Loew's Jersey Theatre

Loew's Jersey Theatre
Facade seen from across Journal Square July 1, 2006
Map
Address54 Journal Square
Jersey City, New Jersey
United States
Public transitJournal Square Transportation Center
OwnerJersey City
OperatorDevils Arena Entertainment
TypeMovie palace
Capacity3,021[1]
Current useRevival house films and performing arts center
Construction
OpenedSeptember 28, 1929
ArchitectRapp and Rapp
Website
loewsjersey.org Edit this at Wikidata
Loew's Jersey Theatre
Location54 Journal Square, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
Coordinates40°43′56″N 74°03′52″W / 40.7322°N 74.0645°W / 40.7322; -74.0645
Architectural styleLate 19th & 20th Century Revivals; Baroque Revival
NRHP reference No.100007648
Added to NRHPApril 25, 2022

The Loew's Jersey Theatre is a theater in Jersey City, New Jersey. Opened in 1929, it was one of the five Loew's Wonder Theatres, a series of flagship Loew's movie palaces in the New York City area. It was designed by the architectural firm of Rapp and Rapp in a Baroque/Rococo style. It was purchased by the city in 1993 and has been operated by a volunteer organization, the Friends of the Loews, since that time.[2] The theater was designated as a New Jersey Registered Historic Site in 2009.[3] In a move opposed by Friends of the Loews, the city in June 2014, agreed to let AEG Live operate the venue.[4][5][6] After going to court, the lease by Friends of the Loews remains in effect.[7] In 2022, a $72 million restoration project was started by Devils Arena Entertainment, a division of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment that operates the Prudential Center, with completion being expected by 2025.[8][9]

History

The cost of construction in 1929 was $2 million.[10] The capacity of the theatre on opening day was 3,021 patrons.[1]

The theater was added to the New Jersey Register of Historic Places on August 15, 1985.[3] It also received a Determination of Eligibility from the National Register of Historic Places on October 17, 1985, but was not listed due to an objection by the owner.[11] It was subsequently listed on the National Register in 2022.[12]

The theatre closed in August 1986. The final film shown was Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives. The Loew's Corporation sold the theatre to Hartz Mountain, who announced plans to demolish the theatre and build a new structure on the site.[13]

Volunteers began restoration of the theatre once it had been acquired by the city of Jersey City, to prevent it from being demolished.[14] The Garden State Theatre Organ Society acquired a sister pipe organ to the missing Loew's Jersey pipe organ, originally installed at the Loew's Paradise theatre, and began the installation and restoration of the organ.[15] In 2024, workers removed the original marquee and replaced it with a digital sign.[16]

Programming

The Loew's Jersey is a popular venue for film and photography shoots. The lobby of the Loew's Jersey was the disco in the film The Last Days of Disco and was featured in a 2007 Geico commercial featuring their gecko character.[17]

In February 2011 the band The Strokes shot a music video for the single "Under Cover of Darkness" off of their 2011 album Angles at the Loew's Jersey Theatre, featuring the main lobby, promenade, and stage.[18]

The theater is a popular venue for fundraising, corporate events, and weddings.[19][20][21]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "The Landmark Loews Jersey Theatre - Virtual Tour". Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  2. ^ "Landmark Loew's Jersey – Official Website for The Landmark Loew's Jersey". Archived from the original on September 17, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places – Hudson County" (PDF). NJ DEP – Historic Preservation Office. July 7, 2009. p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 5, 2010. Retrieved December 3, 2009.
  4. ^ McDonald, Terrence T. (June 27, 2014). "Concert promoter AEG set to take over Jersey City's Loew's theater". The Jersey Journal. Archived from the original on November 20, 2014. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  5. ^ McDonald, Terrence T. (June 28, 2014). "Community group outraged by planned takeover of Jersey City's Loew's theater". The Jersey Journal. Archived from the original on July 1, 2014. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  6. ^ Dawsey, Josh (June 27, 2014). "Jersey City Taps AEG Live to Manage Loew's, Announces Theater Overhaul". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on October 10, 2014. Retrieved November 6, 2017 – via online.WSJ.com.
  7. ^ Stettner, Meredith Napolitano (September 8, 2016). "Waiting in the Wings: Loew's Theater and its Future". Jersey Digs. Archived from the original on December 2, 2018. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  8. ^ "Jersey City's Historic Loew's Theatre to Undergo $72M Restoration". NBC New York. February 22, 2021. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  9. ^ "NHL Team's Affiliate Takes on Theater Project". Venues Now. March 3, 2021. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  10. ^ Berwick, Carly (July 18, 2004). "Long-Running Drama At the Loew's Jersey". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 28, 2015. Retrieved December 3, 2009.
  11. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  12. ^ "Weekly listing". National Park Service.
  13. ^ Carney, Leo H. (June 21, 1987). "LOEW'S THEATER APPARENTLY DOOMED". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  14. ^ McDonald, Terrence T. (April 5, 2013). "No more taxpayer funding for the Loew's, Jersey City mayor says". The Jersey Journal. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  15. ^ "The Bob Balfour Memorial Wonder Morton Theatre Pipe Organ". Garden State Theatre Organ Society. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  16. ^ West, Teri (November 3, 2024). "Sign of the times for new Journal Square: Iconic Loew's Jersey marquee destroyed to make way for digital sign". nj. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  17. ^ "Geico Gecko at The Loew's Jersey Theatre". Loew's Jersey Theatre. December 30, 2009. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved July 12, 2021 – via YouTube.
  18. ^ Hortillosa, Summer Dawn (February 21, 2011). "The Strokes visit Jersey City to shoot music video at Landmark Loew's Jersey Theatre". The Jersey Journal. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  19. ^ "Landmark loew's jersey theatre wedding". Unique Wedding Venues in NJ. April 3, 2013. Archived from the original on April 16, 2014. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  20. ^ "The Landmark Loew's Jersey Theatre - Jersey City, NJ". Yelp. Archived from the original on April 16, 2014. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  21. ^ "See Loew's Jersey Theatre on WeddingWire". WeddingWire. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
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