Bushwick vaudeville house to become apartments

From left: 783 Knickerbocker Avenue in Bushwick as Alhambra theatre and child care center
From left: 783 Knickerbocker Avenue in Bushwick as Alhambra theatre and child care center

A conversion is in the works to turn the site of the historic Alhambra Theatre in Bushwick into 24 apartments.

The three-story building, created in 1914, has 25,179 square feet of proposed residential space. An application was filed last month with the Department of Buildings. Although records did not list a developer, Williamsburg investor Chaskiel Strulvitch is believed to be involved with the project, WyckoffHeights.com reported. Knickerbocker Lofts LLC bought the property at Knickerbocker and Halsey streets in July for $4.2 million.

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It is unknown whether the apartments will be rentals or condominiums.

The formerly Loew’s-owned theatre, which once presented vaudeville performances and film screenings, was expanded from 1,600 to 2,200 seats decades ago. Then in the 1950s, the building was renovated as a supermarket and in the 1970s a preschool. The Grand Street Settlement recently operated a child and family care center in the building. [Wyckoff Heights]Mark Maurer