Plans for Ridgewood Theater's residential conversion were announced last fall, so what's going on at the site now? Not much, but that may soon change; permits for the project were approved this week. The plans call for adding two stories to the three-story building, and created 50 apartments (10 more than previously reported). Owner Bushburg Properties recently told Curbed that they are still in the planning stages of the development, working to bring contractors on board and finalizing their designs. The first floor will be an entertainment/cultural venue, and the permits make clear that the existing exterior of the theater, which is landmarked, will remain. Nataliya Donskoy is the architect.
Theodore M. Renz, director of Myrtle Avenue BID, believed there would be about 12,000 square feet of ground floor available for the venue, but permits show there will be 13,638 square feet of commercial space. The venue has yet to be leased, but community leaders are brainstorming ideas for what entertainment would work best. Renz noted that the entrance for the residential portion will likely be on Cypress Avenue or Madison Street since the façade of the theater cannot be altered, and this seems to be the case, per the newly filed zoning documents:
Community Board 5 District Manager Gary Giordano and Renz have met with representatives from Bushburg Properties but they have not received renderings for what the completed project will look like. A completion date has yet to be released.
With research and writing by Angely Mercado
· Ridgewood Theater coverage [Curbed]