The Alpine Cinema of Bay Ridge

The Alpine Cinema is a rather grand old relic on Fifth Avenue in Bay Ridge. The tall building has been a movie house for a long time, nearly a century. Currently a multi-plex, it was a one-screen house once upon a time. Still, the exterior and lobby retain some of the old movie glamour of days gone by. Maybe that's because the house is owned by the same people who own the lovely Cinema Village in Greenwich Village.

The Alpine Theatre was originally a Loew’s theatre. It opened on June 6, 1921. It had a 2,200 seating capacity, though it had no balcony or gallery. At the time of its unveiling, Variety described the Alpine Theatre’s interior as "decorated in a tan and gold color scheme, the general atmosphere created being one of brightness. The side walls are paneled and painted in an imitation of tapestry. The floors are carpeted with red velvet. A good system of floor pitch gives a clear view of the screen from any part of the house."

It was converted into two screens in 1976, and then into seven screens in 1986. A nice survivor.