A developer slated to renovate Prospect Park-adjacent bed bug hivePavilion Theater and replace it with an art house cinema and condos has scaled back its original plan following community criticism.
New renderings made public by Morris Adjmi Architects depict the following changes:
- The fifth floor is set back six feet
- A stronger and more prominent cornice
- The ground floor windows are smaller and "lifted from the ground," making its retail function less conspicuous
- The brick color has been changed to a warmer hue
- The sixth floor has been reduced to 10 feet from 12 feet, and set back four feet to better blend with the theater
The adjustments were made in response to several issues raised by nearby residents during a July community board meeting, which largely criticized the proposed development's incongruity with the surrounding Bartel-Pritchard Square.
"Since Hidrock comprehensively incorporated the community’s recommendations — which we believe improved how the project relates to Bartel-Pritchard Square and the larger surrounding neighborhood — we are hopeful that Community Board 6 members and other community activists will be pleased with Hidrock’s broad responsiveness and will be supportive of the new design," spokesman Ethan Geto told DNAinfo.
Built in 1928, the art-deco Pavilion is part of Park Slope's historic district, which in 2012 expanded to include around 600 buildings between 7th and 15th streets between 7th and 8th avenues. Though its landmarked status means any exterior changes must be relatively subtle, Hidrock plans to turn the adjoining building into a five-story, 24-unit condo complex, with 16 spaces of underground parking. The ground floor will remain a movie theater, though it will also include a residential lobby.
It's unclear who will operate the theater, though the owners of Williamsburg's Nitehawk Cinema have expressed interest.
