Flatbush takes the spotlight: Kings Theatre restoration seen as spur to area revival

How times and neighborhoods change. Back in 1977, the closing of the cavernous Kings Theatre in Brooklyn--a movie palace featuring a 70-foot arched ceiling, oceans of pink marble and seating for 3,600--was seen by many as emblematic of the broader decline of the borough. Brooklyn was a place where crime was rampant. A blackout that summer triggered a wave of looting and arson.

Nearly four decades later, the theater on Flatbush Avenue will reopen in January, following a $94 million restoration, in the heart of what has become the city's hottest borough. And this time around, local leaders and residents in the surrounding neighborhood of Flatbush are betting that the ornate venue can become the focal point for a new wave of growth. Many see it not only as a draw for indie rock concerts, comedy shows and other events, but as a means to putting the neighborhood back on the map.

"This used to be the center of the neighborhood, a vibrant strip of movie theaters--and it died," said Alvin Berk, chairman of Community Board 14, which includes the area. "This is really the restoration of Flatbush."

Already, just across Flatbush Avenue, a Gap outlet store and a gym have been built, and a 69-room hotel is...