Loew's Jersey Theatre Explained
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.[1] The theater was designated as a New Jersey Registered Historic Site in 2009.[2] In a move opposed by Friends of the Loews, the city in June 2014, agreed to let AEG Live operate the venue.[3] [4] [5] After going to court, the lease by Friends of the Loews remains in effect.[6] 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.[7] [8]
History
The cost of construction in 1929 was $2 million.[9] The capacity of the theatre on opening day was 3,021 patrons.[10]
The theatre was added to the New Jersey Register of Historic Places on August 15, 1985.[2] 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. It was subsequently listed on the National Register in 2022.
Closure
The theatre closed in August 1986. The final film shown was . 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.[11]
Restoration
Volunteers began restoration of the theatre once it had been acquired by the city of Jersey City, to prevent it from being demolished.[12]
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.[13]
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.[14]
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.[15]
The theater is a popular venue for fundraising, corporate events, and weddings.[16] [17] [18]
See also
- New Jersey music venues by capacity
External links
40.7322°N -74.0645°W
Notes and References
- Web site: Landmark Loew's Jersey – Official Website for The Landmark Loew's Jersey. September 14, 2021. September 17, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210917085039/https://loewsjersey.org/. live.
- Web site: New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places - Hudson County . NJ DEP - Historic Preservation Office . 8 . July 7, 2009 . December 3, 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100705114811/http://www.state.nj.us/dep/hpo/1identify/lists/hudson.pdf . July 5, 2010 .
- News: McDonald . Terrence T. . Concert promoter AEG set to take over Jersey City's Loew's theater . The Jersey Journal . June 27, 2014 . June 29, 2014 . November 20, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141120233838/http://www.nj.com/jjournal-news/index.ssf/2014/06/concert_promoter_aeg_set_to_ta.html . live .
- News: McDonald . Terrence T. . Community group outraged by planned takeover of Jersey City's Loew's theater . The Jersey Journal . June 28, 2014 . June 29, 2014 . July 1, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140701075243/http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2014/06/community_group_outraged_by_planned_takeover_of_jersey_citys_loews_theater.html . live .
- News: Jersey City Taps AEG Live to Manage Loew's, Announces Theater Overhaul. The Wall Street Journal. June 27, 2014. November 6, 2017. online.WSJ.com. Dawsey. Josh. October 10, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141010062439/http://online.wsj.com/articles/aeg-live-pledges-national-acts-at-loews-jersey-theatre-in-jersey-city-1403813127. live.
- Web site: Stettner. Meredith Napolitano. Waiting in the Wings: Loew's Theater and its Future. Jersey Digs. April 15, 2019. September 8, 2016. December 2, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181202125352/https://jerseydigs.com/loews-theatre-journal-square-political-history/. live.
- Web site: February 22, 2021 . Jersey City's Historic Loew's Theatre to Undergo $72M Restoration . NBC New York . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210616043232/https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/jersey-citys-historic-loews-theatre-to-undergo-72m-restoration/2902726/ . June 16, 2021 . June 15, 2021.
- Web site: March 3, 2021 . NHL Team’s Affiliate Takes on Theater Project . Venues Now . 15 April 2023.
- News: . Berwick . Carly . Long-Running Drama At the Loew's Jersey . July 18, 2004 . December 3, 2009 . May 28, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150528043006/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/18/nyregion/long-running-drama-at-the-loew-s-jersey.html . live .
- Web site: The Landmark Loews Jersey Theatre - Virtual Tour. August 31, 2010. July 16, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110716095819/http://www.loewsjersey.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36&catid=34&Itemid=52&limitstart=4. live.
- News: LOEW'S THEATER APPARENTLY DOOMED . The New York Times . Leo H. . Carney . June 21, 1987 . February 10, 2017 . March 5, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160305115055/http://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/21/nyregion/loew-s-theater-apparently-doomed.html?src=pm&gwh=C75E559EA49FA282527F56E0415F98C5 . live .
- Web site: No more taxpayer funding for the Loew's, Jersey City mayor says. The Jersey Journal. McDonald. Terrence T.. April 5, 2013. November 6, 2017. November 7, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171107061738/http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2013/04/no_more_taxpayer_funding_the_l.html. live.
- Web site: The Bob Balfour Memorial Wonder Morton Theatre Pipe Organ. Garden State Theatre Organ Society. November 6, 2017. November 7, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171107062313/http://gstos.org/organs/the-bob-balfour-memorial-wonder-morton-theatre-pipe-organ/. live.
- Web site: Geico Gecko at The Loew's Jersey Theatre. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/HthKiFxcHH0 . December 21, 2021 . live. Loew's Jersey Theatre. YouTube. December 30, 2009. July 12, 2021.
- Web site: Hortillosa . Summer Dawn . February 21, 2011 . The Strokes visit Jersey City to shoot music video at Landmark Loew's Jersey Theatre . The Jersey Journal . February 22, 2022 . March 3, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303202133/http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/index.ssf?%2Fbase%2Fnews-5%2F1298273119205280.xml&coll=3 . dead .
- Web site: April 3, 2013 . Landmark loew's jersey theatre wedding . Unique Wedding Venues in NJ . April 16, 2014 . April 16, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140416220626/http://www.unjerseybride.com/landmark-loews-jersey-theater-a-perfect-venue-for-theatre-lovers/ . dead .
- Web site: The Landmark Loew's Jersey Theatre - Jersey City, NJ. Yelp. November 6, 2017. April 16, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140416224918/http://www.yelp.com/biz/loews-jersey-theatre-jersey-city. live.
- Web site: See Loew's Jersey Theatre on WeddingWire. WeddingWire. November 6, 2017. November 7, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171107165055/https://www.weddingwire.com/reviews/loews-jersey-theatre-jersey-city/0e29fa41c95a30be.html. live.