Does anyone remember??

Vitameatavegamin

Hi again,

Haven't posted here in a while, but I was thinking about something I remember from the early 80s. Do you remember when that old theatre was restored in NY, I think it was called the Stanley? Well anyway I remember this huge chandelier, I think it was really expensive antique made of crystal or something, well I remember distinctly that this chandelier cost around 1 million to buy! We even had a slideshow at our Sunday meeting to see the remodeling that had taken place in this theatre. The JWs always speak of other religions and their flashy displays, such as Catholic churches, etc. How do the JWs get around that 1 mil. chandelier?? And the inside of that theatre looks like a few million bucks......Why did'nt they us that money to help poor nations who use straw huts for kingdom halls or tin shacks on stilts for kingdom halls, how can they justify all that money??

Just wondering if anyone remembers this. I think it was around 83??

Looking forward to you're thoughts.

Remember, with vitameatavegamin, you can spoon your way to health!

Seeker

OK, let's set a few things straight here. When the Society bought the run-down Stanley theatre, they were forced by local zoning laws to restore the place, not tear it down and rebuild. It was an historical site, even though it had fallen into extreme disrepair. So the Society bought the place, agreed to the terms, and left things as they were other than cleaning and repairing things. The chandelier came with the place. They did not buy it separately, it was already there. They just cleaned it. Could they sell it? Perhaps, but again their agreement was to restore what was there, and if they took out too much of the original it would violate the historical site rules.

Is it ostentatious? Yes. Did the Society make it that way? No, it came that way. Could they gut the place, sell the parts, and put up a typical boxy assembly hall? No.

If they had built this place from scratch, then you could criticize them for buy a million-dollar chandelier. But when it came with the place under orders to leave things as they were, what would you have them do?

blondie

Just a note on the chandelier, the WTS bought the Stanley, lock, stock, and barrel, as is. In 1928 or 1929 the Stanley Theater was built. The first builder purchased the chandelier from the Astor family after the first Waldorf Astoria hotel was torn down where it had hung originally. The chandelier was in very poor condition when the Stanley was purchased by the WTS in 1983 and required much renovation. They did not go out an buy a $1M chandelier to put in there.

El Kabong

I remember when the Society first bought the Stanley in Journal Square NJ. The place really was run down. Even homeless people were living in there. Seats were torn up, grafitti all over the place. One thing, the Brothers and Sisters did a wonderful job restoring the theatre. The chandelier did come with the theatre and the Brothers had to take it apart piece by piece to send to Brooklyn to have it cleaned.

However, I do remember that after the restoration, there were two brothers who were "on guard duty" one night, playing frizbee in the lobby and actually damaged the chandelier with the frizbee. I believe the society had to pay to have it repaired. Needless to say, that pissed off some people.

MacHislopp

Hello Vitameatavegamin (...a bit long)

thanks for your post.

I think I can be of help with your research:

" A Historic Landmark becomes an Assembly Hall for JW's "

this was the title of an article on the Awake!

dated 22 October , 1985 pages 24-27, with "full"

sory and 10 photos, including the chandeliers (pag.27).

Greetings, to you all J.C.MacHislopp

" One who has an accurate knowledge
of God's Word will have no problem
in refuting false religious ideas".

Mulan

Seems like I remember them saying the chandelier would cost $1M to replace. And they combed the antique and junk stores all over NY and NJ looking for missing crystals, to put on the chandelier when they restored it. Other than these little tidbits, I can't add a thing.

Marilyn (a.k.a. Mulan)
"Those who know, don't say, and those who say, don't know."

Vitameatavegamin

Hello again,

To Seeker,

I remembered alot of controversy over that distinctly. I am not merely criticizing. I am not claiming to have my facts straight either, just wondering about it. You're reply was rather condescending I thought. Where do you get your info?? The theatre is beautiful, I did not realize anything about the city requiring certain things, but so be it.

Don't be so harsh.

Vita

Seeker

Vita,

I re-read my response and you were right, it was a bit harsh. It wasn't directed at you, though, even though it must have sounded like it. I was responding to the many times this has come up before (no, not by you, by many others), and how I and others have explained this. So I'm sorry to be so harsh on you. I got frustrated at this appearing yet again, though this is absolutely no fault of yours.

Where did I get my information? I was in Bethel during this time and heard report after report about the Stanley theatre purchase and renovation. I became familiar with the details from that.

MadApostate

Chandelier photo

.

orbison

a pio in our hall went to see, and brought a few of us back postcards they had made of the newly renovated theatre, i think i might still have them,about 10 of them ,,as i burned everything else i had, i will try to find and get scanned somewhere in the next week and ul here,,quite ornate fixtures,,,beautiful,,,

wendy

Does anyone remember??

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