Loew's Jersey Theatre

The Loew's Jersey Theatre is a movie palace type theater and live entertainment venue located 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. Tri-plexed in 1974, and then closed in 1986, it was dark for years. It was purchased by the city in 1993 and been operated by a volunteer organisation, 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 February 2021 it was announced that the theater would undergo an $72million restoration.[8] expected to begin in 2022.[9]

Loew's Jersey Theatre
Facade seen from across Journal Square July 1, 2006
Address54 Journal Square
Jersey City, NJ,
U.S.
Public transitJournal Square Transportation Center
OwnerCity of Jersey City
OperatorFriends of the Loews
Capacity3,021[1]
Current useRevival house films and Performing arts center
Construction
OpenedSeptember 28, 1929
ArchitectRapp and Rapp
Website
loewsjersey.org

History

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

The theatre 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]

Closure

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.[12]

Restoration

Volunteers began restoration of the theatre once it had been acquired by the city of Jersey City, to prevent it from being demolished.[13]

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.[14] A video of the organ being played on November 3, 2007 is available on YouTube.[15]

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.[16]

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.[17]

The theater is a popular venue for fundraising, corporate events, and weddings.[18][19][20]

It also was shown in the Joker movie

References
  1. "The Landmark Loews Jersey Theatre - Virtual Tour". Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  2. "Landmark Loew's Jersey – Official Website for The Landmark Loew's Jersey".
  3. "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. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  5. McDonald, Terrence T (June 28, 2014). "Community group outraged by planned takeover of Jersey City's Loew's theater". The Jersey Journal. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  6. "WSJ". Retrieved November 6, 2017 – via online.WSJ.com.
  7. Stettner, Meredith Napolitano (2016-09-08). "Waiting in the Wings: Loew's Theater and its Future". Jersey Digs. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
  8. "Jersey City's Historic Loew's Theatre to Undergo $72M Restoration".
  9. https://hudsonreporter.com/2021/11/17/jersey-city-loews-theatre-to-begin-renovation-phase-in-2022/
  10. Berwick, Carly (July 18, 2004). "Long-Running Drama At the Loew's Jersey". The New York Times. Retrieved December 3, 2009.
  11. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  12. Carney, Leo H. (June 21, 1987). "LOEW'S THEATER APPARENTLY DOOMED". The New York Times.
  13. "No more taxpayer funding for the Loew's, Jersey City mayor says". NJ.com. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  14. "The Bob Balfour Memorial Wonder Morton Theatre Pipe Organ – Garden State Theatre Organ Society". GSTOS.org. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  15. loewsjersey (November 3, 2007). "The 4/23 Wonder Morton Organ at The Loew's Jersey Theatre". Retrieved November 6, 2017 – via YouTube.
  16. "Geico Gecko at The Loew's Jersey Theatre". Loew's Jersey Theatre. December 30, 2009. Retrieved July 12, 2021 – via YouTube.
  17. http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/index.ssf?/base/news-5/1298273119205280.xml&coll=3
  18. http://www.unjerseybride.com/landmark-loews-jersey-theater-a-perfect-venue-for-theatre-lovers/
  19. "The Landmark Loew's Jersey Theatre - Jersey City, NJ". Yelp. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  20. "See Loew's Jersey Theatre on WeddingWire". WeddingWire. Retrieved November 6, 2017.

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