UPDATE: The total Phase Two project cost is $96 million, which includes the interior renovations of the building. The Apollo Theater's Walk-of-Fame will officially start installing plaques on the sidewalk at 125th Street today. The New York Times reports that the plan was thought up by the Apollo Theater back in 2008 and is part of the institution's $96 million renovation project. Expect to see Ella Fitzgerald, Little Richards, Patti LaBelle and James Brown make their debut this month. Michael Jackson and Aretha are Scheduled for June. Read more in the NY Times: LINK. Photo by Ulysses
Monday, May 10, 2010
☞ INTRODUCING: Apollo Walk-of-Fame to Debut
UPDATE: The total Phase Two project cost is $96 million, which includes the interior renovations of the building. The Apollo Theater's Walk-of-Fame will officially start installing plaques on the sidewalk at 125th Street today. The New York Times reports that the plan was thought up by the Apollo Theater back in 2008 and is part of the institution's $96 million renovation project. Expect to see Ella Fitzgerald, Little Richards, Patti LaBelle and James Brown make their debut this month. Michael Jackson and Aretha are Scheduled for June. Read more in the NY Times: LINK. Photo by Ulysses
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$96 million? That's insane. Okay, went and read the article. It's $96 million for a complete renovation that includes the walk of fame.
ReplyDelete"The Apollo announced the walk-of-fame idea in 2008 in connection with a long-planned renovation. Last year, as arts organizations everywhere struggled to survive the financial crisis, the Apollo said it was postponing the renovation until it could raise the money to complete the $96 million project. (Officials said in 2008 that they already had $51 million in hand.)"
$96M? For precisely, exactly what? Wanna Be developer Emmit Smith thinks he can build a Hyatt, Whole Foods, YMCA, and a Cultural Center down the street for the same amount of money.
ReplyDelete$96M What a rip off, the freaking tourist will come anyway, this my friends is why I have comfort, and sleep well at night, while I cheat on my taxes in a major way. Everyone is screwing and ripping off everyone else. $96M?
Freaking 135th St. at 8th Ave has already in place a sort of "walk of fame" in the sidewalk, plaques, etc...anyong can go there and see it today, probably cost a couple of thousand dollars tops!
Look, not that many damn tourist come to 125th St., and most of the buses DON'T STOP, they drive by. At $96M I am sure the area will get a return on the investment in about 250 years!
This is a rip off in the works, follow the money!
They are also restoring the interior with this money. Still sounds like a crazy amount of money.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.apollotheater.org/PDF/Restoration%20Fact%20Sheet%201_9_08%20CLEAN%20(2).pdf
Serious money in Harlem nowadays. It will only continue, so the haters need to take this in perspective.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like the project costs are actually $84 million with $12 million alotted for the endowment....not $94 million for project costs.
ReplyDeleteIs it cheaper to do new construction as opposed to rehab work? Are they bringing in special artisans to restore the architectural details and finishes of the Apollo?
While the restoration costs seem astronomical/outrageous it doesn't seem like one can compare the Hyatt project to the Apollo restoration.
Isn't the recent history of the Apollo one of renovation after renovation? The sad reality is that there is not enough demand for the space in the current neighborhood. Presumably this has been coupled with poor management (I honestly can't say). Perhaps both will change; I hope they will.
ReplyDeletePercy Sutton, may his soul rest in peace, drove the Apollo into bankruptcy all the while doing quite well for himself.
ReplyDeleteAllegedly.
And the beat goes on.
Just sayin’
@Anon 11:45-
ReplyDeleteIt has been my opinion that the Apollo has been mismanaged since I was a kid. Hearing this does not change my opinion any.
The Apollo should be hosting 3 shows a week at minimum. The Apollo management contents itself with Amateur Night and one big show every 15 months or so.
How it it that B.B. King's can get acts like Toots and The Maytails and Teena Marie every year and the Apollo can't? There isn't even seating at B.B.'s!
If The Apollo management, wasn't so damn incompetent the venue would be bringing in a lot more foot traffic and money to 125.
They should install one plaque that can be changed every three months and allow the general public to lease it....that would be fun!
ReplyDeleteActually it should be a projected image (plaque w/your name) onto the floor...then the Apollo can charge for every pic.
ReplyDelete