The nearly 100-year-old Loew’s Jersey Theatre is set for a grand re-opening on Nov. 13 with a performance from the Trey Anastasio Band, the venue has announced.
Located in the heart of Jersey City, N.J.’s Journal Square, the theater will re-open as a fully restored, state-of-the-art live performance venue this fall after a massive redevelopment project between the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency (JCRA), the State of New Jersey/ New Jersey Economic Development Authority and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE), the latter of which also operates Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. and White Eagle Hall in Jersey City.
After more than 40 years of limited use, the theatre — one of five “Loew’s Wonder Theatres,” which were built as movie houses in and around New York City in the 1920s — has undergone a restoration to preserve its original character while transforming it into a versatile 21st-century venue.
“There was a big effort within the city to keep the building from the wrecking ball,” Loew’s Jersey Theatre GM Bruce Wheeler tells Billboard. “The city was very interested in having the Loew’s Jersey Theatre be the anchor for them bringing the Journal Square area back to full force.”
In its heyday, the Jersey Theatre, which was at the center of the bustling neighborhood also know as Publishers Row where many newspaper businesses were located, hosted greats like Duke Ellington and New Jersey’s own Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Originally built by renowned theater architects Rapp and Rapp as a 3,021-seat movie house, the private/public partnership behind the reopening spent $130 million renovating the venue. It now features flexible seating configurations ranging from approximately 2,600 to 4,000 guests in order to host concerts, live performances, sporting events, film presentations and more.
Loew’s Jersey Theatre Grand Lobby Rendering
Courtesy HBSE
The city, which bought the theater from private owners in 1993, had been threatened with demolition, but local preservationists kept the fight alive, and HBSE, who came on board the renovation project in 2021, saw a need for a midsize theater in Jersey City. In addition, the location — easily accessible to the tri-state area via car, PATH train and New Jersey Transit — made it an ideal candidate.
“Quite frankly, artists would prefer to play in something that has some character to it. That you’re looking out and you’re seeing beautiful architecture, and then also the fans want to be in an experience like that,” Sean Saadeh, HBSE chief programming officer and head of entertainment, tells Billboard. “So, why tear down something so beautiful that was so thought out 100 years ago?”
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The restoration included bringing the building up to code with its electric and plumbing systems, as well as adding brand new heating and air conditioning units and sound system. The lighting system was also modernized — though artists can also bring their own set up — while the orchestra seating is fully mobile, allowing for standing room only shows.
But with the theater being added to the New Jersey Register of Historic Places in 1985, the restoration had to respect the building’s design. For example, the fully seated balcony seating was restored with new chairs and fabric, but contractors had to restore the aisle end caps.
“It’s a marriage of the restoration piece and bringing the building itself up to a modern-day standard,” says Wheeler. “So, when people walk in, they’ll feel like they walked into the building back almost 100 years ago. But as far as the experience of seeing a concert or an event there, it’s going to be as modern-day as it possibly can be.”
The venue’s original pipe organ was also restored and maintained and will continue to be serviced and tuned regularly. Saadeh adds that other key components and equipment from the theater will be sprinkled throughout the venue to pay homage to its character. The new LED marquee was designed to look like the original, but the modern screens will allow more information to be displayed.
While the Loew’s Jersey Theatre was a movie house, attendees would often be treated with special performances by stars like Bing Crosby and Judy Garland following screenings. For this reason, Wheeler explains that the original architects were very cognizant of sightlines for both film and stage performances.
Loew’s Jersey Theatre Upstairs View Rendering
Courtesy HBSE
“When you’re an artist looking out to the crowd, we all know how important that is for their experience, and what Loew’s brings to the table is a sea of people versus balcony,” says Saadeh, adding that all upper seating — lodge, mezzanine and balcony — is on a single outcropping. “You’re not looking at balcony after balcony stacked on top of each other. You’re seeing a sea of fans, and that really is an important experience for an artist because it feels like you’re really in the middle of it all.”
The grand reopening weekend will kick off on Nov. 13 with Trey Anastasio Band, followed by The War On Drugs on Saturday, Nov. 14. Scheduled shows also include Jodeci on Nov. 18; Derek Hough’s Dance For The Holidays on Dec. 8; Unwrapped: An Acoustic Holiday on Dec. 9; Christmas with Chris Tomlin on Dec. 10; Jeff Dunham on Jan. 9; and World of Warcraft: 20 Years of Music on May 8.
