A New York Times story  published today appeared to signal possible  movement afoot in the long winding and tragic tale of the famed R.K.O. Keiths theater located in downtown Flushing.  While the Times article was scant on new details the gist of the piece signaled pending development for the landmark theater, which was designed by the famed architect Thomas Lamb in 1928.> > The story titled and sub-titled >>>>A Classic Queens Movie Palace Faces Its Final Curtain - Once a theater of staggering beauty, the long-shuttered RKO Keith’s in Flushing may soon be demolished  summarizes how the theater, which was granted landmark preservation status in the 80's has been flipped by a string of developers to the present day of it's imminent re-development. > > The RKO Keith's has been the subject of much community frustration over the last quarter century ever since a former site owner, Thomas Huang illegally demolished large portions of the landmarked  interiors in a move that netted him felony charges and put the theater back on the market.  Sadly, the theater has been in a neglected state of disrepair since this time and local preservationists and neighborhood activists today are in a pitched battle to ensure that any new development maintains the landmarked grand foyer and ticket lobby.> > A Beijing real estate outfit named Xinyuan purchased the theater in a August 2016 deal, brokered by Cushman Wakefield for a reported $66 million dollars.  A Xinyaun  spokesperson in 2016 stated that “the location for this project in downtown Flushing is ideally situated particularly as there is a shortage of inventory in the higher-end condominium segment,” Xinyuan chairman Yong Zhang said in a statement. “Given the location of this project, we expect it will be appealing to both local and foreign buyers and investors.”> > Ultimately, time will only tell whether the landmark provisions that are tied to the famed theater will be incorporated into the final execution of any new development. Architectural Drawings on File with the NYC > Landmark's & Preservation Department indicate that Xinyuan has considered a conservation strategy for using the existing ticket lobby and grand foyer as the entry for the residential building.  That said, many preservationists in the Flushing community have been pushing for even further conservation efforts, as design plans by the architectural firm of> Pei Cobb Freed & Partners for the planned condomimiums have publically circulated.> > > > >> > >