, offers one of the most eclectic moviegoing experiences in the Bay Area. At the archive?s theater across the street from the museum, you might find a French New Wave festival, followed by a collection of shorts from West Africa. The archive is particularly strong on Japanese cinema ? and grungy-looking grad students.
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Jersey city's Theater could also be strong on Bollywood Films



Best of Bollywood

Vigilante, I watch TCM religiously too, just saw Suspicion, North by Northwest, Rear Window and Vertigo. Yes, the markup is in the sundries/concessions market so I think that whether it's a converted dilipidated garage on Newark or Rachel's, and admission (say $5) is charged plus costs of drinks and snacks, that it could work. Perhaps I am really naive but I think while we have TCM, IFC, Sundance and Netflix, it's sometimes just fun to go out with your friends or significant other and do something like this rather than watch it from your den or living room . . . that elusive theater "collective experience" you reference. There's something to be said for that collective gasp, laugh, scream that the living room/den cannot produce, even if friends are over. In showing indie, foreign, documentary flicks, I doubt that it would attract clientele that is apt to talk on their cellphones, constantly get up and down during the show or exhibit other rude behavior as that is not the fare they want to see. Morever, and not hating on teenagers, but it would likely be an adult audience interested in this. Landmark Sunshine WTF are you?

I worked in a multi-plex years ago. The Raiders/E.T./Empire Strikes Back era. All their money is made in Concessions. Over-priced popcorn, soda, candy etc. Often the Theaters were paying 90 cent of every dollar to the distributors. I now watch Turner Classic Movies religiously and Netflix for the newer films. The image on a home theater system is much better than the worn out prints in the Movie Theaters. Of course it is hard to recreate the "collective experience" that a theater gives you but I can't take the distractions and rudeness of many theater goers these days.

Varick wrote: "Me thinks, rent an old car repair garage off Newark ave someplace, paint the joint, join Netflix, pick up a projector and an old Dell. A few cheap sofas and we are in."


Varick raises an interesting and seemingly feasible solution. What about also in the former Rachel's and selling popcorn/treats and admission? Dinner at the Merchant followed by indie, foreign, documentary flick at Rachels that you can't and won't see at Newport or AMC in Edgewater.

just watch the IFC on cable...

Varick wrote: "Me thinks, rent an old car repair garage off Newark ave someplace, paint the joint, join Netflix, pick up a projector and an old Dell. A few cheap sofas and we are in."


Varick raises an interesting and seemingly feasible solution. What about in the former Rachel's and selling popcorn/treats? Dinner at the Merchant followed by indie, foreign, documentary flick at Rachels.

The City should give management and renovation to another organization!

BAM does show a cross section of movies.

The Lowe's mission statement reads something like BAM which is exactly what it should become. Problem is the webpage doesn't even provide either the names of those who manage the facility or the Board of Directors. A look at the calendar shows an institution that is way underutilized.

I saw the Black Maria film festival at the Jersey City Museum. I am sure that the museum could use more events? I never even knew that theater was there before.

Don't get me started on the Lowe's Jersey. Although I am happy that volunteers helped save the theater, the place is poorly managed.

Not everyone wants to see classic movies all the time. They need to work on showing more current (domestic and foreign) films. Why do they strive to serve such a narrow community.

You all should check the schedule of the Loew's Jersey Theatre. They may have something of interest. Mostly classics, but "Blade Runner: The Final Cut" is on the books for May. A must see in my book.

http://www.loewsjersey.org/

movie theatres are money losers - unless you have 17 screens and blcokbusters shown regularly, you cant make a profit. blame it on VHS. Netflix and streaming video.

I'd like to see a theater that plays independent films you can typically only see in NYC (like George Romero's Diary of the Dead). However, I'm an advocate of a gigantic Sony IMAX 3D complex. As much as these new condo projects pay my bills, we need more destination points downtown.

Maybe if it's an Indie Theater that doesn't play the same Hollywood crap as everyone else. An Angelika Jersey City would be awesome! Otherwise, it's just a waste of time, space, and money.

I refuse to see movie in the mall and I hate going to Manhattan to see movie all the time. Are any of the big developers contemplating a movie theater component in their projects.

I think the corner of Bergen and Fairmount would be great. I think an Indie theater would be great, being a filmmaker I would live in that place! I think it would be a successful theater and then i won't have to commute over to Angelika all the time.

I am glad to see the JCMuseum is doing the upcoming film festival. I was just at the museum for the Family Day Event they did over the holidays. It was quite well orchestrated, beautiful space and nice theater with comfortable seating.

I went to school in Rhode Island and was always at this place. It was an interesting space (furnished with sofas, and different types of chairs so you felt like you were in somebody's house rather than traditional seating which made it intimate and cozy) and they showed all the latest indie art house films.

http://www.cablecarcinema.com/