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] {{Short description|Theater in Jersey City, New Jersey}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = Loew's Jersey Theatre
| image = Loew's Theatre, New Jersey.jpg
| caption = The facade as seen in 2006
| address = 54 ]
| city = ]
| country = United States
| coordinates = {{coord|40.732330|-74.064567|region:US-NJ_type:landmark|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| designation =
| latitude =
| longitude =
| architect = ]
| owner = Government of Jersey City
| operator = ]
| capacity = At least 3,021
| type = ]
| opened = September 28, 1929
| yearsactive = 1929–1986 (as movie palace), 2001–present (as event venue)
| rebuilt = 1986–2001, 2021–present
| closed = August 21, 1986 (as movie palace)
| othernames =
| production =
| currentuse = Entertainment venue
| website = {{ConditionalURL}}
| publictransit = ]
| embedded = {{Infobox NRHP
| embed = yes
| name = Loew's Jersey Theatre
| location = 54 Journal Square, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
| built =
| architect =
| architecture = Late 19th & 20th Century Revivals; Baroque Revival
| designated_other1_name = New Jersey Register of Historic Places
| designated_other1_abbr = NJRHP
| designated_other1_link = New Jersey Register of Historic Places
| designated_other1_date = March 10, 2022 (original date August 15, 1985)
| designated_other1_number = 1518<ref name=NJRHP/>
| designated_other1_num_position = bottom
| designated_other1_color = #ffc94b
| added = April 25, 2022
| designated_nrhp_type =
| refnum = 100007648
| website = <!-- {{URL|www.example.com}} -->
| mpsub =
}}
}}
The '''Loew's Jersey Theatre''' (also the '''Loew's Jersey City Theatre''') is a ] and live performance venue at 54 ] in ], United States. Designed by ] as a ], it opened on September 28, 1929, as one of five ] in the ]. Owned by the government of Jersey City, the Jersey Theatre has been operated by ] (DAE) since 2021. It is listed on the ] and the ].


The Jersey Theatre occupies an irregular site and is divided into two sections: the lobby section and the auditorium. The lobby section has an elaborate ] facade with a ], a mechanical ] clock, and a sculpture of ] fighting a fire-breathing dragon. The entrance leads to a vestibule and a lobby with high ceilings, in addition to several foyers and lounges. The auditorium has at least 3,021 seats on two levels, with an elaborately decorated ], walls, and ceilings. Like the other Wonder Theaters, the Loew's Jersey Theatre featured a "Wonder Morton" ] manufactured by the ]; the current organ was taken from the ] in ], New York.
== Introduction ==


] began developing a theater in Journal Square in 1927. The Jersey Theatre originally presented films and live shows, although the live shows were discontinued in 1935. The theater slowly declined after World War II, screening films almost exclusively, and was split into three screening rooms in 1974. The Jersey Theatre closed in August 1986 after ] acquired the theater with the intent of demolishing it and redeveloping the site. Supporters of the theater's preservation formed Friends of the Loew's (FOL), which began restoring the theater after Jersey City's government bought it in 1993. The theater partially reopened for performances in 2001. After several unsuccessful attempts to lease the theater to a third party, Jersey City officials leased the theater to DAE in early 2021. DAE closed the theater later that year for an extensive renovation, which, {{As of|2024|lc=y}}, is planned to be completed in 2026.
The '''Loew's Jersey Theater''' opened in ], ] of the ] in 1929. It was one of the five ], a series of flagship ] ]s in the ] area. It was designed by the architectural firm of ] in a ]/] style. Tri-plexed in 1974, and then closed in 1986, it was dark for years. The theater is now under continuing renovation and has been restored to its original single-screen form. It has resumed operation presenting live events and films.


== Description<span class="anchor" id="Design"></span><span class="anchor" id="Architecture"></span> ==
== Overview & Description ==
The Jersey Theatre is located at 54 Journal Square<ref name="Alleman e798">{{cite book |last=Alleman |first=Richard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f_0Z5SxTKLkC&pg=PA8 |title=New York: The Movie Lover's Guide: The Ultimate Insider Tour of Movie New York |publisher=Crown |year=2013 |isbn=978-0-8041-3778-2 |page=8 |archive-date=2024-12-27 |access-date=2024-12-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227154759/https://books.google.com/books?id=f_0Z5SxTKLkC&pg=PA8 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="HG x750">{{cite book |last1=Heide |first1=Robert |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y6dNz2JcY9YC&pg=PA53 |title=O'New Jersey, Third Edition: Daytripping, Backroads, Eateries, Funky Adventures |last2=Gilman |first2=John |publisher=St. Martin's Press |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-312-34156-5 |page=53 |access-date=December 2, 2024}}</ref> in the ] neighborhood of ], United States.<ref name="nycland">{{cite nycland |pages=}}</ref> The theater is on an irregular site on the western sidewalk of Kennedy Boulevard, just west of the ]. It is divided into two sections: the lobby section to the east and the auditorium to the west. The ] railroad tracks run slightly north of the theater.<ref name="NPS p. 5" /> Directly to the south is an alley known as Journal Square Concourse West or Gloria Esposito Way, which links Kennedy Boulevard and Magnolia Avenue.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McDonald |first=Terrence T. |date=February 2, 2015 |title=Journal Square walkway to close for construction work |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-journal-square-walkwa/161489987/ |access-date=December 24, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=8}}</ref> The theater is surrounded by commercial and office structures,<ref name="NPS p. 5">{{harvnb|National Park Service|2022|ps=.|page=5}}</ref> including ] to the east and ] and ] to the south.<ref name="Jersey City Open Data p356">{{cite web |date=January 30, 2019 |title=Journal Square Development Map |url=https://data.jerseycitynj.gov/api/explore/v2.1/catalog/datasets/development-maps/files/356ebdd82e071a33876c168dd5e6ef3b |access-date=December 24, 2024 |work=Jersey City Open Data |publisher=Government of Jersey City |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227155304/https://data.jerseycitynj.gov/api/explore/v2.1/catalog/datasets/development-maps/files/356ebdd82e071a33876c168dd5e6ef3b |url-status=live }}</ref>


The Jersey Theatre was designed by the firm of ].<ref name="Gray l188">{{cite web |last=Gray |first=Christopher |date=March 11, 2007 |title=The Kings Is Dead! Long Live the Kings! |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/11/realestate/11SCAP.html?searchResultPosition=1 |access-date=December 24, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Observers have variously categorized the Jersey Theatre's style as Spanish ], Italian ], or "dripping gold-leaf style".<ref name="Dunlap a429">{{cite web |last=Dunlap |first=David W. |date=April 30, 1988 |title=Faded Jersey Movie Palace Edges Closer to Restoration |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/30/nyregion/faded-jersey-movie-palace-edges-closer-to-restoration.html |access-date=December 21, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227160923/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/30/nyregion/faded-jersey-movie-palace-edges-closer-to-restoration.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The theater was one of five ] in the ] and the only one outside New York City proper. The other Wonder Theatres were the ] in ], the ] in ], the ] in ], and the ] in ].<ref>{{cite news |last=Iverem |first=Esther |date=January 22, 1991 |title=Movie Theaters That Were Palaces Now Playing: Queens History |work=Newsday |page=54 |issn=2574-5298 |id={{ProQuest|278315782}}}}</ref><ref name="Adams2015">{{cite web |last=Adams |first=Nathaniel |date=January 16, 2015 |title=Across the New York Area, Restoring 'Wonder Theater' Movie Palaces to Glory |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/18/nyregion/across-the-new-york-area-restoring-wonder-theater-movie-palaces-to-glory.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231126083319/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/18/nyregion/across-the-new-york-area-restoring-wonder-theater-movie-palaces-to-glory.html |archive-date=November 26, 2023 |access-date=November 15, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The Jersey Theatre was also one of three large movie theaters on Journal Square, along with the State Theatre and the ].<ref name="NPS p. 32">{{harvnb|National Park Service|2022|ps=.|page=32}}</ref><ref name="NYT 1992 v687">{{cite web |date=August 13, 1992 |title=Saving a Silver Screen in Jersey City |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/08/13/nyregion/saving-a-silver-screen-in-jersey-city.html |access-date=December 22, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=January 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180116095727/http://www.nytimes.com/1992/08/13/nyregion/saving-a-silver-screen-in-jersey-city.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
The Loew's Jersey opened September 28, 1929. It was one of five "Wonder Theatres" that opened in 1929 and 1930 in the New York City area. ], a neighborhood in ], was a popular entertainment and shopping destination. In addition to the Loew's Jersey, two other entertainment theatres were present in Journal Square: the State Theatre and the ].


=== Facade ===
The theatre was built on land purchased from the ] and located on a main commercial avenue that ran the full length of ] from ] at one end through to ]. ] also served as a terminus for many ] trolley and bus lines. And the ], now know as the ] or PATH, has a major station at ] with lines to ], ] and ].


==== Journal Square elevation ====
The cost of construction in 1929 was reported as $2 million dollars in press releases and newspaper articles. The capacity of the theatre on opening day was 3,300 patrons. The theatre opened with the film ], a live musical performance by Ben Black and his Rhythm Kings and the Loew's Symphony Orchestra. Tickets to view the movie plus live performances were $0.35. Additionally, the theatre was equipped with a 4 Rank/23 Bank ] "Wonder Organ" ].
The primary ] of the ] faces east toward Journal Square. The facade is clad in cream-colored ] and is split vertically into an ornate central ] and two outer bays.<ref name="NPS p. 5" /> On Journal Square, the lobby section is accessed by a wide doorway. The doors are recessed slightly from the facade, and there is a bronze ] protruding from the middle of the storefront, separating the doors into two sets of four. Bronze columns divide the front of the ticket booth into several sections with bronze panels and glass panes. Above the doorway is an arched ].<ref name="NPS p. 6" /> The original ] above the doorway was curved, but it was replaced in 1949 with a rectangular sign flanked by two rectangular ].<ref name="NPS p. 6">{{harvnb|National Park Service|2022|ps=.|page=6}}</ref><ref name="West 2024" /> In 2024, the marquee was again replaced with an LED sign.<ref name="West 2024" />


To the north (or right) of the main entrance, under the marquee, is a black-marble exit doorway with sign boxes and a recessed double door. To the south (left) of the main entrance is a single-story storefront with a glass ] above it. Approximately half of the storefront is covered by the marquee, while the remainder is topped by a terracotta ].<ref name="NPS p. 6" />
The theatre was built with the intention of presenting both live performances and films. The stage of the theatre was equipped with a full counterweighted ] with the 50'-0" wide screen rigged to be flown in and out. In front of the stage, a three segment ] was installed. One segment, on left side of the pit as viewed from the audience, contained the ] console. This segment could rise independently and rotate. The remaining width of the orchestra pit could also raise, lifting the orchestra up to the stage level. The third segment was an integrated piano lift in the center of the orchestra lift that could either rise independently or with the orchestra lift.


Above the marquee, the central bay is surrounded by a curved frame and includes motifs such as an urn, flowers, a fruit bowl, and ]s.<ref name="NPS p. 5" /> Atop the frame is a clock manufactured by the ],<ref name="NYT 2001 y709">{{cite web |date=May 27, 2001 |title=POSTING: Above a Movie House in Jersey City; St. George And Dragon To Fight Again |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/27/realestate/posting-above-a-movie-house-in-jersey-city-st-george-and-dragon-to-fight-again.html |access-date=December 22, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=May 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220530173105/https://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/27/realestate/posting-above-a-movie-house-in-jersey-city-st-george-and-dragon-to-fight-again.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="n161433032">{{Cite news |last=Gordon |first=William |date=September 13, 1999 |title=Like clockwork, by George |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-like-clockwork-by-georg/161433032/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Star-Ledger |pages=27, }}</ref> measuring approximately {{convert|10|by|12|ft}} across.<ref name="n161436823">{{Cite news |date=May 30, 2001 |title=Time in a battle |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-time-in-a-battle/161436823/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=39 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227154935/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-time-in-a-battle/161436823/ |url-status=live }}</ref> There is also an arched niche with animated figures of ] slaying a dragon,<ref name="NYT 2001 y709" /><ref name="n161333897">{{Cite news |last=Deering |first=Sally |date=July 19, 1991 |title=Waking a sleeping giant |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-waking-a-sleeping-gia/161333897/ |access-date=December 22, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=50, }}</ref> although it is unknown who made the figures.<ref name="n161433032" /> The Saint George and dragon figures are made of bronze and are each {{Convert|6|ft}} tall. The dragon figure could move its jaws, and it also had a red light bulb behind its mouth.<ref name="NPS p. 5" /><ref name="NYT 2001 y709" /> Every fifteen minutes, a {{convert|550|lb|adj=on}} bell rang once, and the dragon's mouth moved to reveal the lightbulb while Saint George raised his sword. A separate {{convert|250|lb|adj=on}} bell rang every hour; due to noise ordinances, this bell did not ring after 10:00 p.m.<ref name="n161433032" />
The theatre was equipped with a ] system that controlled a system of lighting fixtures and units on the stage and in the auditorium.


The central and outer bays are separated by ]s with ]. The outer bays each contain terracotta frames, and there is a face with a mask at the top of each frame. A frieze runs atop the eastern elevation of the facade. Both outer bays are topped by elaborate ]s with urns and asymmetrical pinnacles; the northern pinnacle, on the right, is taller.<ref name="NPS p. 5" /> Behind the main entrance's facade is the auditorium's facade, which is made of buff-colored brick. The top of the auditorium's facade has a terracotta parapet that steps up toward a medallion at its center. There is also a chimney at the southern end of the auditorium's eastern facade.<ref name="NPS p. 6" />
Beneath the stage, two levels of dressing rooms, along with a ] and rehearsal hall were provided.


==== Other elevations ====
The auditorium was laid out with approximately 1,300 seats on a sloping ground floor, divided into sections by aisles running from the entrance of the auditorium to the stage. An additional 2,000 seats were placed on a steeply sloped balcony.
The north elevation, facing a neighboring department store, is made of buff brick with terracotta decorations. Within the theater's eastern (lobby) section, the north elevation consists of three arched panels made of terracotta. Above the lobby's north elevation is a terracotta frieze with a medallion at its center.<ref name="NPS p. 7">{{harvnb|National Park Service|2022|ps=.|page=7}}</ref> The theater's western (auditorium) section is also divided into three arched terracotta panels, which are each topped by shields with leaves. There are pilasters between each of the auditorium's panels, in addition to pilasters at the extreme western end of the facade. Above the auditorium's north elevation is another terracotta frieze with shields above each of the three panels, as well as a stepped parapet, similar to the one atop the Journal Square elevation.<ref name="NPS p. 7" />


The south and west elevations curve into each other and are both plain in design. The south elevation is made of buff brick and faces the adjacent alley, while the west elevation is made of red brick and faces the ] at Magnolia Avenue. On the south elevation, the eastern section of the ground story is clad in stucco, and there is a terracotta cornice and a ] above the ground-story storefront. Behind the setback, the easternmost section of the south elevation's upper stories is decorated with a terracotta panel, while the rest of the upper-story facade is clad in plain brick.<ref name="NPS p. 7" /> The west elevation, and the westernmost section of the south elevation, are similar in style except for the brick color. There are several doorways at ground level, a ] above these doorways, and a ] with a canopy.<ref name="NPS p. 7" />
The lobby of the theatre was built as a two story oval with restroom facilities on the upper level. Both the Ladies' and Mens' restroom featured elaborate decoration and additional spaces for makeup application and socialization. The lobby also possesses a grand ] and a ].


=== Interior ===
The exterior of the theatre was dressed with ] tiles and large ]s. A large vertical sign announcing the theatre's name rose on the righthand tower of the building's face and a marquee with interchangeable lettering was installed over the entrance.
When the theater opened, the interior was described as being decorated in the Italian ] style.<ref name="p1031929373">{{cite magazine |date=October 5, 1929 |title=Loew De Luxer In Jersey Opens; Brings Opposish |magazine=The Billboard |page=19 |volume=41 |issue=40 |id={{ProQuest|1031929373}}}}</ref> It included a collection of expensive and rare art from Europe.<ref name="n161263573" /><ref name="NPS p. 33">{{harvnb|National Park Service|2022|ps=.|page=33}}</ref> These included furnishings, bronzes, canvases, and clocks from England, France, Germany, and Italy.<ref name="n160853458">{{Cite news |date=September 21, 1929 |title=Art Collections in New Theater |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/bayonne-evening-news-art-collections-in/160853458/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |work=Bayonne Evening News |pages=3}}</ref> There was also an air-conditioning system that distributed cooled air throughout the building.<ref name="n161263573" /> At the time of the theater's opening, Loew's characterized the theater as "equal to a trip to the mountains, sea or country".<ref name="n161333897" />


==== Vestibule ====
At the apex of the front facade of the building, a ] animated clock was installed. The clock featured a white faced clock that was illuminated from behind with a statue of ] and a statue of a ]. On the quarter hour, the clock would chime and the statues would perform. The dragon was equipped with red light bulbs in its mouth to represent fire and the statue of Saint George would be tilted by a motor toward the dragon, simulating a ] lunge.
]
The main entrance leads to a vestibule with white and black marble finishes on the walls. The vestibule has a plaster ] with leaves and flowers, in addition to a plaster ceiling with medallions and a chandelier.<ref name="NPS pp. 7–8">{{harvnb|National Park Service|2022|ps=.|pages=7–8}}</ref> The vestibule's eastern wall has bronze-and-glass doors leading from the entrance, and the western wall has a nearly identical set of doors leading to the lobby.<ref name="NPS p. 8">{{harvnb|National Park Service|2022|ps=.|page=8}}</ref> There were originally black-and-white marble ticket booths on the north and south walls of the vestibule, though only the south ticket booth is still extant. There is also a doorway on the north wall, leading to a passage to the theater's northern exit, and a doorway on the south wall, leading to the theater's offices.<ref name="NPS p. 8" /> The office of the theater's assistant manager, to the south, was converted to a restroom in the 2000s.<ref name="NPS p. 8" />


== Triplexing == ==== Lobby ====
The lobby is elliptical and has a gold and gray color scheme with blue and red accents.<ref name="NPS p. 8" /><ref name="n161386644" /> It is elaborately decorated with such motifs as medallions, ]s, ]s, faces, floral patterns, ], gold ropes, ], and urns. The ] floor is covered with carpets.<ref name="NPS p. 8" /> The center of the lobby is surrounded by columns in the ];<ref name="NPS p. 8" /> the bottoms of the marble columns are clad in copper and rest on marble pedestals.<ref name="n161333897" /><ref name="n161281406" /> The lower portions of the walls have marble ],<ref name="NPS p. 8" /> and the lobby's rear wall had mirrors with gilded frames,<ref name="n161281406" /> There are also niches with gold mosaic tiles.<ref name="NPS p. 8" /><ref name="n161281406">{{Cite news |last=Sasson |first=Victor E. |date=August 21, 1984 |title=Theater awaits curtain call |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-theater-awaits-curtain-callv/161281406/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=C1, |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227153726/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-theater-awaits-curtain-callv/161281406/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The ceiling rises three stories above the ground story<ref name="NPS p. 32" /><ref name="n160855123">{{Cite news |date=September 27, 1929 |title=Loew Theatre Bringing B'way to Jersey City |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bayonne-times-loew-theatre-bringing/160855123/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |work=The Bayonne Times |pages=9}}</ref> and is domed.<ref name="n161281406" /> A six-tiered bronze-and-crystal chandelier is suspended from the center of the ceiling,<ref name="NPS p. 8" /> which cost $60,000 to install.<ref name="n161381110" />


A pair of curving stairs leads from the lobby to a mezzanine.<ref name="n161333897" /><ref name="NPS p. 8" /> The staircase on the southern wall has a white-marble ] post with an elaborate lamp, in addition to a bronze ], and fabric panels along the wall. The south staircase's intermediate landing has a gold-tiled niche.<ref name="NPS p. 8" /> The staircase on the northern wall has a bronze balustrade, similar to the one on the south staircase.<ref name="NPS p. 8" />
In 1974, the Loew's Corporation had the theatre subdivided into three smaller theatres.


The mezzanine, along the main lobby's perimeter, is placed behind the Corinthian columns and has a bronze railing.<ref name="NPS p. 8" /> The mezzanine's outer walls have ] panels and mirrors, while the ] has gold-colored medallions. There were originally velvet furniture along the mezzanine. The northern and southern portions of the mezzanine both have two niches, one each to the west and east, which have turquoise walls and gold-colored plaster decorations.<ref name="NPS pp. 10–11">{{harvnb|National Park Service|2022|ps=.|pages=10–11}}</ref> At the eastern end of the mezzanine is the music gallery, which has a domed ceiling, plaster decorations, and walls with brocade panels and mirrors.<ref name="NPS p. 11">{{harvnb|National Park Service|2022|ps=.|page=11}}</ref> It originally had a piano, a china collection, paintings, and bronze and silver figures;<ref name="n160853458" /> some of the items were salvaged from one of the ] in New York City.<ref name="NPS p. 33" />
Two theatres were created on the ground floor by erecting a wall in the center aisle of the auditorium that extended from the entrance from the lobby to just beyond the end of the balcony. Walls were constructed across the width of the auditorium connecting the dividing center wall to the auditorium's outer walls. Within these new theatres, projection booths were built.


==== Foyers and galleries ====
The third theatre was created by having patrons sit in the balcony and watch a movie projected on the original screen of the theatre using the original projection booth.
The lobby's ground level connects with the orchestra-level foyer to the west. That space had a red-carpeted floor; a wall with marble wainscoting, gilded pilasters, and red fabric panels; freestanding square piers; and a ceiling with medallions and gold leaf.<ref name="NPS p. 9">{{harvnb|National Park Service|2022|ps=.|page=9}}</ref> The orchestra foyer also had an antique French clock.<ref name="n161333897" /> Fireproof kalamein doors on the south wall lead to the basement, while those to the west lead to the auditorium.<ref name="NPS p. 9" />


The mezzanine foyer, directly above the orchestra foyer, has a red carpet, in addition to blue walls with red brocade panels and golden pilasters.<ref name="NPS p. 10">{{harvnb|National Park Service|2022|ps=.|page=10}}</ref> The mezzanine had a pool with live goldfish,<ref name="NPS p. 33" /><ref name="n161381110" /> which was removed in 1974.<ref name="NPS p. 10" /> This pool is flanked by niches with gold and green tiles. Fireproof kalamein doors lead off the mezzanine foyer to the theater's lounges and restrooms. The ceiling has plaster medallions and gold-and-green decorations.<ref name="NPS p. 10" />
In an effort to reduce cleaning efforts and expenses, the seating on the ground floor that was no longer accessible to patrons was removed and disposed of.


Next to the mezzanine foyer are separate sets of rooms for men and women, each of which include a restroom, a separate washroom, and a lounge; the women's rooms also include an octagonal room for cosmetics. The men's rooms are to the north, while the women's rooms are to the south.<ref name="NPS p. 10" /> The men's lounge is designed in the ] and includes a wood-grained ] and plaster decorations.<ref name="NPS p. 10" /><ref name="n161325354">{{Cite news |last=Janis |first=Stefan |date=August 25, 1987 |title=Preserving Jersey gems |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-preserving-jersey-gemss/161325354/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Star-Ledger |pages=85, }}</ref> The men's restrooms and washrooms have tile floors and walls, in addition to marble partitions.<ref name="NPS p. 10" /> The women's lounge has a marble fireplace mantel with a mirror; plasterwork pilasters, cornices, and ceilings; wooden wainscoting; and a carpeted floor.<ref name="NPS p. 10" /> The women's restroom and washroom have similar floors, walls, and partitions to the corresponding men's room,<ref name="NPS p. 10" /> though the women's restroom was built with only seven stalls.<ref name="p425775820">{{Cite news |last=Beckerman |first=Jim |date=April 25, 2004 |title=The last movie palace ; Loew's Jersey Theatre celebrates its 75th anniversary |work=The Record |page=F01 |id={{ProQuest|425775820}}}}</ref> The cosmetic room has marble wainscoting, a carpeted floor, and plaster decorations.<ref name="NPS p. 10" />
The pipe organ was also removed from the theatre.


Staircases from the mezzanine's north and south walls ascend to a balcony-level foyer, which leads to the upper section of the auditorium's balcony. The staircases have bronze railings, walls with fabric panels, and plaster ceilings with moldings. On the balcony foyer itself, the walls are divided into panels with gold borders, and there are velvet curtains.<ref name="NPS pp. 9–10">{{harvnb|National Park Service|2022|ps=.|pages=9–10}}</ref>
== Closing ==


==== Auditorium ====
The theatre closed in August of 1986. The final film shown was ]. The Loew's Corporation sold the theatre to a real estate development company. That company announced plans to demolish the theatre and build a new structure on the site. Preservationists began a campaign to save the structure and succeeded in saving the building from demolition. The theatre was subsequently sold to the city of Jersey City, the current owner.
The auditorium originally had 3,021,<ref name="p1493611869">{{cite news |last=Haddon |first=Heather |date=February 3, 2014 |title=Jersey City Wants to Transform Loew's Into Concert Venue |url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303442704579359221532462240.html |access-date=December 24, 2024 |work=The Wall Street Journal |language=en-US |issn=0099-9660 |id={{ProQuest|1493611869}}}}</ref><ref name="n161433489">{{Cite news |last=Dunleavy |first=Bryan |date=August 4, 1999 |title=St. George rides again |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-st-george-rides-againbryan/161433489/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=L1, }}</ref> 3,300,<ref name="p1031929373" /><ref name="n161281406" /> or 3,600 seats.<ref name="p962943895">{{cite magazine |date=August 9, 1991 |title=Jersey City Awaits New Arts Center |magazine=Back Stage |pages=3, 6 |volume=32 |issue=32 |id={{ProQuest|962943895}}}}</ref> The seats are spread across a ]-level orchestra and a balcony level.<ref name="Dunlap a429" /><ref name="NPS p. 9" /> On both levels, seats face the stage to the west. The balcony is on the auditorium's eastern end and is divided into rear (upper) and front (lower) sections.<ref name="NPS p. 9" /> The lower balcony's south and north walls include hallways to the lobby mezzanine, while the upper balcony is accessed via the balcony foyer.<ref name="NPS pp. 9–10" /> There are two projection booths behind the orchestra-level seats, next to the foyer, which were built in the 1970s when the orchestra level was divided into two screening rooms.<ref name="NPS p. 9" /> Behind the balcony was a room for members of the press.<ref name="NPS p. 115">{{harvnb|National Park Service|2022|ps=.|page=11}}</ref> Battisti Studios was responsible for much of the interior design.<ref name="NPS p. 9" />


===== Design features =====
The theatre remained closed from 1986 through to 1996 while the preservation efforts occurred. During that time, the building suffered some vandalism and some objects of value were removed. Also, due to the lack of maintenance, heating, humidity control, water and electrical services during that period, mechanical systems, paint surfaces and other vulnerable finishes deteriorated.
There are plaster decorations covered with gold leaf. The auditorium is decorated with murals, ] patterns, medallions, gold panels, painted niches, and plaster medallions.<ref name="NPS p. 9" /> The decorations themselves were designed to distribute sound across the auditorium, and a custom chemical mixture was applied to the walls and ceiling to ensure that sound was distributed evenly throughout the theater.<ref name="n161263573">{{Cite news |date=September 12, 1969 |title=Loew's Jersey City to Mark 40th Year this Month |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-loews-jersey-city-to/161263573/ |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=4}}</ref> At the balcony level, the north and south walls each have three large arches, which each contain red-velvet draperies with gold fringes, in addition to canopies with walnut and gold-colored decorations. Behind these draperies are multicolored lights. In addition, there is a gold-colored balustrade with plaster decorations at the front of the lower balcony.<ref name="NPS p. 9" /> The ceiling was painted blue, with ivory and gold leaf decoration.<ref name="n161325354" /> The auditorium was illuminated by a ten-tiered chandelier with bronze and crystals.<ref name="n161263573" /><ref name="NPS pp. 32–33">{{harvnb|National Park Service|2022|ps=.|pages=32–33}}</ref> The lights within the chandelier could change color to accompany the ]s that were being screened.<ref name="n161333897" />


On the auditorium's western wall is a ] arch. This arch is decorated with panels made of veined marble, in addition to various cartouches. On either side of the proscenium arch is an ], which is flanked by four elaborate columns that are topped by a cornice and a domed canopy. Velvet draperies are hung from the organ lofts' cornices.<ref name="NPS p. 9" /> The current movie screen, within the proscenium arch, measures {{Convert|25|by|50|ft}} across<ref name="Stapinski y878" /><ref name="n161438257">{{Cite news |last=Torres |first=Agustin C. |date=April 5, 2002 |title=Back to the big screen |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-back-to-the-big-scree/161438257/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=C1, }}</ref> and was installed in 2002.<ref name="n161439559">{{Cite news |last=Petrick |first=John |date=February 1, 2002 |title=A Palace Reborn |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-a-palace-rebornjohn/161439559/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=C1, }}</ref> The stage is variously cited as measuring {{convert|33|by|72|ft}},<ref name="n161333897" /> or {{convert|35|by|75|ft}}, across.<ref name="n161340799">{{Cite news |date=August 17, 1992 |title=Jersey City hopes to restore theater |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/gloucester-county-times-jersey-city-hope/161340799/ |access-date=December 22, 2024 |work=Gloucester County Times |pages=4}}</ref> The ] in front of the stage could fit 45 musicians.<ref name="n161333897" /> There is a ] about {{Convert|80|ft}} above the stage,<ref name="n161337635" /> in addition to multiple lifts beneath the stage and orchestra pit.<ref name="n161263573" /><ref name="NPS p. 9" /> In the orchestra pit, there are separate lifts for the piano, organ, and orchestra;<ref name="n161263573" /> the lift below the organ is capable of revolving.<ref name="n161263573" />
== Restoration ==


Backstage, sets for up to ten live acts could be prepared in advance.<ref name="n161263573" /> The basement was originally divided into rehearsal and storage space, in addition to 50 ]s.<ref name="n161337635">{{Cite news |last=Zeaman |first=John |date=August 9, 1992 |title=Jersey City acts to save motion-picture palace |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-jersey-city-acts-to-save-moti/161337635/ |access-date=December 22, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=E1, |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227153549/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-jersey-city-acts-to-save-moti/161337635/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="n161430524">{{Cite news |last=Torres |first=Agustin C. |date=October 19, 1998 |title=Bids sought for sidewalk repair at Loew's |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-bids-sought-for-sidew/161430524/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=4}}</ref> The former dressing rooms are placed along the basement's perimeter,<ref name="NPS p. 112">{{harvnb|National Park Service|2022|ps=.|page=11}}</ref> measuring about {{convert|12|ft}} wide and about {{convert|12|to|20|ft}} long.<ref name="n161430524" /> The center of the basement had a ] (located directly under the stage) and property rooms.<ref name="NPS p. 113">{{harvnb|National Park Service|2022|ps=.|page=11}}</ref> There was a corridor where performers could enter the orchestra lift; as a safety measure, the orchestra lift could not move if any of the doors in that corridor were open.<ref name="Goldstein t279">{{cite web |last=Goldstein |first=Rich |date=October 2, 2014 |title=How to Save Silent Movies |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-to-save-silent-movies-inside-new-jerseys-cinema-paradiso/ |access-date=December 24, 2024 |website=The Daily Beast}}</ref> Underneath the seating areas was a ], which was part of the ventilation system. The basement's eastern end was originally divided into ushers' rooms.<ref name="NPS p. 114">{{harvnb|National Park Service|2022|ps=.|page=11}}</ref>
Volunteers began restoration of the theatre once it had been acquired by the city of Jersey City. The volunteers removed the partitions that divided the auditorium into three theatres and restored mechanical systems. They also rehabilitated and installed projection equipment, allowing the theatre to once again present films. Other efforts restored the on stage systems, repairing the original lighting system, fly system and dressing rooms. Volunteers also restored the seating of the auditorium.


===== Organ =====
The 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.
Like the other Wonder Theatres, the Loew's Jersey Theatre has a "Wonder Morton" ] manufactured by the ]. The organ features a ] with 4 ] and 23 ranks of pipes.<ref name="NYCAGO x545">{{cite web |date=September 7, 1929 |title=Loew's Paradise Theatre |url=https://www.nycago.org/Organs/Brx/html/LoewsParadiseTheatre.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240414210305/https://nycago.org/Organs/Brx/html/LoewsParadiseTheatre.html |archive-date=April 14, 2024 |access-date=December 1, 2024 |publisher=The New York City Chapter of the American Guild of Organists}}</ref><ref name="GSTOS k825">{{cite web |title=Balfour Memorial Wonder Morton – Quick Facts – Garden State Theatre Organ Society |url=https://gstos.org/balfour-memorial-wonder-morton-quick-facts/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=Garden State Theatre Organ Society}}</ref> The Jersey's original organ was removed from the theater in 1949.<ref name="NYCAGO x545" /><ref name="Cinema Treasures l069">{{cite web |date=September 7, 1929 |title=Loew's Paradise Theatre in Bronx, NY |url=https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/900 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241203201958/https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/900 |archive-date=December 3, 2024 |access-date=December 1, 2024 |website=Cinema Treasures}}</ref> It was moved to the ] in ], in 1986, and the organ was rededicated there in 1988.<ref>{{cite web |last=Redmon |first=Michael |date=August 22, 2012 |title=Arlington Theatre Organ |url=https://www.independent.com/2012/08/22/arlington-theatre-organ/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |website=The Santa Barbara Independent |archive-date=December 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241223173916/https://www.independent.com/2012/08/22/arlington-theatre-organ/ |url-status=live }}</ref>


The current organ console, which had always been intended for installation at the Jersey, was initially installed in the Paradise Theatre by accident.<ref name="p4265627812">{{Cite news |last=Beckerman |first=Jim |date=September 21, 2008 |title=Restored organ sparks memories in Jersey City |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-grant-to-restore-loew/161453758/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Record |page=F.10 |id={{ProQuest|426562781}}}}</ref> After being removed from the Paradise Theatre, the organ was sold several times before it ended up in ].<ref name="n161423599">{{Cite news |last=Gordon |first=William |date=August 7, 1997 |title=Organ transplant |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-organ-transplantwilliam/161423599/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Star-Ledger |pages=65, }}</ref> The organ was moved in 1997 to the Jersey Theatre,<ref name="NYCAGO x545" /><ref name="Pristin 1997">{{cite web |last=Pristin |first=Terry |date=July 26, 1997 |title=Theater Organ Returning |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/07/26/nyregion/theater-organ-returning.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229094820/http://www.nytimes.com/1997/07/26/nyregion/theater-organ-returning.html |archive-date=December 29, 2017 |access-date=December 2, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 }}</ref> where it was rededicated in 2007.<ref name="p4265627812" /><ref name="Schulz q641">{{cite web |last=Schulz |first=Dana |date=January 8, 2018 |title=Behind the scenes at the Loew's Jersey City: How a 1929 Wonder Theatre was brought back to life |url=https://www.6sqft.com/behind-the-scenes-at-the-loews-jersey-city-how-a-1929-wonder-theatre-was-brought-back-to-life/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241208231850/https://www.6sqft.com/behind-the-scenes-at-the-loews-jersey-city-how-a-1929-wonder-theatre-was-brought-back-to-life/ |archive-date=December 8, 2024 |access-date=December 2, 2024 |website=6sqft}}</ref> The current organ is formally known as the Bob Balfour Memorial Wonder Morton<ref>{{cite web |title=The Bob Balfour Memorial Wonder Morton Theatre Pipe Organ |url=http://gstos.org/organs/the-bob-balfour-memorial-wonder-morton-theatre-pipe-organ/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107062313/http://gstos.org/organs/the-bob-balfour-memorial-wonder-morton-theatre-pipe-organ/ |archive-date=November 7, 2017 |access-date=November 6, 2017 |website=Garden State Theatre Organ Society}}</ref> and is the only Wonder Morton still being used at a Wonder Theatre.<ref name="Adams20152">{{cite web |last=Adams |first=Nathaniel |date=January 16, 2015 |title=Across the New York Area, Restoring 'Wonder Theater' Movie Palaces to Glory |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/18/nyregion/across-the-new-york-area-restoring-wonder-theater-movie-palaces-to-glory.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231126083319/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/18/nyregion/across-the-new-york-area-restoring-wonder-theater-movie-palaces-to-glory.html |archive-date=November 26, 2023 |access-date=November 15, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 }}</ref><ref name="Schulz q641" /> It is variously cited as having 1,678<ref name="n161422942">{{Cite news |date=July 28, 1997 |title=Organ-izing a move |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-organ-izing-a-move/161422942/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=37 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227153240/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-organ-izing-a-move/161422942/ |url-status=live }}</ref> or 1,799 pipes.<ref name="p4265627812" /><ref name="n161452590">{{Cite news |last=Theodore |first=Jeff |date=October 3, 2008 |title=No longer a pipe dream, Wonder Morton returns to Loew's Jersey |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-no-longer-a-pipe-drea/161452590/ |access-date=December 24, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=42}}</ref> Like the original organ, it has 4 manuals and 23 ranks of pipes and can play sound effects such as thunder and car horns.<ref name="n161423599" /><ref name="n161452590" /> The pipes are located in the organ lofts and each measure between {{convert|5|in|ft m}} and {{convert|16|ft|m}} tall.<ref name="n161452590" /> Pressurized air flows into the pipes from ducts measuring {{convert|18|in}} wide and over {{convert|50|ft}} long. To operate the organ, the operator presses one of several foot pedals at the organ console, which control the amount of air flowing through each air pipe.<ref name="Goldstein t279"/>
== Projection System ==


==Use as movie palace<span class="anchor" id="History"></span>==
Currently, the Loew's Jersey is equipped to present 35mm films in their original ], ], ] and ] ] with adjustable masking on its 50' wide screen. Films are projected using Ashcraft Super Core-Lite ] lamphouses and modified Norelco (Kinoton) FP-20 projectors.
] became common in the 1920s between the end of World War I and the beginning of the Great Depression.<ref name="NYCL (2016) pp. 5–6">{{harvnb|Landmarks Preservation Commission|2016|ps=.|pages=5–6}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Hall |first=Ben M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tWIMAQAAIAAJ |title=The Best Remaining Seats: The Story of the Golden Age of the Movie Palace |publisher=C. N. Potter |year=1975 |isbn=978-0-517-02057-9 |page=12 |access-date=December 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211214154802/https://books.google.com/books?id=tWIMAQAAIAAJ |archive-date=December 14, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> In the New York City area, only a small number of operators were involved in the construction of movie palaces. Relatively few architects were responsible for these theaters' designs, including ] theater architects ], ], and ].<ref name="NYCL (2016) pp. 5–6" /> By the late 1920s, numerous movie palaces were being developed in outlying neighborhoods in New York City; previously, the city's movie palaces had been concentrated in ].<ref name="Stern 1987">{{Cite New York 1930|page=262}}</ref> The five Wonder Theatres were developed by ] Inc., which at the time was competing with ].<ref name="NPS (2012) p. 16">{{harvnb|ps=.|National Park Service|2012|page=16}}</ref> In 1927, Loew's president ] agreed to take over five sites from Paramount-Publix, in exchange for agreeing not to build competing theaters in Chicago; these five sites became the Wonder Theatres.<ref name="NPS (2012) p. 16" /><ref>{{cite report |url=http://s-media.nyc.gov/agencies/lpc/lp/2036.pdf |title=Loew's Valencia Theater |date=May 25, 1999 |publisher=] |page=5 |archive-date=September 24, 2024 |access-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240924020820/http://s-media.nyc.gov/agencies/lpc/lp/2036.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>


=== Development and opening ===
== Volunteers ==
]'s ].]]
In 1922, the ] sold a tract of vacant land next to the ]'s (H&M) Summit Avenue station (now the ]'s ]), known as the bowl, for $218,000.<ref name="NYT 1923 v5012">{{cite web |date=January 7, 1923 |title=Jersey City Tract Jumps 1,000 Per Cent; Site Near Proposed Plaza, Bought Ten Months Ago for $218,000, Is Sold for $2,460,000. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1923/01/07/archives/jersey-city-tract-jumps-1000-per-cent-site-near-proposed-plaza.html |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |postscript=none |archive-date=December 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213133118/https://www.nytimes.com/1923/01/07/archives/jersey-city-tract-jumps-1000-per-cent-site-near-proposed-plaza.html |url-status=live }}; {{Cite news |date=January 6, 1923 |title=Millions Are Paid for 'Bowl' Property |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/jersey-observer-and-jersey-journal-milli/160804456/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |work=Jersey Observer and Jersey Journal |pages=1 }}</ref> New York City businessman ] was recorded as the owner of the bowl.<ref name="n160804863">{{Cite news |date=September 14, 1922 |title=Tube Bowl Property Deeds Are Recorded |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/jersey-observer-and-jersey-journal-tube/160804863/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |work=Jersey Observer and Jersey Journal |pages=1 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227153900/https://www.newspapers.com/article/jersey-observer-and-jersey-journal-tube/160804863/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The Bergen Square Realty Company, also operated by Kerbaugh,<ref name="n160804608">{{Cite news |date=January 8, 1923 |title=Bowl Land Transferred to Corporation of Which Kerbaugh Is President |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/jersey-observer-and-jersey-journal-bowl/160804608/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |work=Jersey Observer and Jersey Journal |pages=1, }}</ref> acquired the land in January 1923 for $2.46 million.<ref name="NYT 1923 v5012" /> Kerbaugh announced plans in 1925 for a garage and showroom on the bowl site.<ref name="p1112923356">{{cite news |date=June 7, 1925 |title=Big Garage and Show Room Planned for Jersey: Structure Will Be Erected in 'Bowl' at Journal Square; Will Be Largest in Section |work=The New York Herald, New York Tribune |page=B12 |issn=1941-0646 |id={{ProQuest|1112923356}} |postscript=none}}; {{cite web |date=June 5, 1925 |title=Developers Buy Aviation Field; Meister Builders to Improve Former Army Training School Tract Near Babylon |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1925/06/05/archives/developers-buy-aviation-field-meister-builders-to-improve-former.html |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=December 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213112728/https://www.nytimes.com/1925/06/05/archives/developers-buy-aviation-field-meister-builders-to-improve-former.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The bowl plan evolved into a $3 million project for a theater and 16-story office building.<ref name="p1031817125" /><ref name="p1131231399">{{cite news |date=June 5, 1927 |title=Little Rut-Holed Lane Holds Back Building Projects: Failure of Jersey City to Improve Path Near "Bowl" Results in Postponing $3,000,000 Development |work=New York Herald Tribune |page=C2 |issn=1941-0646 |id={{ProQuest|1131231399}}}}</ref> The project was contingent on the Jersey City government's approval of a roadway connecting Journal Square with Pavonia Avenue to the north.<ref name="p1031817125">{{cite magazine |date=October 9, 1926 |title=New Theater Plans and Activities |magazine=The Billboard |pages=58–59 |volume=38 |issue=41 |id={{ProQuest|1031817125}}}}</ref> However, this roadway was not approved, and the project languished.<ref name="p1131231399" />


By 1927, Loew's was planning a theater near the Journal Square bowl, one of several development projects in the neighborhood.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 15, 1927 |title=Hague Tells of Good Done by New Tube |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/bayonne-evening-news-hague-tells-of-good/160839463/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |work=Bayonne Evening News |pages=2}}</ref><ref name="NYT 1928 o001">{{cite news |id={{ProQuest|1113645224}} |title=Journal Square Has Become Big Business Center: Development of Jersey City Since Opening of Holland Tunnel Has Been Rapid Site for Proposed Armory Military Board Favors Montgomery Street Location |date=October 7, 1928 |page=D2 |work=New York Herald Tribune |issn=1941-0646 |postscript=none}}; {{cite web |date=October 7, 1928 |title=Trade Expansion in Jersey City; Journal Square Is Becoming a Great Business and Traffic Centre |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1928/10/07/archives/trade-expansion-in-jersey-city-journal-square-is-becoming-a-great.html |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The site was chosen because it was easily visible from Journal Square and was close to the H&M station there.<ref name="n161381110" /> The theater, which had originally been intended to be constructed in ], New York,<ref name="n161381110">{{Cite news |last=Gordon |first=William |date=September 21, 1996 |title=Glory days |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-glory-dayswilliam-go/161381110/ |access-date=December 22, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=A1, |agency=Newhouse News Service}}</ref> was planned in conjunction with a 17-story hotel in Journal Square, developed by ].<ref name="NYT 1928 o001" /><ref name="n160839946">{{Cite news |last=Kennedy |first=Robert J. |date=April 4, 1928 |title=Bowman Management, Inc. |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/national-hotel-reporter-bowman-managemen/160839946/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |work=National Hotel Reporter |pages=1 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227154017/https://www.newspapers.com/article/national-hotel-reporter-bowman-managemen/160839946/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In mid-1927, Loew's received permission to remove part of the adjoining Plaza Bridge's balustrade to make way for the theater, provided that plans for the theater were finished in six months. However, Rapp and Rapp were unable to finish their plans on time.<ref name="n160183025">{{Cite news |date=January 27, 1928 |title=Driscoll Is Appointed as Storekeeper |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/bayonne-evening-news-driscoll-is-appoint/160183025/ |access-date=December 12, 2024 |work=Bayonne Evening News |pages=1}}</ref> Due to the growing popularity of ]s, the theater was redesigned partway through the development process to accommodate these types of movies.<ref name="p1476049914">{{Cite magazine |date=October 27, 1969 |title=Loew's Jersey City Marks Its 40th Anniversary |magazine=Boxoffice |page=E3 |volume=96 |issue=2 |id={{ProQuest|1476049914}}}}</ref><ref name="n160858062">{{Cite news |date=September 28, 1929 |title=Loew's Theatre Presents First Program Today |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bayonne-times-loews-theatre-present/160858062/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |work=The Bayonne Times |pages=1, }}</ref> The modifications included acoustic improvements to distribute sound evenly through the auditorium.<ref name="n160856999">{{Cite news |date=September 20, 1929 |title=New Loew Theater Built for Talkies |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/bayonne-evening-news-new-loew-theater-bu/160856999/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |work=Bayonne Evening News |pages=11}}</ref> J. J. Schneberger obtained a construction permit for a 4,000-seat Loew's theater in early 1928.<ref name="p1031854358">{{cite magazine |date=February 4, 1928 |title=New Theater Plans and Activities |magazine=The Billboard |page=47 |volume=40 |issue=5 |id={{ProQuest|1031854358}}}}</ref> That July, Loew's awarded a $3 million construction contract for a new theater to the Masem Construction Company.<ref>For the contract, refer to {{Cite news |last=Shapiro |first=Ellis |date=July 28, 1928 |title=The Key-Hole |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/bayonne-evening-news-the-key-holeellis/160800422/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |work=Bayonne Evening News |pages=4 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227153632/https://www.newspapers.com/article/bayonne-evening-news-the-key-holeellis/160800422/ |url-status=live }} For the contractor's name, refer to {{Cite news |date=July 24, 1928 |title=Loew Company to Build Soon at Journal Sq. |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bayonne-times-loew-company-to-build/160840045/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |work=The Bayonne Times |pages=1 }}</ref> The theater was nearly complete by April 1929.<ref name="NYT 1929 i273">{{cite web |date=April 21, 1929 |title=Great Terminal Facilities Planned Along Jersey City Water Front; Huge Warehouse Costing $13,000,000 Under Construction by the Lackawanna Railroad—Journal Square Improvements Marked by New $1,000,000 Station. $13,000,000, Warehouse Journal Square Growth. Building Activity. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1929/04/21/archives/great-terminal-facilities-planned-along-jersey-city-water-front.html |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=December 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241214000056/https://www.nytimes.com/1929/04/21/archives/great-terminal-facilities-planned-along-jersey-city-water-front.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
Volunteers continue to be the primary force in the restoration of the Loew's Jersey. Volunteers come from throughout the New York Metropolitan Area and Northern New Jersey. Some volunteers bring experience from the film or theatrical industries but the vast majority of volunteers are individuals without prior experience in restoring or operating a performance venue. Their efforts, in performing duties such as painting, cleaning, preparing and selling concessions or serving as house staff for events allows the theatre to operate successfully.


Despite an ongoing advertiser boycott of ], Loew's ran large numbers of advertisements in that newspaper prior to the theater's opening.<ref name="p1031928542">{{cite magazine |date=October 19, 1929 |title=Jersey City Theaters Resume Newspaper Ads |magazine=The Billboard |page=3 |volume=41 |issue=42 |id={{ProQuest|1031928542}}}}</ref> When the theater opened on September 28, 1929,<ref name="p1476049914" /><ref name="n160858062" /><ref name="p1112002242">{{cite news |date=September 29, 1929 |title=The Infinite Variety |work=New York Herald Tribune |page=G9 |issn=1941-0646 |id={{ProQuest|1112002242}}}}</ref> its first film was '']''.<ref name="n160855123" /><ref name="NPS p. 32" /> The Jersey Theatre was the third Wonder Theatre to open that month, after the Paradise and Kings theaters, which had opened on September 7.<ref name="n160000743">{{Cite news |date=August 14, 1929 |title=Loew's Plans Costly House for Astoria |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-union-loews-plans-costly-house-fo/160000743/ |access-date=November 30, 2024 |work=Times Union |pages=16 |archive-date=December 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241201142315/https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-union-loews-plans-costly-house-fo/160000743/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=August 30, 1929 |title=Loew's Promise Many Excellent Pictures for Rochester Season |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-loews-promise-ma/160000916/ |access-date=November 30, 2024 |work=Democrat and Chronicle |pages=15 |postscript=none |archive-date=December 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241202130051/https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-loews-promise-ma/160000916/ |url-status=live }}; {{Cite news |date=September 6, 1929 |title=Three Openings in Month |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-times-three-openings/160000982/ |access-date=November 30, 2024 |work=The Brooklyn Daily Times |pages=45 |archive-date=December 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241201190507/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-times-three-openings/160000982/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The Loew's Jersey had cost $2 million<ref name="p1031929373" /><ref name="Berwick o4132">{{cite web |last=Berwick |first=Carly |date=July 18, 2004 |title=Long-Running Drama At the Loew's Jersey |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/18/nyregion/long-running-drama-at-the-loew-s-jersey.html |access-date=December 23, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=May 28, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528043006/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/18/nyregion/long-running-drama-at-the-loew-s-jersey.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and was the first movie theater in New Jersey to be developed specifically for sound films.<ref name="n161263573" /><ref name="n160858062" /><ref name="n160856999" /> The theater's opening featured performances from local musicians,<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 18, 1929 |title=Ben Black Bright Light at New House |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/bayonne-evening-news-ben-black-bright-li/160852738/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |work=Bayonne Evening News |pages=2}}</ref> directed by ];<ref name="n160857073">{{Cite news |date=September 27, 1929 |title=Loew's Opens New Theatre Tomorrow |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/bayonne-evening-news-loews-opens-new-th/160857073/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |work=Bayonne Evening News |pages=12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=September 27, 1929 |title=Don Albert Will Be Guest Conductor |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-don-albert-will-be-guest-cond/160856532/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=29}}</ref> in addition, the actor ] greeted visitors at the opening.<ref name="n160857361">{{Cite news |date=September 26, 1929 |title=George K. Arthur in Person at Loew's Opening |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-george-k-arthur-in-person-at/160857361/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=29 |postscript=none}}; {{Cite news |date=September 25, 1929 |title=George K. Arthur Appears at Loew's |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/bayonne-evening-news-george-k-arthur-ap/160855524/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |work=Bayonne Evening News |pages=3}}</ref> Ben Black was the original master of ceremonies, Leo Weber was its original organist, and George Dumond was its first managing director.<ref name="n160855123" /><ref name="n160857073" />
The theatre holds an "open door" volunteer work call most Saturdays from 10am to 6pm year round. Volunteers and individuals interested in volunteering are welcome to drop in and participate. The schedule does change due to performances, holidays and other events, so individuals are invited to contact the theatre to confirm work dates.


== Current Programming == === Operation ===
When it opened, the Loew's Jersey City presented ] of films produced by ] and ], along with ]s, ]s, and stage shows that had already been performed at the ] in Manhattan.<ref name="n160855123" /><ref name="p1031929373" /> First-run films were screened at the Jersey City Theatre before they appeared in any other movie theater in the state.<ref name="p425417835">{{Cite news |last=Beckerman |first=Jim |date=March 24, 2002 |title=Restored Theater's Inaugural Screening |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-restored-theaters-inaugural/161450132/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Record |page=E02 |id={{ProQuest|425417835}}}}</ref> Stage shows from the Capitol Theatre were successively sent to the Loew's Paradise, Kings, Valencia, and Jersey City theaters.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=June 26, 1929 |title=Pictures: Capitol's Stage Shows Touring Five Loew's |magazine=Variety |pages=14 |volume=95 |issue=11 |id={{ProQuest|1475730531}}}}</ref> In its early years, the Jersey City Theater hosted first runs of films, interspersed with dance revues, vaudeville, graduation ceremonies, and contests.<ref name="NPS p. 34" /> Patrons originally paid 25 cents for front-row seats and 20 cents for all other seats, and a new show was hosted every week.<ref name="n161333897" /> The theater screened a wide variety of films throughout its history, ranging from the 1939 film ] to the 1986 film ].<ref name="n161317751">{{Cite news |last=Greene |first=Leonard |date=August 22, 1986 |title=Monument to a bygone era |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-monument-to-a-bygone/161317751/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=11}}</ref> The Loew's Jersey City was a frequent hangout for North Jersey couples.<ref name="n161438539">{{Cite news |last=Monahan |first=Melissa |date=April 4, 2002 |title=Loew's Jersey brought back from irrelevance |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/clifton-journal-loews-jersey-brought-ba/161438539/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=Clifton Journal |page=A9}}</ref>


==== 1920s to 1940s ====
As of 2007, the Loew's Jersey presents a wide range of programming. This includes film weekends, generally one weekend per month from September through June, where approximately three classic films gathered around a common theme are presented. Often, speakers or performers from the films are presented before the movie. The Loew's Jersey does not show films in current release.
]
The orchestras at the Jersey City Theatre and Loew's other theaters began performing at alternating Loew's theaters in late 1929.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=November 30, 1929 |title=Loew Introduces New Touring Unit Shows |magazine=The Billboard |page=20 |volume=41 |issue=47 |id={{ProQuest|1031933898}}}}</ref> Loew's also hosted competitions on the Jersey City Theatre's stage,<ref name="n160853117">{{Cite news |date=December 31, 1929 |title=... 'Queen' Big Feature of Loew's Festival Month |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-queen-big-featu/160853117/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=4}}</ref> and the theater broadcast weekly music performances over the radio.<ref name="n160858226a">{{Cite news |date=December 4, 1929 |title=Loew's Jersey City Theatre Sponsors Weekly Radio Treat |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/bayonne-evening-news-loews-jersey-city/160858226/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |work=Bayonne Evening News |pages=5 |postscript=none}}; {{Cite news |date=December 4, 1929 |title=Loew's Jersey City to Sponsor Radio Program |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-bergen-eve-record-12429-loe/150431380/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=15}}</ref> In 1930, Loew's installed a Trans-tone wide screen at the Jersey City Theatre.<ref name="p1031930018">{{cite magazine |date=January 18, 1930 |title=Fox, Loew, Publix, RKO Swinging to Wide Films |magazine=The Billboard |page=3 |volume=42 |issue=3 |id={{ProQuest|1031930018}}}}</ref> Jersey City mayor ] arranged a major celebration for the theater's first anniversary,<ref name="n161333897" /><ref name="n161283297">{{Cite news |last=Taplin |first=R. Clinton |date=June 22, 1986 |title=Final curtain set to fall at Jersey City showcase |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-final-curtain-set-to-fall-at/161283297/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=30 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227155359/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-final-curtain-set-to-fall-at/161283297/ |url-status=live }}</ref> which was celebrated by the cutting of a massive cake.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 14, 1930 |title=Huge Cake Fetes Loew's First Birthday |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bayonne-times-huge-cake-fetes-loews/161263162/ |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=The Bayonne Times |pages=13}}</ref><ref name="NPS p. 34">{{harvnb|National Park Service|2022|ps=.|page=34}}</ref> ''The Bayonne Times'' reported that the theater was often filled to capacity.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 9, 1930 |title=Loew's to Mark 1st Anniversary |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bayonne-times-loews-to-mark-1st-ann/161262091/ |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=The Bayonne Times |pages=7}}</ref> The theater's stage shows were rescheduled in 1931 so that they opened on Fridays, rather than on Saturdays as they previously had.<ref name="p1031981071">{{cite magazine |date=September 26, 1931 |title=Vaudeville: Loew "Flesh" Outlook Dim |magazine=The Billboard |page=8 |volume=43 |issue=39 |id={{ProQuest|1031981071}}}}</ref> By then, the Jersey City Theatre was one of the few Loew's theaters that still hosted vaudeville.<ref name="p1031945264">{{cite magazine |date=April 5, 1930 |title=Vaudeville: Loew Goes For Vaude |magazine=The Billboard |page=8 |volume=42 |issue=14 |id={{ProQuest|1031945264}}}}</ref> A concession stand was also added to the theater in approximately the early 1930s.<ref name="NPS p. 35">{{harvnb|National Park Service|2022|ps=.|page=35}}</ref> The theater recorded more than a million annual patrons in the 1930s,<ref name="n161283297" /> maintaining its popularity despite the onset of the Great Depression.<ref name="n161432172">{{Cite news |date=October 21, 1999 |title=Loew's lobby proves a great place to wed |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-loews-lobby-proves-a/161432172/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=57 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227160642/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-loews-lobby-proves-a/161432172/ |url-status=live }}</ref>


Loew's began hosting five-act vaudeville shows at the Jersey in 1932.<ref name="p1529131918">{{cite magazine |date=June 21, 1932 |title=Vaudeville: Loews Plays 5-Act $4,500 Salaried Vaude Bills at 3 Met Theatres |magazine=Variety |pages=30 |volume=107 |issue=2 |id={{ProQuest|1529131918}}}}</ref><!--Loew's reduced admission prices in 1932.<ref>{{Cite news|date=November 5, 1932|title=Loew's Reduces Prices|via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-loews-reduces-prices/161263404/|access-date=December 20, 2024|work=The Record|pages=2}}</ref>--> The 1933 season, which included performances by ], ], ], and ], was typical of the theater's offerings.<ref name="n161317751" /><ref name="NPS p. 34" /> According to some accounts, ] decided to become a singer after seeing one of Crosby's shows at the Loew's Jersey City.<ref name="p425438882">{{Cite news |last=Cichowski |first=John |date=April 2, 2002 |title=Lou's on First ; Restored Abbott & Costello Classic Returns to N.J. |work=The Record |page=L01 |id={{ProQuest|425438882}}}}</ref><ref name=p874261770>{{Cite magazine |title=Collector's Corner |last=McKittrick |first=Rosemary |magazine=Antiques & Collecting Magazine |volume=116 |issue=1 |date=Mar 2011 |pages=56–57 |id={{ProQuest|874261770}} }}</ref>{{Efn|Sources disagree on whether Sinatra visited the theater in 1933<ref name="NPS p. 34" /><ref name="p425438882"/> or 1935.<ref name=p874261770/><ref name=n161484542/>}} The theater hosted an even more elaborate stage show, featuring the actors ] and ], to celebrate its fifth anniversary in 1934.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 2, 1934 |title=George Jessel on Loew Stage |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-george-jessel-on-loew-stage/161268053/ |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=17}}</ref> Loew's decided to stop hosting live shows at the Jersey City Theatre in August 1935, switching to an all-film program.<ref name="p1032071622">{{cite magazine |date=August 10, 1935 |title=Vaudeville: Loew Vaude Cuts Pend |magazine=The Billboard |pages=13 |volume=47 |issue=32 |id={{ProQuest|1032071622}}}}</ref><ref name="p1653406169a">{{cite magazine |last=Allen |first=Kelcey |date=August 15, 1935 |title=Amusements: New All-Film Policy In Several Loew Theatres |magazine=Women's Wear Daily |pages=13 |volume=51 |issue=33 |id={{ProQuest|1653406169}} |postscript=none}}; {{Cite news |date=August 17, 1935 |title=Loew's Jersey City Drops Stage Show August 23 for Film Policy |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-loews-jersey-city-drops-stag/161266744/ |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=8}}</ref> At the time, the company was eliminating vaudeville shows from most of its theaters.<ref name="p1032071622" /> The screening of '']'' the same month marked the first time that a film had been screened at the Jersey City Theatre for more than a week.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 28, 1935 |title='China Seas' Is Held at Loew's a Second Week |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-china-seas-is-held-at-loew/161268180/ |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=20 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227160352/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-china-seas-is-held-at-loew/161268180/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Film screenings at the theater continued to attract large crowds into the late 1930s.<ref name="NPS p. 34" />
Other events currently presented at the Loew's Jersey include performances of ] operas, Jersey City sponsored events, touring productions (such as Nicklodeon's Jamorama, a live show for children) and live performances by musicians and bands such as ] and ].


The Jersey City Theatre sold ]s for the United States military during World War II,<ref name="NPS p. 35" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Martinez |first=Gilbert D. |date=May 20, 1994 |title=Hudson at War |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-hudson-at-wargilbert/161380598/ |access-date=December 22, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=E6, }}</ref> and there may briefly have been live shows during the war as well.<ref name="n161386644" /> The theater hosted symphony concerts each Sunday through 1945,<ref name="NPS p. 34" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=December 3, 1945 |title=G. Dumond Quits Post at Loew's: Kolpeck to Take Over Management |work=Jersey Journal |page=15}}</ref> and it also hosted an annual beauty contest.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 2, 1945 |title=Loew's Will Stage Its Beauty Contest |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-berg-eve-rec-8245-10th-annu/158182066/ |access-date=December 20, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=23 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227154634/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-berg-eve-rec-8245-10th-annu/158182066/ |url-status=live }}</ref> After Dumond retired as the theater's manager in 1945, James Kolbeck{{efn|Though contemporary sources spell the manager's name as "Kolbeck",<ref name="p1285869286"/><ref>{{Cite news|date=March 3, 1952|title='Quo Vadis' Comes Here on March 21|via=newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-quo-vadis-comes-her/161274463/|access-date=December 20, 2024|work=The Jersey Journal|pages=12|archive-date=December 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227161613/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-quo-vadis-comes-her/161274463/|url-status=live}}</ref> it has also been spelled "Kolpeck".<ref name="NPS p. 35"/>}} took over.<ref name="NPS p. 35" /><ref name="p1285869286">{{cite magazine |date=December 12, 1945 |title=Harry Greenman Becomes N.Y. Cap M'ging Director; Briefs From Keys |magazine=Variety |pages=27 |volume=161 |issue=1 |id={{ProQuest|1285869286}}}}</ref> Under Kolbeck's leadership, the theater was renovated. For instance, the orchestra pit and the original organ were covered in 1949, as the theater no longer hosted live shows at that point.<ref name="NPS p. 35" /> In addition, a "Glascreen" movie screen was installed the same year.<ref name="NPS p. 35" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=September 21, 1949 |title=Hail Loew's Glascreen |work=Jersey Journal |page=18}}</ref> A new marquee was added in 1949,<ref name="NPS p. 6" /><ref name="West 2024" /> and a new air-conditioning system was added as well.<ref name="NPS p. 35" /> One of the theater's later managers recalled that the air-conditioning system had helped increase attendance during the summertime.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 17, 1965 |title=Good Movies, Coolers Spur Attendance |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-good-movies-coolers/161277757/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=30}}</ref>
Additionally, 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 ] and was featured in a 2007 ] commercial featuring their ] character. The theatre has appeared in two ] specials and numerous magazines as a backdrop for brides and other fashions.


==== 1950s to early 1980s ====
The recorded one of their popular Christmas albums in the Loew's Jersey.
Following the ]'s 1948 ruling in '']'', Loew's Theaters was forced to split up its film-production and film-exhibition divisions.<ref>{{harvnb|Landmarks Preservation Commission|2016|ps=.|page=12}}</ref> As part of the split, William Analante took over as the theater's manager.<ref name="p962673302">{{cite magazine |date=October 6, 1954 |title=Loew's Theatre Operators Widely Reassigned |magazine=Variety |pages=15 |volume=196 |issue=5 |id={{ProQuest|962673302}}}}</ref> Additionally, a {{convert|1000|ft2|adj=on}} panoramic screen was installed at the theater in 1953, and lenses and projectors were added.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 27, 1953 |title=Wide-Vision Screen for Loew's Jersey |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-wide-vision-screen-fo/161275302/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=5}}</ref> Patronage declined by 50% in the decades after World War II.<ref name="n161283297" /> By the 1960s, Loew's Theaters Inc. had begun to struggle financially, and the chain closed some of its larger theaters due to high expenses.<ref>{{harvnb|Landmarks Preservation Commission|2016|ps=.|page=14}}</ref> In addition, urban residents had begun to move to the suburbs, and neighborhood movie houses had to compete with shopping-mall ] and household televisions.<ref name="NPS (2012) p. 18">{{harvnb|ps=.|National Park Service|2012|page=18}}</ref><ref name="Stapinski y878">{{cite web |last=Stapinski |first=Helene |date=November 14, 2008 |title=Shows, and Renovation, Go On at Jersey City Film Palace |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/16/nyregion/new-jersey/16loewsnj.html |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> As such, visitor numbers decreased in the 1960s,<ref name="Stapinski y878" /> although the Jersey Theatre avoided closing completely.<ref name="p1286212671">{{Cite magazine |last=Sun |first=Perry |date=July 1, 1998 |title=A Trip to the Past |magazine=Film Journal International |pages=36, 38 |volume=101 |issue=7 |id={{ProQuest|1286212671}}}}</ref>


Amid concerns over vandalism, in the mid-1960s, Loew's invited antiques dealers to remove the theater's art for safekeeping.<ref name="Toumarkine 1990">{{Cite magazine |last=Toumarkine |first=Doris |date=October 1, 1990 |title=The Never-ending Story of Loews Theatres |magazine=The Film Journal |page=38 |volume=93 |issue=9 |id={{ProQuest|1401456657}}}}</ref> The Loew's Jersey began hosting events such as a televised boxing match in 1964,<ref>{{cite magazine |date=November 9, 1964 |title=Loew's and RKO Theatres In New York Book Fight |magazine=Boxoffice |page=E-2 |volume=86 |issue=3 |id={{ProQuest|1673754191}} |postscript=none}}; {{cite web |last=Eskenazi |first=Gerald |date=February 25, 1964 |title=Theater-TV Tickets for Fight Expected to Make Good Showing |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/02/25/archives/theatertv-tickets-for-fight-expected-to-make-good-showing.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241112224809/https://www.nytimes.com/1964/02/25/archives/theatertv-tickets-for-fight-expected-to-make-good-showing.html |archive-date=November 12, 2024 |access-date=November 11, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> and it started screening multiple first-run films the same year as part of the Showcase program.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=February 17, 1964 |title=Fox Has 'Community Unit' Concept For 'Man in the Middle' Showcase |magazine=Boxoffice |page=E-4 |volume=84 |issue=17 |id={{ProQuest|1670973430}} |postscript=none}}; {{cite magazine |date=February 19, 1964 |title=Pictures: Showcase—One Big Community |magazine=Variety |pages=17 |issue=1 |id={{ProQuest|962650114}}}}</ref> During the same decade, the vertical sign on the theater's facade was removed, and the auditorium's sound equipment was upgraded.<ref name="NPS p. 35" /> The lobby was renovated in 1965 with new tiles, lighting, and carpeting.<ref name="p1673768747">{{Cite magazine |date=February 15, 1965 |title=New Jersey |magazine=Boxoffice |page=E-7 |volume=86 |issue=17 |id={{ProQuest|1673768747}}}}</ref> The theater hosted its last stage concert of the 20th century in 1968,<ref name="n161386644" /> and the theater celebrated its 40th anniversary the next year with a reenactment of the original dedication ceremonies.<ref name="p1476049914" /> Additionally, the Loew's Jersey began hosting Greek-language films once a week in 1970.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 12, 1970 |title=Greek Film Festival Tuesday at Lowe's |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-greek-film-festival-t/161279078/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=21}}</ref>
The Loew's Jersey is also a popular venue for fundraising and corporate events.


]
Numerous weddings have been held in the lobby of the Loew's Jersey.


The theater was split into three screening rooms in 1974.<ref name="p1286167214">{{cite magazine |date=November 27, 1974 |title=Pictures: Loews Expansion |magazine=Variety |pages=20 |volume=277 |issue=3 |id={{ProQuest|1286167214}} |postscript=none}}; {{Cite magazine |date=November 25, 1974 |title=Loews Enlarging Two Theatres in NY, NJ |magazine=Boxoffice |page=E4 |volume=106 |issue=7 |id={{ProQuest|1476160069}}}}</ref> The project, which was carried out by the Woodbay Construction Corporation of ],<ref name="p1476146823">{{Cite magazine |date=December 23, 1974 |title=Loews' Jersey City 1st Triplex in Area |magazine=Boxoffice |page=E1 |volume=106 |issue=11 |id={{ProQuest|1476146823}}}}</ref> required closing the theater for four months.<ref name="NPS p. 36">{{harvnb|National Park Service|2022|ps=.|page=36}}</ref> Two 524-seat screening rooms were created on the orchestra level, and the balcony was converted into a third, larger screening room with 1,078 seats.<ref name="NPS p. 36" /><ref name="p1476146728">{{Cite magazine |date=January 13, 1975 |title=North Jersey |magazine=Boxoffice |page=E3 |volume=106 |issue=14 |id={{ProQuest|1476146728}}}}</ref> Though many seats were removed,<ref name="n161317751" /> most of the decorations remained intact.<ref name="Stapinski y878" /><ref name="NPS p. 36" /> The original organ, which at the time was the only Wonder Theatre organ still in place,<ref>{{cite web |last=Johnston |first=Laurie |date=January 28, 1974 |title=Organ's Farewell to Brooklyn Stirs Ghostly Echoes |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/01/28/archives/organs-farewell-to-brooklyn-stirs-ghostly-echoes-ghostly-cymbals.html |access-date=December 21, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=November 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113031519/https://www.nytimes.com/1974/01/28/archives/organs-farewell-to-brooklyn-stirs-ghostly-echoes-ghostly-cymbals.html |url-status=live }}</ref> was removed as well. The stage was sealed off, and air vents were added to replace the original air vents.<ref name="NPS p. 36" /> When the theater reopened in December 1974,<ref name="p1476146823" /> it was the first triplex theater in ].<ref name="p1476146728" /><ref name="p1286023197">{{cite magazine |date=March 17, 1976 |title=Pictures: Loews in Birdseed Land, 2,400 Seats |magazine=Variety |pages=7 |volume=282 |issue=6 |id={{ProQuest|1286023197}}}}</ref> After its conversion, the Jersey Theatre initially saw increased patronage.<ref>{{cite web |date=March 7, 1978 |title=Famed Stanley Theater Faces Heavy Alterations |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/03/07/archives/new-jersey-pages-famed-stanley-theater-faces-heavy-alterations.html |access-date=December 21, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227155943/https://www.nytimes.com/1978/03/07/archives/new-jersey-pages-famed-stanley-theater-faces-heavy-alterations.html |url-status=live }}</ref> There was increasing petty crime in Journal Square by the early 1980s,<ref name="NPS p. 36" /><ref name="nyt19810906" /> prompting police officers to patrol the Jersey Theatre daily.<ref name="nyt19810906">{{cite web |last=Diamond |first=Robert |date=September 6, 1981 |title=Journal Square: Comeback Road is a Long One |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/09/06/nyregion/journal-square-comeback-road-is-a-long-one.html |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=December 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241214031030/https://www.nytimes.com/1981/09/06/nyregion/journal-square-comeback-road-is-a-long-one.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In addition, there was increasing competition from other multiplex theaters being developed in North Jersey.<ref name="NPS p. 36" /><ref name="p1438380924">{{cite magazine |last=Bobbins |first=Jim |date=August 31, 1983 |title=N.J. Sites Overseated But Are Still Expansive; Major Circuits Prevail |magazine=Variety |pages=1, 78 |volume=312 |issue=5 |id={{ProQuest|1438380924}}}}</ref> Before long, unruly groups of teenagers made up much of the Jersey Theatre's remaining clientele.<ref name="NPS p. 36" />
== Trivia ==


=== Closure ===
* Local history states that a young ], living in ], attended a performance by ] at The Loew's Jersey. As a result of that concert, Frank decided to become a crooner and performer.
In early 1984, Jersey City's City Council approved a study to determine whether the area around the Loew's Jersey Theatre should be designated as a ], permitting the city government to acquire property via ].<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 24, 1984 |title=Council approves blight study of Jersey City area |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-council-approves-blig/161282005/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=3 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227155455/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-council-approves-blig/161282005/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Loew's and local developer ] formed a partnership to replace the Loew's Jersey and an adjacent parking garage and store with two office towers.<ref name="DePalma i427">{{cite web |last=DePalma |first=Anthony |date=July 29, 1984 |title=Office Pick-up in Sight for Journal Square |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/07/29/realestate/office-pick-up-in-sight-for-journal-square.html |access-date=December 21, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=December 21, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241221021106/https://www.nytimes.com/1984/07/29/realestate/office-pick-up-in-sight-for-journal-square.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The plans included retail, parking garages, a connection to the Journal Square PATH station, and {{Convert|1.6|e6ft2}} of offices.<ref name="p208158565">{{Cite magazine |last=Courtney |first=Marian |date=Jun 1987 |title=Hartz Mountain Industries, It Started as a Hobby |magazine=New Jersey Success |page=30 |volume=7 |issue=10 |id={{ProQuest|208158565}}}}</ref> Loew's also canceled the lease of a card shop in the theater.<ref name="n161281406"/> Before the development could proceed, the Jersey City government held public meetings on whether to declare the site as blighted.<ref name="n161281406" /><ref name="DePalma i427" /> Preservationists asked the Jersey City Historic District Commission to designate the building as a city landmark.<ref name="n161282383">{{Cite news |last=Redshaw |first=Stephen |date=September 16, 1984 |title=Jersey City residents mobilizing to bar Loews 'last picture show' |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-jersey-city-residents-mo/161282383/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Star-Ledger |pages=50}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=September 17, 1984 |title=Historic hearing on theater |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-historic-hearing-on-t/161281965/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=4 |postscript=none }}; {{Cite news|date=September 17, 1984|title=Effort to save 1929 theater begins|via=newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-central-new-jersey-home-news-effort/161282710/|access-date=December 21, 2024|work=The Central New Jersey Home News|pages=4|agency=Associated Press|archive-date=December 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227152800/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-central-new-jersey-home-news-effort/161282710/|url-status=live}}</ref> The city's planning board recommended that the site be designated as blighted,<ref name="n161282383" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Weissman |first=Art |date=August 22, 1984 |title=Vote may mean curtains for theater |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-vote-may-mean-curtains-for-th/161282333/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=56}}</ref> and the City Council implemented the board's recommendation in September 1984.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Garrity |first=Mike |date=September 14, 1984 |title=Square blight plan is approved |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-square-blight-plan-is/161282152/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=3}}</ref>


The theater was added to the ] on August 15, 1985,<ref name=NJRHP>{{cite web |title=New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places – Hudson County |url=https://www.nj.gov/dep/hpo/1identify/nrsr_lists/HUDSON.pdf#page=12 |publisher=] – Historic Preservation Office |page=12|date=September 28, 2021 }}</ref> though the owners objected to the listing.<ref name="n161325354" /> Although it was also eligible for addition to the ] (NRHP), the theater was not listed at the time because of an objection from the owners.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2009a}}</ref> Hartz Mountain bought the theater for about $1.5 million in early 1986;<ref name="n161283297" /><ref name="n161330454">{{Cite news |last=Ascarelli |first=Silvia |date=April 21, 1987 |title=Cucci would veto Loew's salvation |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-cucci-would-veto-loew/161330454/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=1, }}</ref> the agreement was finalized that October.<ref name="Carney 1987a">{{cite news |last=Carney |first=Leo H. |date=June 21, 1987 |title=Loew's Theater Apparently Doomed |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/21/nyregion/loew-s-theater-apparently-doomed.html?src=pm&gwh=C75E559EA49FA282527F56E0415F98C5 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305115055/http://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/21/nyregion/loew-s-theater-apparently-doomed.html?src=pm&gwh=C75E559EA49FA282527F56E0415F98C5 |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |access-date=February 10, 2017 |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> By that time, the Saint George and dragon figures on the facade had been broken for several years.<ref name="n161283297" /> The theater closed on August 21, 1986.<ref name="n161283502">{{Cite news |last=Quintanilla |first=Blanca M. |date=August 22, 1986 |title=Jason Lives, but not at Loew's Jersey City |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-jason-lives-but-not/161283502/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=11}}</ref><ref name="n161285051">{{Cite news |last=Taplin |first=R. Clinton |date=August 22, 1986 |title=The last picture show |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-the-last-picture-showr-clin/161285051/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=B1, }}</ref> The final films shown were '']'' and ].<ref name="n161283502" /><ref name="DAuria l638">{{cite web |last=D'Auria |first=Peter |date=February 22, 2021 |title=$72M deal between Jersey City, Devils Arena Entertainment will restore Loew's Theater to its former glory |url=https://www.nj.com/hudson/2021/02/72m-deal-between-jersey-city-devils-arena-entertainment-will-restore-loews-theater-to-its-former-glory.html |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=The Jersey Journal}}</ref> After the Jersey Theatre closed, the city government contemplated requiring Hartz to preserve the theater's facade and lobby,<ref name="n161283502" /> and Hartz initially agreed to preserve these parts of the theater.<ref name="Carney 1987b">{{cite web |last=Carney |first=Leo H. |date=May 10, 1987 |title=Theater's Future Unresolved |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/05/10/nyregion/theater-s-future-unresolved.html |access-date=December 21, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110212731/http://www.nytimes.com/1987/05/10/nyregion/theater-s-future-unresolved.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="n161331428">{{Cite news |last=Kalmanson |first=Laurie |date=July 16, 1987 |title=Court tells Hartz Loew's must stand |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-court-tells-hartz-loe/161331428/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=1, |postscript=none |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227152925/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-court-tells-hartz-loe/161331428/ |url-status=live }}; {{Cite news |last=Taplin |first=R. Clinton |date=July 16, 1987 |title=Ruling saves movie palace from demolition |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-ruling-saves-movie-palace-fro/161329555/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=B3, }}</ref> Although the theater was designated as a Jersey City landmark, the City Council had to pass a resolution for the landmark designation to have any legal effect.<ref name="n161285051" />
* When the theatre first opened, concessions were not part of the experience of attending a film. The theatre was built without plumbing for a concession stand and one small room beneath a staircase was provided for storing candy.


== Abandonment and redevelopment ==
* Modern audiences are surprised by the fact that the theatre only has one restroom for each gender. The ladies' room draws the most criticism due to the presence of only 7 stalls for a theatre capable of seating more than 3,000.


=== 1980s and 1990s ===
* When it first opened, there were numerous free water fountains placed throughout the lobby on both levels of the Loew's Jersey. After concessions became a profit source, all water fountains were removed.


==== Proposed demolition ====
* In the process of renovating the building, volunteers have found objects left behind by the construction crews. These include ceramic coffee cups embedded in a wall, circa 1929 newspapers, construction lighting and scaffolding.
]
The week after the theater closed, the ] provided a $10,000 ] grant for the theater's preservation, provided that the local community raise a corresponding amount.<ref name="n161285231">{{Cite news |last1=Auster |first1=Elizabeth |last2=Gardner |first2=Laura |date=August 29, 1986 |title=U.S. to aid theater preservation |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-us-to-aid-theater-preservat/161285231/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=31 |postscript=none }}; {{Cite news |date=August 29, 1986 |title=City receives federal grant to restore theater |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/asbury-park-press-city-receives-federal/161318122/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=Asbury Park Press |pages=99 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227154924/https://www.newspapers.com/article/asbury-park-press-city-receives-federal/161318122/ |url-status=live }}</ref> By January 1987, Hartz was no longer interested in preserving the theater and instead requested a demolition permit.<ref name="NPS p. 36" /><ref name="n161329981">{{Cite news |last1=Ascarelli |first1=Silvia |last2=Calicchio |first2=Dominick |date=January 22, 1987 |title=Historic walls of Loew's to come tumblin' down |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-historic-walls-of-loe/161329981/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=1, }}</ref> A state judge denied Hartz's request,<ref name="n161330454" /><ref name="n161321689">{{Cite news |last=Taplin |first=R. Clinton |date=April 23, 1987 |title=Actors play role in saving a theater |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-actors-play-role-in-saving-a/161321689/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=B1, |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227155820/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-actors-play-role-in-saving-a/161321689/ |url-status=live }}</ref> prompting Hartz to sue the Jersey City government.<ref name="Bartelli 1988">{{Cite news |last=Bartelli |first=Jan |date=January 29, 1988 |title=A theater is saved |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-a-theater-is-savedjan-bartel/161326685/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=B3, }}</ref> Two local groups established the Friends of the Loew's (FOL) to save the theater.<ref name="NPS p. 36" /> Colin Egan, who later led FOL, recalled that he had become involved in the theater's preservation after noticing the theater's dilapidated condition while stopped at a traffic light.<ref name="n161484542" /><ref name="n161487359">{{Cite news |last=Porter |first=David |date=May 25, 2014 |title=Movie palace eyed for concerts |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-movie-palace-eyed-for-concert/161487359/ |access-date=December 24, 2024 |work=The Record |page=A3 |agency=Associated Press |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227155513/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-movie-palace-eyed-for-concert/161487359/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Thousands of people signed petitions supporting the theater's preservation, and the actors ] and ] protested outside the theater in April 1987 to oppose its demolition.<ref name="Carney 1987b" /><ref name="n161321689" /><ref name="n160858471b">{{Cite news |date=April 23, 1987 |title=Picket theater |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-picket-theater/160858471/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |work=New York Daily News |issn=2692-1251 |pages=98 |postscript=none}}; {{Cite news |last=Ascarelli |first=Silvia |date=April 23, 1987 |title=Stars shine again at Loew's theater |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-stars-shine-again-at/161320278/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=1, }}</ref> The same month, the City Council approved a redevelopment plan for Journal Square,<ref name="n161322472a">{{Cite news |last=Morgan |first=Earl |date=April 2, 1987 |title=Jersey City has plan to save the Loew's, but Hartz may still swing wrecking ball |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-jersey-city-has-plan/161322472/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=1, |postscript=none |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227153241/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-jersey-city-has-plan/161322472/ |url-status=live }}; {{Cite news |last=Taplin |first=R. Clinton |date=April 2, 1987 |title=Grace period for historic theater |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-grace-period-for-historic-the/161323628/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=27 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227160453/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-grace-period-for-historic-the/161323628/ |url-status=live }}</ref> which was revised later that month.<ref name="n161321554">{{Cite news |last=Wakin |first=Daniel J. |date=April 24, 1987 |title=Masterpiece theater wins reprieve from wreckers |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-record-masterpiece-theater-wins-re/161321554/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=Daily Record |page=A3 |agency=Associated Press |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227155317/https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-record-masterpiece-theater-wins-re/161321554/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="n161330283">{{Cite news |last=Light |first=Elli |date=April 24, 1987 |title=Theater gets stay of execution |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-theater-gets-stay-of-executio/161330283/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=9 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227154859/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-theater-gets-stay-of-executio/161330283/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Hartz was also not allowed to do anything to the theater for 135 days.<ref name="n161330283" /> Egan claimed that the site would have been vacant if the theater had been razed, as Journal Square was in the midst of an economic downturn.<ref name="n161426674">{{Cite news |last=Petrick |first=John |date=April 25, 1997 |title=Past and future meet in Journal Square |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-past-and-future-meet/161426674/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=A1, }}</ref>


Meanwhile, Jersey City mayor ] criticized the City Council's vote, saying it made the city government vulnerable to a lawsuit from Hartz.<ref name="Carney 1987b" /> At the time, the ] had recently ruled that private property owners, such as Hartz, could sue municipalities for failing to allow a "reasonable use" of their land,<ref name="n161331208">{{Cite news |last=Clolery |first=Paul |date=June 11, 1987 |title=Court opens can of zoning worms |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-court-opens-can-of-zo/161331208/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=1, }}</ref> Cucci vetoed the Journal Square redevelopment, but the City Council overturned the veto.<ref name="Carney 1987a" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=May 15, 1987 |title=Council votes to preserve old theater |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-council-votes-to-preserve-old/161331273/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=61}}</ref><ref name="NPS p. 37">{{harvnb|National Park Service|2022|ps=.|page=37}}</ref> The City Council commissioned a study on the theater's preservation,<ref name="Carney 1987b" /><ref name="n161321554" /> hiring two New Jersey firms to conduct the study.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ascarelli |first=Silvia |date=April 29, 1987 |title=Team to evaluate potential uses for the Loew's in Journal Square |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-team-to-evaluate-pote/161323714/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=12}}</ref> However, Hartz refused to let the consultants enter the theater,<ref name="Carney 1987a" /><ref name="n161319986">{{Cite news |last=Ascarelli |first=Silvia |date=June 17, 1987 |title=Hartz has held up Loew's Jersey study |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-hartz-has-held-up-loe/161319986/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=29}}</ref> so the study results were not published until September 1987.<ref name="p110700970">{{cite news |last=Gill |first=Jonathan |date=September 13, 1987 |title=Struggle in Journal Square |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |pages=818 |id={{ProQuest|110700970}}}}</ref><ref name="n161324241">{{Cite news |last=Moodie |first=Ellen |date=September 21, 1987 |title=Major cities save movie palaces |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-major-cities-save-mov/161324241/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=1, }}</ref> The study found that it was feasible to restore the structure,<ref name="n161324241" /> but Hartz and Cucci claimed that it would be too expensive for the city government to take over the theater.<ref name="Carney 1987a" /><ref name="n161325990">{{Cite news |last=Scanlon |first=Joni |date=October 8, 1987 |title=Hartz to Jersey City: 2 options on Loews |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-hartz-to-jersey-city/161325990/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=129}}</ref> State judge ] ruled in July 1987 that the city was not required to issue Hartz a demolition permit.<ref name="n161331428" /> After a property appraiser valued the theater site at $3.4 million, Hartz asked the city government to either buy back the theater or allow Hartz to redevelop the site and demolish the auditorium.<ref name="n161325990" /> In November 1987, the Jersey City planning board voted to recommend that Hartz be allowed to redevelop the site.<ref name="n161319858">{{Cite news |last=Bartelli |first=Jan |date=November 12, 1987 |title=Fate of movie palace hangs in balance |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-fate-of-movie-palace-hangs-in/161319858/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=43}}</ref>
* A promotional sign for 1959's ] was found hanging on a ] onstage.


==== Performing-arts center plans ====
* A large sign exhorting audience members to contribute scrap metal to the World War II effort was found in the theatre.
Cucci vetoed a proposal to save the theater in January 1988, but the City Council once again overruled him.<ref name="Bartelli 1988" /> Hartz offered to establish a performing arts center at the theater, donate the building to the city for $1, and drop its lawsuit, in exchange for receiving tax abatements and being designated as Journal Square's developer.<ref name="Bartelli 1988" /><ref name="n161331696">{{Cite news |last=Clolery |first=Paul |date=January 26, 1988 |title=Hartz: $1 buys Loew's |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-hartz-1-buys-loews/161331696/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=1, }}</ref> The alternate plan was proposed in part due to growing grassroots efforts to preserve the theater.<ref name="Dunlap a429" /> That July, Hartz and the Jersey City government finalized their agreement.<ref name="n161327339" /> Preservationists, Hartz employees, and representatives of the Jersey City and ] governments were appointed to the performing arts center's board.<ref name="Dunlap a429" /> Hartz agreed to sell the theater to the performing arts center if $4 million was raised by the end of 1992; otherwise, Hartz would take back the theater.<ref name="n161327339">{{Cite news |last=Taplin |first=R. Clinton |date=July 7, 1988 |title=New plans to save 60-year-old theater |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-new-plans-to-save-60-year-old/161327339/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=13}}</ref><ref name="n161332299">{{Cite news |last=Stapinski |first=Helene |date=September 29, 1989 |title=Breathing new life into old theater |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-breathing-new-life-in/161332299/ |access-date=December 22, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=19}}</ref> The performing arts center was intended to help revive Journal Square's economy.<ref name="p962943895" /><ref name="NYT 1993 j749">{{cite web |last=Garbarine |first=Rachelle |date=February 21, 1993 |title=In the Region: New Jersey; Using Preservation as an Economic Tool |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/02/21/realestate/in-the-region-new-jersey-using-preservation-as-an-economic-tool.html |access-date=December 22, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> One study estimated that the city government would spend $1 million annually operating the Loew's Jersey Theatre.<ref name="p110337620">{{cite news |last=Schenone |first=Laura |date=April 23, 1989 |title=An 8-year fight to make the Majestic majestic again. |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |pages=NJ10 |id={{ProQuest|110337620}}}}</ref>


Local volunteers began cleaning and repairing the theater, working beneath temporary floodlights.<ref name="n161332299" /> The seats were overgrown and moldy, the stage was flooded, paint was peeling off, and the lights were broken.<ref name="p2411471512">{{cite news |last=De Avila |first=Joseph |date=June 11, 2020 |title=Jersey City Seeks Operator for Historic Loew's Theater; After years of legal battles, city moves forward on planned $40 million renovation |work=The Wall Street Journal |issn=0099-9660 |id={{ProQuest|2411471512}}}}</ref><ref name="Johnson l198">{{cite web |last=Johnson |first=C.F. |date=May 28, 1995 |title=Picture Palace: Can Loew's Jersey Theater, Gem of the 20's, Regain Its Old Glory? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/28/nyregion/picture-palace-can-loews-jersey-theater-gem-of-the-20s-regain-its.html |access-date=December 22, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=December 22, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241222214349/https://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/28/nyregion/picture-palace-can-loews-jersey-theater-gem-of-the-20s-regain-its.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Hartz agreed to maintain the facade, illuminate the theater, and build a new roof.<ref name="n161332299" /> The Jersey City Historical and Preservation Association (JCHPA), one of the two groups that made up the FOL,<ref name="NPS p. 36" /> also planned to remove the interior partitions and replace the boiler and plumbing system.<ref name="n161332299" /> The theater needed additional repairs, including upgrades to mechanical systems, electric wiring, fire-safety equipment, and dressing rooms.<ref name="n161333897" /> Egan planned to obtain a new theater organ as well.<ref name="Dunlap a429" /> During the renovations, local students' artwork was displayed on the theater's facade.<ref name="n161492038">{{Cite news |last=Schmidt |first=Margaret |date=April 16, 2024 |title=Student artwork brightens Loew's in Journal Square |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-student-artwork-brigh/161492038/ |access-date=December 24, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=J13}}</ref> Although the city government estimated that the theater would cost $12 million to renovate, the JCHPA estimated that the work would cost half that.<ref name="n161332299" /> In 1990, a judge ruled that the city government had to refund Hartz $84,000 in property taxes that had been paid for the theater.<ref name="n161335895">{{Cite news |last=Oswald |first=John A. |date=March 23, 1990 |title=Hartz wins big tax rebate over Loews cultural status |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-hartz-wins-big-tax-re/161335895/ |access-date=December 22, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=1, }}</ref>
* Virtually all surfaces in the theatre are faux finishes created by forming plaster and then painting them. Most notable are the "marble" columns in the lobby and the "wood" panelling in the Men's lounge.

The Jersey City Economic Development Corporation (JCEDC) provided a $1 million grant for the theater's restoration in 1991,<ref name="NYT 1992 v687" /><ref name="n161340799" /><ref name="n161336532">{{Cite news |last=Oswald |first=John A. |date=July 26, 1991 |title=Loew's preservation gets $1M |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-loews-preservation-g/161336532/ |access-date=December 22, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=2 |postscript=none |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227160149/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-loews-preservation-g/161336532/ |url-status=live }}; {{Cite news |last=Alex |first=Patricia |date=July 26, 1991 |title=21 grants awarded for historic buildings |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-21-grants-awarded-for-histori/161336436/ |access-date=December 22, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=26 }}</ref> and the state government allocated another $1 million.<ref name="NYT 1992 v687" /><ref name="n161340799" /><ref name="n161363986">{{Cite news |last=Albright |first=Joseph |date=January 22, 1992 |title=$1.6M set for projects in Hudson |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-16m-set-for-project/161363986/ |access-date=December 22, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=7}}</ref> By then, the auditorium still needed extensive renovations.<ref name="p962943895" /> By 1992, cost estimates for the project ranged from $4.2 million for a basic restoration to $8.5 million for extensive equipment upgrades.<ref name="n161337635" /> During this time, the theater's lobby held weekly events,<ref name="n161371610">{{Cite news |last=Stapinski |first=Helene |date=June 30, 1992 |title=A palace amid squalor |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-a-palace-amid-squalor/161371610/ |access-date=December 22, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=6}}</ref> and it was also used for receptions and other gatherings.<ref name="n161432172" /><ref name="p228555096">{{Cite magazine |last=Taber |first=George M.  |date=June 29, 1998 |title=History repeats itself at landmarks around the state |magazine=Business News New Jersey |page=23 |volume=11 |issue=25 |id={{ProQuest|228555096}}}}</ref> Jersey City's City Council was scheduled to vote to allocate $2 million in bonds for the theater's renovation in August 1992.<ref name="n161340501">{{Cite news |last=McGlone |first=Peggy |date=August 4, 1992 |title=A Date at Loews |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-a-date-at-loewspeggy-mc/161340501/ |access-date=December 22, 2024 |work=The Star-Ledger |pages=27, |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227153341/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-a-date-at-loewspeggy-mc/161340501/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="n161373363">{{Cite news |last=Stern |first=Henry |date=August 20, 1992 |title=Jersey City renewal plan stalls |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-jersey-city-renewal-plan-stal/161373363/ |access-date=December 22, 2024 |work=The Record |page=A3 |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> However, the vote was postponed after objections to the performing arts center arose.<ref name="n161373363" /> By December 1992, the city government was negotiating to buy the theater from Hartz, avoiding the need to raise $4 million before the end of that year.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 21, 1992 |title=Jersey City wants to buy Loew's |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-jersey-city-wants-to/161375484/ |access-date=December 22, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=32 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227153827/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-jersey-city-wants-to/161375484/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== City takeover and restoration ====
The Jersey City government voted on February 10, 1993, to buy the theater,<ref name="NYT 1993 j749" /><ref name="n161378345">{{Cite news |last=Morgan |first=Earl |date=February 11, 1993 |title=Council buys Loew's, saves Y |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-council-buys-loews/161378345/ |access-date=December 22, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=1, |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227153216/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-council-buys-loews/161378345/ |url-status=live }}</ref> paying Hartz $325,000.<ref name="Stapinski y878" /><ref name="NPS p. 37" /> Preservationists had to devise restoration plans and raise sufficient funds within a year, or else the theater would be resold.<ref name="n161378345" /> The city leased it to the JCEDC, while FOL was selected to restore the theater.<ref name="NYT 1998 w340">{{cite web |date=November 8, 1998 |title=VIEWS; Now Playing: A Grand Movie House Restored |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/08/nyregion/views-now-playing-a-grand-movie-house-restored.html |access-date=December 2, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="p223534303">{{Cite magazine |date=January 1, 1999 |title=Journal Square has new lease on life |magazine=New Jersey Business |page=40 |volume=45 |issue=1 |id={{ProQuest|223534303}}}}</ref> Volunteers subsequently began renovating the theater<ref name="Johnson l198" /><ref name="n161380111">{{Cite news |last=Petrick |first=John |date=August 10, 1994 |title=Loews project progresses despite fiscal obstacles |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-loews-project-progres/161380111/ |access-date=December 22, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=6}}</ref> with assistance from professional contractors.<ref name="n161433489" /><ref name="p1286212671" /> Egan, whom the JCEDC employed as a consultant, was the only worker who received a salary;<ref name="n161381110" /> he recalled that he sometimes spent 16 hours a day on the renovation.<ref name="n161380111" /> By mid-1994, work on the lobby,was about to begin.<ref name="n161380111" /> Various parts of the renovation were funded by grants,<ref name="Stettner b075">{{cite web |last=Stettner |first=Meredith Napolitano |date=September 8, 2016 |title=Waiting in the Wings: Loew's Theater and its Future |url=https://jerseydigs.com/loews-theatre-journal-square-political-history/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=Jersey Digs |archive-date=December 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181202125352/https://jerseydigs.com/loews-theatre-journal-square-political-history/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Johnson l198" /> including $1 million each from the New Jersey Historic Trust and the Jersey City government.<ref name="n161380111" /> FOL still needed up to $3 million for a full restoration.<ref name="n161380111" /><ref name="Johnson l198" />

FOL volunteers met every weekend,<ref name="NYT 1998 w340" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=October 29, 1996 |title=Repairing the Loew's |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-repairing-the-loews/161424506/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=44}}</ref> leaving the theater's front doors open to attract more volunteers.<ref name="n161381110" /> The volunteers repaired the facade and interior, replaced the mechanical systems,<ref name="n161381110" /><ref name="Garbarine a832">{{cite web |last=Garbarine |first=Rachelle |date=March 8, 1998 |title=In the Region/New Jersey; Revitalizing Jersey City's Depressed Journal Square |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/03/08/realestate/in-the-region-new-jersey-revitalizing-jersey-city-s-depressed-journal-square.html |access-date=December 23, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=December 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241223201316/https://www.nytimes.com/1998/03/08/realestate/in-the-region-new-jersey-revitalizing-jersey-city-s-depressed-journal-square.html |url-status=live }}</ref> removed the interior partitions,<ref name="n161439559" /><ref name="p1286212671" /> and cleaned out garbage and debris.<ref name="n161381110" /><ref name="p1286212671" /> Employees of nearby companies helped restore the theater,<ref name="n161439559" /> including ] investment bankers<ref>{{Cite news |last=Prezioso |first=Jeanine |date=October 30, 1997 |title=Need seats scraped? Bankers pitch right in |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-need-seats-scraped-b/161427405/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=42}}</ref> and ] employees.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Theodore |first=Jeff |date=April 17, 2000 |title=Local business helps prep Loew's for rebirth |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-local-business-helps/161435098/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=59 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227160210/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-local-business-helps/161435098/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1996, the city government and JCEDC requested that the City Council ask the state for $500,000 in Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) funds to install new seats.<ref name="n161382634">{{Cite news |last=Donohue |first=Brian |date=December 30, 1996 |title=Taking a seat |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-taking-a-seatbrian-d/161382634/ |access-date=December 22, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=7 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227153358/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-taking-a-seatbrian-d/161382634/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The UEZ funds were ultimately approved in May 1997.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 22, 1997 |title=Council gives Loew's $500G for new seats, OKs new firehouse |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-council-gives-loews/161427589/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=2}}</ref> That year, the Garden State Theatre Organ Society (GSTOS) acquired an organ that had originally been installed at the ].<ref name="n161423599" /><ref name="Pristin 1997" /> The GSTOS loaned the Paradise's organ permanently to the Jersey Theatre,<ref name="n161422942" /> and the organ was shipped from Kansas City to Jersey City.<ref name="n161423599" /> In addition, the sidewalk outside the theater had to be rebuilt before workers could refurbish the dressing rooms in the theater's basement.<ref name="n161430524" />

Because many of the volunteers were not particularly skilled in construction, many aspects of the renovation took several years.<ref name="n161439559" /><ref name="n161484542" /> By the late 1990s, there were 150 dedicated volunteers who met at the theater regularly, in addition to 1,000 people who volunteered occasionally.<ref name="n161433648">{{Cite news |date=July 29, 1999 |title=Loew's clock to toll hours again |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-loews-clock-to-toll/161433648/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=17 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227153812/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-loews-clock-to-toll/161433648/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In several cases, the volunteers conducted repairs for a fraction of the official cost estimates.<ref name="n161433489" /><ref name="NYT 1998 w340" /> For example, the restoration of the orchestra pit cost $37–39, rather than the official estimate of $200–250 thousand.<ref name="Stapinski y878" /><ref name="n161433648" /><ref name=n161484542>{{Cite news|last=Whitty|first=Stephen|date=August 20, 2013|title=Restoring some polish to 'a gem'|via=newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-restoring-some-polish-to/161484542/|access-date=December 24, 2024|work=The Star-Ledger|pages=1, |archive-date=December 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227152733/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-restoring-some-polish-to/161484542/|url-status=live}}</ref>{{Efn|Sources disagree on whether the repairs cost $37<ref name="Stapinski y878" /><ref name=n161484542/> or $39.<ref name="n161433648" /> In addition, the official estimate for the repairs has been cited as either $200,000<ref name="NYT 1998 w340" /><ref name="n161433648" /> or $250,000.<ref name="Stapinski y878" /><ref name=n161484542/>}} Volunteers spent $3,000 re-illuminating the marquee in 1997, far below the official cost estimate of up to $75,000.<ref name="n161428790">{{Cite news |last=Torres |first=Agustin C. |date=October 15, 1998 |title=On Journal Square |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-on-journal-squareagu/161428790/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=A1, }}</ref><ref name="p362638235">{{Cite news |last=Carluccio |first=Robert J. |date=August 12, 1999 |title=Loew's Jersey City Theatre Opens with Opera Recital |work=  Italian Voice |page=2 |id={{ProQuest|362638235}}}}</ref> The sound technician Robert Eberenz helped restore the projection equipment,<ref name="n161381110" /><ref name="p1286212671" /> which included a mid-20th-century ] sound system<ref name="n161438539" /><ref name="p1286212671" /> and three projectors.<ref name="n161443269">{{Cite news |last=Baird |first=Christine V. |date=January 27, 2003 |title=Reclaimed Treasure |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-reclaimed-treasurechris/161443269/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Star-Ledger |pages=25, |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227153958/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-reclaimed-treasurechris/161443269/ |url-status=live }}</ref> FOL also cleaned and reupholstered the theater's seats,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Deering |first=Sally |date=November 30, 1998 |title=Coat drive starts tomorrow in Hudson |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-coat-drive-starts-tom/161427919/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=13 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227153310/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-coat-drive-starts-tom/161427919/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Garbarine a832" /> which were reinstalled starting in May 1999.<ref name="n161434128">{{Cite news |last=Roberts |first=Jeff |date=May 21, 1999 |title=Loew's getting its seats back |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-loews-getting-its-se/161434128/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=31}}</ref> The theater's clock was removed for restoration that July.<ref name="n161433032" /><ref name="n161433648" /> FOL also began raising $50,000 for other upgrades.<ref name="n161433489" /> Egan estimated that volunteers had donated $1 million in labor.<ref name="Jacobs h369">{{cite web |last=Jacobs |first=Andrew |date=April 30, 2000 |title=A City Whose Time Has Come Again; After Years of Deprivation, Jersey City, an Old Industrial Powerhouse, Is Remaking Itself |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/04/30/nyregion/city-whose-time-has-come-again-after-years-deprivation-jersey-city-old.html |access-date=December 23, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=June 16, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240616032756/https://www.nytimes.com/2000/04/30/nyregion/city-whose-time-has-come-again-after-years-deprivation-jersey-city-old.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="n161446153">{{Cite news |last=Lustig |first=Jay |date=February 24, 2004 |title=Sold-out rock show may be the next big step for the Loew's |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-sold-out-rock-show-ma/161446153/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=12}}</ref>

=== 2000s and early 2010s ===

==== Auditorium reopening and continued repairs ====
]
The clock and the Saint George and dragon figures were rededicated in May 2001,<ref name="NYT 2001 y709" /><ref name="n1614361832">{{Cite news |last=Gordon |first=William |date=May 30, 2001 |title=By George, it's about time |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-by-george-its-about-ti/161436183/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Star-Ledger |pages=35, |postscript=none |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227161055/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-by-george-its-about-ti/161436183/ |url-status=live }}; {{Cite news |last=Fink |first=Jason |date=June 1, 2001 |title=St. George goes back in action |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-st-george-goes-back/161436343/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=A1, }}</ref> and the organ was rededicated the next month after it had been partly restored.<ref name="p425297558">{{Cite news |last=Beckerman |first=Jim |date=June 24, 2001 |title=Theater's Live Music Returns |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-theaters-live-music-returns/161436414/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Record |page=E04 |id={{ProQuest|425297558}} |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227160032/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-theaters-live-music-returns/161436414/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ''The Jersey Journal'' reported that only the balcony and dressing rooms remained unfinished,<ref name="n161436823" /> although ] cited a FOL spokesman as saying that the restoration was only half complete.<ref name="p425417835" /> The auditorium partially opened in 2001,<ref name="p425775820" /><ref name="Morrill w880">{{cite web |last=Morrill |first=Aaron |date=February 23, 2021 |title=Loew's to Get Renovation and National Acts |url=https://jcitytimes.com/loews-to-get-renovation-and-national-acts/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=Jersey City Times |archive-date=December 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213214745/https://jcitytimes.com/loews-to-get-renovation-and-national-acts/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and Comcast donated funds for a new screen the next year.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rainone |first=Antoinette |date=March 8, 2007 |title=Old 'Movie Palaces' Recall Grand Era of Silver Screen |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record-old-movie-palaces-recall-gr/161450161/ |access-date=December 24, 2024 |work=The Record |pages=F10}}</ref> Initially, the Loew's Jersey hosted events such as rock-and-roll concerts,<ref>{{cite web |last=Strunsky |first=Steve |date=February 24, 2002 |title=Worth Noting; Hey, Let's Put on a Show In the Lobby! |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/24/nyregion/worth-noting-hey-let-s-put-on-a-show-in-the-lobby.html |access-date=December 23, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |postscript=none |archive-date=December 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241223222925/https://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/24/nyregion/worth-noting-hey-let-s-put-on-a-show-in-the-lobby.html |url-status=live }}; {{Cite news |last=Conte |first=Michaelangelo |date=February 18, 2002 |title=Loew's move into rock a rolling success |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-loews-move-into-rock/161437760/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=13 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227155934/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-loews-move-into-rock/161437760/ |url-status=live }}</ref> weekend film screenings,<ref name="n161443269" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Ryan |first=Rachael |date=January 31, 2003 |title=For 'The Birds' |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-for-the-birdsracha/161441896/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=13}}</ref> and film festivals.<ref name="n161438257" /> FOL volunteers staffed these events, working as janitors and concessionaires.<ref name="n161443269" /> Because there was no functioning sprinkler system, the city government had to issue temporary ] for each event,<ref name="n161439559" /> and fire marshals had to attend each performance.<ref name="Stapinski y878" /> Meanwhile, FOL continued to restore the theater.<ref name="n161443269" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Falkenstein |first=Michelle |date=April 6, 2003 |title=Jersey Footlights |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/06/nyregion/jersey-footlights.html |access-date=December 23, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=December 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241223222925/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/06/nyregion/jersey-footlights.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Egan said in 2002 that up to $1 million was still needed for fire-safety upgrades and a restoration of the balcony,<ref name="n161439559" /> while other estimates ranged up to $5 million.<ref name="Berwick o4132" />

After FOL's lease expired in June 2003,<ref name="Berwick o4132" /> Jersey City's mayor ] wanted to lease the theater to a third party.<ref name="n161441031">{{Cite news |last=Morgan |first=Earl |date=October 13, 2003 |title=Friends of Loew's can use friend at City Hall |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-friends-of-loews-can/161441031/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=A1, }}</ref> FOL signed an agreement with the City Council in early 2004, but Cunningham did not ratify the agreement, affecting FOL's ability to raise funds and schedule events.<ref name="Berwick o4132" /><ref name="n161443889">{{Cite news |last=Fink |first=Jason |date=March 29, 2004 |title=Loew's lease still in limbo |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-loews-lease-still-in/161443889/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=A1, |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227160647/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-loews-lease-still-in/161443889/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Because of the uncertainty over the lease, the city government could evict FOL at any time, and donors were unwilling to make large donations.<ref name="n161446153" /> The City Council and Cunningham continued to argue over the lease until Cunningham died in May 2004.<ref name="Berwick o4132" /><ref name="n161445309">{{Cite news |last=Conte |first=Maria Zingaro |date=June 26, 2004 |title=Five-year lease for Loew's theater |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-five-year-lease-for-l/161445309/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=2}}</ref> Acting mayor ] proposed giving FOL a five-year lease<ref name="Berwick o4132" /><ref name="n161445309" /> but subsequently suggested conveying the theater to a city agency.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Conte |first=Maria Zingaro |date=September 29, 2004 |title=Friends of Loew's stunned as mayor gives theater to city agency |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-friends-of-loews-stu/161445433/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=12}}</ref> FOL signed a five-year lease in October 2004, paying a ] of $1 annually, with two renewal options,<ref name="n161445454">{{Cite news |last=Torres |first=Agustin C. |date=October 16, 2004 |title=Mayor, Friends of Loew's sign 5-year deal for historic theater |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-mayor-friends-of-loe/161445454/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=4 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227155925/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-mayor-friends-of-loe/161445454/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and the City Council also approved the lease.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Conte |first=Maria Zingaro |date=November 12, 2004 |title=Unanimous vote for Loew's lease |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-unanimous-vote-for-lo/161446363/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=A1, }}</ref> The next year, the Hudson County government gave FOL $600,000, which would have been used for air conditioning,<ref name="n161446504">{{Cite news |last=Thorbourne |first=Ken |date=October 29, 2005 |title=Rousing return to the good old days at the Loew's |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-rousing-return-to-the/161446504/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=16 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227155417/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-rousing-return-to-the/161446504/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and the Jersey City government received additional donations from building owners.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Morgan |first=Earl |date=November 10, 2006 |title=City should let go of Loew's funding |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-city-should-let-go-of/161449945/ |access-date=December 24, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=10}}</ref>

When ] became mayor in 2004, his administration and FOL began involved in disputes over the theater's management.<ref name="n161450899">{{Cite news |last=Renshaw |first=Jarrett |date=August 8, 2007 |title=Tired Plot Line |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-tired-plot-linejarre/161450899/ |access-date=December 24, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=3 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227155609/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-tired-plot-linejarre/161450899/ |url-status=live }}</ref> City government officials gave conflicting messages as to the lease's validity,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Thorbourne |first=Ken |date=February 4, 2006 |title=Is It a Deal? |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-is-it-a-dealken-tho/161451310/ |access-date=December 24, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=3}}</ref> and Healy's administration claimed that the lease was invalid.<ref name="Stapinski y878" /><ref name="n161450899" /> The city government also withheld up to $2.5 million that had been earmarked for the Loew's Jersey.<ref name="n161450899" /> The disagreements over the lease went unresolved until 2009,<ref name="Goldstein t279"/><ref name="n161454225" /> when Jersey City's City Council approved a ], which allowed the mayor to appoint more people to FOL's board.<ref name="n161454225">{{Cite news |last=Clark |first=Amy Sara |date=May 21, 2009 |title=Jersey City settles with Friends of the Loews |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-jersey-city-settles-w/161454225/ |access-date=December 24, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=6 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227154855/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-jersey-city-settles-w/161454225/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Meanwhile, the theater's organ was rededicated in October 2008 following repairs,<ref name="Stapinski y878" /><ref name="n161452590" /> and work on the balcony's restoration began the next year after the Provident Bank Foundation donated $5,000.<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 6, 2009 |title=Grant to restore Loew's balcony |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-grant-to-restore-loew/161453758/ |access-date=December 24, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=6}}</ref> By the late 2000s, the Loew's Jersey City had become a popular venue for ] concerts and vintage film screenings.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 17, 2009 |title=Journal Square is hosting a variety of shows |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/community-news-journal-square-is-hosting/161453261/ |access-date=December 24, 2024 |work=Community News |page=A16}}</ref> The Journal Square Restoration Corporation and FOL also collaborated to host events on Friday nights.<ref name="n161480172">{{Cite news |last=Hayes |first=Melissa |date=February 16, 2010 |title=Loew's Leading Rebirth |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-loews-leading-rebirt/161480172/ |access-date=December 24, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=5}}</ref>

After ] became New Jersey's governor, in 2010, he took back $11 million in unspent UEZ funds from the Jersey City government, including some funding allocated for the Loew's Jersey.<ref name="n161454225" /> Some of the doors were replaced in the early 2010s, and workers also repaired the storefronts.<ref name="NPS p. 14">{{harvnb|National Park Service|2022|ps=.|page=14}}</ref> Healy announced in 2013 that he would stop allocating city funds for the Loew's Jersey's restoration.<ref>{{cite web |last=McDonald |first=Terrence T. |date=April 5, 2013 |title=No more taxpayer funding for the Loew's, Jersey City mayor says |url=http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2013/04/no_more_taxpayer_funding_the_l.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107061738/http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2013/04/no_more_taxpayer_funding_the_l.html |archive-date=November 7, 2017 |access-date=November 6, 2017 |work=The Jersey Journal}}</ref> The theater was temporarily closed the same year after a passerby discovered a crack in the theater's facade.<ref>{{cite web |last=Silady |first=Alexander W. |date=July 11, 2013 |title=Crack in rear wall shuts Jersey City's Landmark Loew's Jersey Theatre |url=https://www.nj.com/hudson/2013/07/crack_in_back_wall_forces_jersey_citys_loews_theatre_to_be_evacuated.html |access-date=December 22, 2024 |website=The Jersey Journal |archive-date=December 22, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241222214349/https://www.nj.com/hudson/2013/07/crack_in_back_wall_forces_jersey_citys_loews_theatre_to_be_evacuated.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Meanwhile, FOL volunteers continued to repair the balcony and lounges gradually. Although the city had withheld significant financial support from the Loew's Jersey, the theater still received funding from various donations, charitable grants, and ticket revenue.<ref name="n161484542" /> The theater still had no functioning air conditioning and was operating at a net loss by 2013, despite hosting 50 events annually.<ref name="Haddon p720">{{cite web |last=Haddon |first=Heather |date=November 13, 2013 |title=Jersey City Sees Stardom for Loew's |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/jersey-city-sees-stardom-for-loew8217s-1384307676?tesla=y |access-date=December 24, 2024 |work=The Wall Street Journal |language=en-US |issn=0099-9660 |archive-date=December 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241224184713/https://www.wsj.com/articles/jersey-city-sees-stardom-for-loew8217s-1384307676%3Ftesla%3Dy |url-status=live }}</ref> City officials claimed that FOL had failed to raise sufficient funds for the theater, while Egan countered that the city had withheld some of these funds.<ref name="n161487359" /> KRE Developers, which was constructing a building nearby, offered $2.5 million for the theater's restoration.<ref name="Haddon p720" /><ref>{{cite web |last=McDonald |first=Terrence T. |date=October 23, 2013 |title=Jersey City council to weigh 30-year tax abatement for $600M Journal Square towers |url=https://www.nj.com/jjournal-news/2013/10/rendering_of_the_three_towers.html |access-date=December 24, 2024 |website=The Jersey Journal |postscript=none |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227163910/https://www.nj.com/jjournal-news/2013/10/rendering_of_the_three_towers.html |url-status=live }}; {{Cite news |date=October 25, 2013 |title=Fulop Administration Announces $600-M Three-Tower Residential Project in journal Square |work=The Filipino Express |page=9 |id={{ProQuest|1496483737}}}}</ref>

==== AEG lease and legal dispute ====
]
Jersey City officials again wanted a third party to take over the theater by November 2013.<ref name="Haddon p720" /><ref name=":0" /> City officials claimed that a professional management team would help the theater compete with North Jersey concert venues such as the ] and ].<ref name="Haddon p720" /> In addition, city officials wanted the Loew's Jersey Theatre to be the centerpiece of a redeveloped Journal Square, which had seen less new development than eastern Jersey City.<ref name="p1493611869" /><ref name="n161487359" /> Jersey City mayor ] opened a ] for the theater's management in February 2014.<ref name="p1493611869" /><ref name="Stettner b075" /> Fulop ordered that all work related to the Jersey Theatre's development be paused.<ref name="McDonald t943">{{cite web |last=McDonald |first=Terrence T. |date=August 13, 2015 |title=Fulop, Loew's group tussle over grant funding |url=https://www.nj.com/hudson/2015/08/fulop_loews_group_tussle_over_grant_funding.html |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=The Jersey Journal |archive-date=December 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213224043/https://www.nj.com/hudson/2015/08/fulop_loews_group_tussle_over_grant_funding.html |url-status=live }}</ref> FOL sued the city government that March, claiming that its lease was still in effect,<ref>{{cite web |last=McDonald |first=Terrence T. |date=March 8, 2014 |title=Landmark Loew's group sues Jersey City, claiming breach of lease |url=https://www.nj.com/hudson/2014/03/landmark_loews_group_sues_jersey_city_claiming_breach_of_lease.html |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=The Jersey Journal |postscript=none }}; {{cite web |last=Orton |first=Maddie |date=March 7, 2014 |title=Jersey City Loew's Theatre Management Change Leads to Lawsuit |url=https://www.njspotlightnews.org/video/volunteers-jersey-city-mayor-clash-over-loews-theatre-restoration/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=NJ Spotlight News |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227152026/https://www.njspotlightnews.org/video/volunteers-jersey-city-mayor-clash-over-loews-theatre-restoration/ |url-status=live }}</ref> but ] judge Hector Velazquez initially ruled that the lease extension was not valid.<ref name="n161454225" /><ref name="McDonald d709">{{cite web |last=McDonald |first=Terrence T. |date=June 12, 2014 |title=Judge rules against Loew's group in suit against Jersey City |url=https://www.nj.com/hudson/2014/06/judge_rules_against_loews_group_in_suit_against_jersey_city.html |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=The Jersey Journal |archive-date=December 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213234133/https://www.nj.com/hudson/2014/06/judge_rules_against_loews_group_in_suit_against_jersey_city.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Four large concert promoters, each of whom partnered with local community groups, submitted bids to restore the theater.<ref name="Chung z360">{{cite web |last=Chung |first=Jen |date=May 1, 2014 |title=Photos: Bidders Vie To Restore Stunning Loews' Jersey Theater In Jersey City |url=https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/photos-bidders-vie-to-restore-stunning-loews-jersey-theater-in-jersey-city |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=Gothamist |postscript=none |archive-date=December 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213211535/https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/photos-bidders-vie-to-restore-stunning-loews-jersey-theater-in-jersey-city |url-status=live }}; {{cite web |last=McDonald |first=Terrence T. |date=May 1, 2014 |title=World's biggest concert promoters vie to restore classic Loew's in Jersey City |url=https://www.nj.com/hudson/2014/05/worlds_biggest_concert_promoters_seek_to_restore_classic_loews_in_jersey_city.html |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=The Jersey Journal |archive-date=December 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213201226/https://www.nj.com/hudson/2014/05/worlds_biggest_concert_promoters_seek_to_restore_classic_loews_in_jersey_city.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In June 2014, Jersey City officials awarded the contract for the theater's management to ].<ref name="Dawsey 2014a">{{cite news |last1=Dawsey |first1=Josh |date=June 27, 2014 |title=Jersey City Taps AEG Live to Manage Loew's, Announces Theater Overhaul |url=https://online.wsj.com/articles/aeg-live-pledges-national-acts-at-loews-jersey-theatre-in-jersey-city-1403813127 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010062439/http://online.wsj.com/articles/aeg-live-pledges-national-acts-at-loews-jersey-theatre-in-jersey-city-1403813127 |archive-date=October 10, 2014 |access-date=November 6, 2017 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |issn=0099-9660 |id={{ProQuest|1540534303}} |postscript=none}}; {{cite web |last=Orton |first=Maddie |date=July 2, 2014 |title=Jersey City Agency Lands on AEG Live for Loew's |url=https://www.njspotlightnews.org/video/jersey-city-agency-lands-on-aeg-live-for-loews/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=NJ Spotlight News}}</ref><ref name="McDonald q350">{{cite web |last=McDonald |first=Terrence T. |date=June 27, 2014 |title=AEG Live set to take over Loew's in Jersey City |url=https://www.nj.com/hudson/2014/06/aeg_live_set_to_take_over_loews_in_jersey_city.html |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=The Jersey Journal}}</ref> AEG was to provide $3.5 million toward a restoration, and it would rent the theater for 30 years at an annual cost of $350,000.<ref name="McDonald q350" /> The roof, seats, carpets, and bathrooms would be repaired for $30–40 million.<ref name="Dawsey 2014a" /><ref name="p1555364037">{{Cite magazine |last=Burd |first=Joshua |date=August 18, 2014 |title=Pipeline of projects is set for Jersey City |magazine=NJBIZ |pages=1, 24–25 |volume=27 |issue=33 |id={{ProQuest|1555364037}}}}</ref> FOL opposed the AEG's selection,<ref>{{cite news |last=McDonald |first=Terrence T. |date=June 28, 2014 |title=Community group outraged by planned takeover of Jersey City's Loew's theater |url=http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2014/06/community_group_outraged_by_planned_takeover_of_jersey_citys_loews_theater.html |url-status=live |archive-url=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 |archive-date=July 1, 2014 |access-date=June 29, 2014 |newspaper=The Jersey Journal}}</ref> and Egan claimed that the theater's conversion to a commercial venue would not benefit the local community.<ref name="Shurin n265">{{cite web |last=Shurin |first=Michael |date=July 24, 2014 |title=Friends of the Loew's director voices opposition to Fulop plan for theatre |url=https://hudsoncountyview.com/friends-loews-director-voices-opposition-fulop-plan/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=Hudson County View |archive-date=December 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213203915/https://hudsoncountyview.com/friends-loews-director-voices-opposition-fulop-plan/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Velazquez overturned his own decision on the lease in July 2014,<ref name="n161454225" /> and he ruled in May 2015 that the city government could not evict FOL until 2020.<ref>{{cite web |last=McDonald |first=Terrence T. |date=May 29, 2015 |title=Jersey City loses bid to boot nonprofit group from Loew's |url=https://www.nj.com/hudson/2015/05/jersey_city_loses_bid_to_kick_out_nonprofit_group.html |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=The Jersey Journal |archive-date=December 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213211456/https://www.nj.com/hudson/2015/05/jersey_city_loses_bid_to_kick_out_nonprofit_group.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Heinis s863">{{cite web |last=Heinis |first=John |date=May 29, 2015 |title=Friends of the Loew's on court ruling: Now is the time to work with Jersey City |url=https://hudsoncountyview.com/friends-of-loews-on-court-ruling-now-is-the-time-to-work-with-jersey-city/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=Hudson County View}}</ref> The agreement with AEG was rescinded,<ref name="p2411471512" /> and the lease by Friends of the Loews remained in effect.<ref name="Stettner b075" />

Jersey City's freeholder board voted in August 2015 to rescind a $300,000 grant,<ref>{{cite web |last=Heinis |first=John |date=August 13, 2015 |title=Fulop wins round against Landmark Loew's, freeholders revoke $300k grant |url=https://hudsoncountyview.com/fulop-wins-round-against-landmark-loews-freeholders-revoke-300k-grant/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=Hudson County View |postscript=none }}; {{cite web |last=McDonald |first=Terrence T. |date=August 14, 2015 |title=Freeholders side with Fulop in Loew's flap |url=https://www.nj.com/hudson/2015/08/freeholders_side_with_fulop_in_loews_flap.html |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=The Jersey Journal |archive-date=December 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213224149/https://www.nj.com/hudson/2015/08/freeholders_side_with_fulop_in_loews_flap.html |url-status=live }}</ref> which would have funded mechanical upgrades to the theater.<ref name="McDonald t943" /> The FOL, which contended that the grant's revocation was a retaliatory measure, successfully asked a judge to reverse the grant's rescission.<ref name="McDonald t231">{{cite web |last=McDonald |first=Terrence T. |date=July 27, 2016 |title=Jersey City Loew's groups wins court victory over stripped grant funding |url=https://www.nj.com/hudson/2016/07/jersey_city_loews_groups_wins_court_victory_over_s.html |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=The Jersey Journal |archive-date=December 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213220430/https://www.nj.com/hudson/2016/07/jersey_city_loews_groups_wins_court_victory_over_s.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The ] reversed Velazquez's ruling in April 2017, saying that the lower court had not adequately addressed the city's claim that FOL had ].<ref>{{cite web |date=April 24, 2017 |title=Jersey City Wins 2nd Try In Clash Over Historic Theater |url=https://www.law360.com/articles/916333/jersey-city-wins-2nd-try-in-clash-over-historic-theater |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=Law360 |postscript=none }}; {{cite web |last=Mota |first=Caitlin |date=April 25, 2017 |title=Court erred in ruling between Jersey City and Friends of the Loew's: judges |url=https://www.nj.com/hudson/2017/04/court_errand_in_ruling_between_jersey_city_landmar.html |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=The Jersey Journal |archive-date=December 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213220422/https://www.nj.com/hudson/2017/04/court_errand_in_ruling_between_jersey_city_landmar.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The Jersey City government withdrew its lawsuit against FOL that June.<ref>{{cite web |date=June 13, 2017 |title=Jersey City Drops Lawsuit Against the Friends of Loews |url=https://riverviewobserver.net/jersey-city-drops-lawsuit-friends-loews/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=River View Observer |archive-date=December 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241214024115/https://riverviewobserver.net/jersey-city-drops-lawsuit-friends-loews/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="n161490233">{{Cite news |last=McDonald |first=Terrence T. |date=June 15, 2017 |title=Tensions may be easing between Fulop, Jersey City Loew's group |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-tensions-may-be-easin/161490233/ |access-date=December 24, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=8}}</ref> In addition, the city government announced that it would begin installing fire-safety equipment at the theater, funded by $2.5 million each from the developers of the nearby ] and ] skyscrapers.<ref name="n161490233" /> FOL's lease continued to run until February 2020.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |last=Mirenda |first=Alison |date=February 19, 2020 |title=Friends of the Loew's Contract Expiring Though Group to Remain Involved |url=https://jcitytimes.com/friends-of-the-loews-contract-expiring-though-group-to-remain-involved/ |access-date=December 24, 2024 |website=Jersey City Times |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227153713/https://jcitytimes.com/friends-of-the-loews-contract-expiring-though-group-to-remain-involved/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== 2020s renovation ===
In 2020, the Jersey City government and FOL decided to proceed with a $40 million renovation of the Loew's Jersey.<ref name="p2411471512" /><ref name="TRD 2020 q926">{{cite web |date=June 11, 2020 |title=Jersey City moves forward with $40M renovation of Loew's Theater |url=https://therealdeal.com/new-york/2020/06/11/jersey-city-moves-forward-with-40m-renovation-of-loews-theater/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=The Real Deal |archive-date=December 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213203825/https://therealdeal.com/new-york/2020/06/11/jersey-city-moves-forward-with-40m-renovation-of-loews-theater/ |url-status=live }}</ref> During the ], the theater's marquee displayed messages for the local community, and the auditorium hosted events like graduations that required ].<ref name="West 2024" /> ] (DAE) was selected to renovate the theater in February 2021, at which point the renovation was slated to cost $72 million.<ref name="Heinis s643">{{cite web |last=Heinis |first=John |date=February 22, 2021 |title=Devils Arena Entertainment will take on $72M renovation of Jersey City's Lowe's Theatre |url=https://hudsoncountyview.com/devils-arena-entertainment-will-take-on-72m-renovation-of-jersey-citys-lowes-theatre/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=Hudson County View |postscript=none}}; {{cite web |date=March 3, 2021 |title=NHL Team's Affiliate Takes on Theater Project |url=https://venuesnow.com/nhl-teams-affiliate-takes-on-theater-project/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=VenuesNow|postscript=none}}; {{Cite web |date=February 22, 2021 |title=Jersey City's Historic Loew's Theatre to Undergo $72M Restoration |url=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/jersey-citys-historic-loews-theatre-to-undergo-72m-restoration/2902726/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210616043232/https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/jersey-citys-historic-loews-theatre-to-undergo-72m-restoration/2902726/ |archive-date=June 16, 2021 |access-date=June 15, 2021 |website=NBC New York}}</ref><ref name="Saulsbery u254">{{cite web |last=Saulsbery |first=Gabrielle |date=February 22, 2021 |title=92-year-old theater to get $72M facelift in Jersey City |url=https://njbiz.com/92-year-old-theatre-get-72m-facelift-jersey-city/ |access-date=December 24, 2024 |website=NJBIZ |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227153634/https://njbiz.com/92-year-old-theatre-get-72m-facelift-jersey-city/ |url-status=live }}</ref> As part of DAE's agreement, the company had to stage 20 music, 10 theatrical, and 10 comedy shows each year, in addition to performances sponsored by FOL.<ref name="Fry t519">{{cite web |last=Fry |first=Chris |date=October 21, 2021 |title=Loew's Jersey Theatre Shuts Down For $72 Million Renovation |url=https://jerseydigs.com/loews-jersey-theater-shuts-down-renovation/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=Jersey Digs |archive-date=December 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241214030030/https://jerseydigs.com/loews-jersey-theater-shuts-down-renovation/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The theater's balcony level remained closed, and the theater lacked sprinklers, a functioning air-conditioning system, and wheelchair accessibility.<ref name="DAuria l638" /> The renovation was to include upgraded mechanical systems, upgraded exits, and new concession and ticket areas.<ref name="DAuria l638" /><ref name="Saulsbery u254" /><ref name="Fry t519" /> LED screens would also be installed throughout the theater.<ref name="DAuria w906">{{cite web |last=D'Auria |first=Peter |date=July 21, 2021 |title=Jersey City's Loew's theater renovation advances, but concrete details are scarce |url=https://www.nj.com/hudson/2021/07/jersey-citys-loews-theater-renovation-advances-but-concrete-details-are-scarce.html |access-date=December 23, 2024 |website=The Jersey Journal}}</ref> Removable seats would be installed on the orchestra level to allow the theater to host both concerts and conventions.<ref name="Bergeron i679" />

The redesigned theater needed to meet the ]'s design standards because it was a New Jersey state landmark.<ref name="Leir i159">{{cite web |last=Leir |first=Ron |date=July 21, 2021 |title=Changes to Historic Loew's Theater Approved Despite Harsh Criticism |url=https://jcitytimes.com/changes-to-historic-loews-theater-tentatively-approved-despite-harsh-criticism/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |website=Jersey City Times |archive-date=December 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241223173916/https://jcitytimes.com/changes-to-historic-loews-theater-tentatively-approved-despite-harsh-criticism/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The Jersey City Historic Preservation Commission tentatively approved DAE's proposal for the theater's renovation in July 2021.<ref name="DAuria w906" /><ref name="Leir i159" /> The Loew's Jersey hosted an open house in September 2021 for its 92nd anniversary, and it closed for renovations following a wedding the next month.<ref name="Fry t519" /> The renovation was initially scheduled to take four years.<ref name="Rosario k512">{{cite web |last=Rosario |first=Joshua |date=December 13, 2022 |title='Friends' concerned with JCRA control over Loew's Jersey, but city says landmark theater won't be sold |url=https://www.nj.com/hudson/2022/12/friends-concerned-with-jcra-control-over-loews-jersey-but-city-says-landmark-theater-wont-be-sold.html |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=The Jersey Journal |archive-date=December 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241214012013/https://www.nj.com/hudson/2022/12/friends-concerned-with-jcra-control-over-loews-jersey-but-city-says-landmark-theater-wont-be-sold.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Fry t519" /> The ] was hired to conduct the renovation.<ref name="Bergeron i679">{{cite web |last=Bergeron |first=Tom |date=December 12, 2024 |title=How restoration of historic Loew's Jersey Theatre will reshape Journal Square into premier arts district |url=https://www.roi-nj.com/2024/12/12/lifestyle/how-restoration-of-historic-loews-jersey-theatre-will-reshape-journal-square-into-premier-arts-district/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=ROI-NJ |archive-date=December 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213224558/https://www.roi-nj.com/2024/12/12/lifestyle/how-restoration-of-historic-loews-jersey-theatre-will-reshape-journal-square-into-premier-arts-district/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The Jersey Theatre was listed on the NRHP in 2022,<ref>{{NRHPweekly}}</ref> and the ] (NJEDA) issued a $42.27 million tax credit for the theater's renovation that year.<ref name="Bergeron i679" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Heinis |first=John |date=October 12, 2022 |title=NJEDA awards $42.7M in tax credits for renovations of Jersey City's Loew's Theatre |url=https://hudsoncountyview.com/njeda-awards-42-7m-in-tax-credits-for-renovations-of-jersey-citys-loews-theatre/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |website=Hudson County View |postscript=none |archive-date=December 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241223173917/https://hudsoncountyview.com/njeda-awards-42-7m-in-tax-credits-for-renovations-of-jersey-citys-loews-theatre/ |url-status=live }}; {{Cite news |last=Fazelpoor |first=Matthew |date=October 12, 2022 |title=Jersey City Loew's Theatre awarded $42.27M in tax credits for rehabilitation |work=NJBIZ |id={{ProQuest|2725472168}}}}</ref> The FOL expressed concerns that the city government was planning to sell the theater, but city officials denied these rumors.<ref name="Rosario k512" /> At the end of 2022, the Jersey City Municipal Council voted to transfer ownership of the theater to the Jersey City Redevelopment Authority (JCRA), which would allow the NJEDA to issue tax credits to the theater.<ref>{{cite web |last=Sullivan |first=Al |date=August 17, 2011 |title=Loew's Theater Renovation Moves Forward with Transfer to JCRA |url=https://www.tapinto.net/towns/jersey-city/sections/arts-and-entertainment/articles/loew-s-theater-renovation-moves-forward-with-transfer-to-jcra |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=TAPinto |postscript=none }}; {{cite web |last=Koosau |first=Mark |date=January 12, 2023 |title=Loew's Theatre transfer, police brutality settlement OK'd by Jersey City Council |url=https://www.nj.com/hudson/2023/01/loews-theatre-transfer-police-brutality-settlement-okd-by-jersey-city-council.html |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=The Jersey Journal |archive-date=December 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241214012004/https://www.nj.com/hudson/2023/01/loews-theatre-transfer-police-brutality-settlement-okd-by-jersey-city-council.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

By mid-2023, the renovation cost had increased to $105 million;<ref name="Morrill a632">{{cite web |last=Morrill |first=Aaron |date=February 29, 2024 |title=McGreevey Questions Rising Tab for Loew's Theatre Renovation |url=https://jcitytimes.com/mcgreevey-questions-rising-tab-for-loews-theatre-renovation/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=Jersey City Times |postscript=none |archive-date=December 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241214034843/https://jcitytimes.com/mcgreevey-questions-rising-tab-for-loews-theatre-renovation/ |url-status=live }}; {{cite web |last=Heinis |first=John |date=February 29, 2024 |title=McGreevey questions $33M renovation cost hike for Jersey City's Loew's Theatre |url=https://hudsoncountyview.com/mcgreevey-questions-33m-renovation-cost-hike-for-jersey-citys-loews-theatre/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=Hudson County View }}</ref><ref name="Rosario y404">{{cite web |last=Rosario |first=Joshua |date=July 17, 2023 |title=Cost of renovating landmark Loew's Jersey theater balloons to $105 million |url=https://www.nj.com/hudson/2023/07/cost-of-renovating-landmark-loews-jersey-theater-balloons-to-105-million.html |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=The Jersey Journal |archive-date=December 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213212251/https://www.nj.com/hudson/2023/07/cost-of-renovating-landmark-loews-jersey-theater-balloons-to-105-million.html |url-status=live }}</ref> the reason for the increased cost was not fully explained, as construction had not even started.<ref name="Rosario y404" /> Former governor ], who was campaigning to become the mayor of Jersey City, requested that the JCRA explain the cost increases.<ref name="Morrill a632" /> To facilitate the renovations, Phelps proposed temporarily closing a heavily-used alley next to the theater, but residents opposed the closure.<ref>{{cite web |last=Koosau |first=Mark |date=March 24, 2024 |title=Loew's theater drama: Jersey City plan to close alley shortcut angers cast of thousand (commuters) |url=https://www.nj.com/hudson/2024/03/loews-theater-drama-jersey-city-plan-to-close-alley-shortcut-angers-cast-of-thousand-commuters.html |access-date=December 20, 2024 |website=The Jersey Journal |postscript=none }}; {{cite web |last=Leir |first=Ron |date=March 16, 2024 |title='Don't Close Loews Alley,' Jersey City Residents Urge City Leaders |url=https://jcitytimes.com/dont-close-loews-alley-jersey-city-residents-urge-city-leaders/ |access-date=December 20, 2024 |website=Jersey City Times |archive-date=August 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240827091040/https://jcitytimes.com/dont-close-loews-alley-jersey-city-residents-urge-city-leaders/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In November 2024, workers removed the original marquee to replace it with a digital sign.<ref name="West 2024">{{cite web |last=West |first=Teri |title=Sign of the times for new Journal Square: Iconic Loew's Jersey marquee destroyed to make way for digital sign |website=The Jersey Journal |date=November 3, 2024 |url=https://www.nj.com/hudson/2024/11/sign-of-the-times-for-new-journal-square-iconic-loews-jersey-marquee-destroyed-to-make-way-for-digital-sign.html?outputType=amp |access-date=November 6, 2024 |archive-date=November 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241108113544/https://www.nj.com/hudson/2024/11/sign-of-the-times-for-new-journal-square-iconic-loews-jersey-marquee-destroyed-to-make-way-for-digital-sign.html?outputType=amp |url-status=live }}</ref> By the end of the year, the reopening had been postponed to late 2026.<ref name="Bergeron i679" />

== Notable people and events ==
In the 1920s and 1930s, the Loew's Jersey hosted performers such as ],<ref name="Morrill w880" /> ], ], and ].<ref name="p2411471512" /><ref name="Morrill w880" /> Other celebrities that appeared there included ], ],<ref name="n161444436">{{Cite news |last=Torres |first=Agustin C. |date=September 28, 2004 |title=Loew's Jersey takes step back in time for 75th birthday |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-loews-jersey-takes-s/161444436/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=A1, |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227163051/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-loews-jersey-takes-s/161444436/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ], ], and the ].<ref name="n161283297" /> In addition, actors like ], ], and ] visited the theater to promote their films.<ref name="Morrill w880" /><ref name="Rosario k512" /> After it reopened, the Loew's Jersey hosted performances by musicians including ],<ref name="n161437160">{{Cite news |last=Fink |first=Jason |date=May 7, 2003 |title=Singing the blues |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-singing-the-bluesjas/161437160/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=A1, |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227152928/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-singing-the-bluesjas/161437160/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ],<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 14, 2006 |title=Sexy Vina comes to Jersey's Loew's Theatre |work=Filipino Reporter |page=69 |id={{ProQuest|368067016}}}}</ref> ],<ref name="Bennett a210">{{cite news |last=Bennett |first=Bruce |date=November 2, 2011 |title=A Different Tune for Paul Sorvino |url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203804204577014003967094054.html |access-date=December 24, 2024 |work=The Wall Street Journal |language=en-US |issn=0099-9660}}</ref> ], ], ], and ].<ref name="Morrill w880" /> It has also hosted bands such as ], ], ], and ].<ref name="Morrill w880" /> In addition, the annual ] was hosted at the Loew's Jersey Theatre in the 2010s.<ref>{{cite web |last=Mosca |first=David |date=September 15, 2021 |title=Golden Door Film festival returns for tenth year in Jersey City |url=https://www.nj.com/hudson/2021/09/golden-door-film-festival-returns-for-ninth-year-in-jersey-city.html |access-date=December 22, 2024 |website=The Jersey Journal |archive-date=December 22, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241222214349/https://www.nj.com/hudson/2021/09/golden-door-film-festival-returns-for-ninth-year-in-jersey-city.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Loew's Jersey was used for film, video, and photography shoots starting with the 1990s renovation.<ref name="n161427069">{{Cite news |last=Petrick |first=John |date=March 20, 1997 |title=Rockin' Loew's |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-rockin-loewsjohn-p/161427069/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=22}}</ref> For example, the theater was used as a filming location for the movies ],<ref name="p109772444">{{cite news |last=Young |first=Lucie |date=August 7, 1997 |title=Currents: Restoration In a Featured Role |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |pages=C3 |id={{ProQuest|109772444}}}}</ref> ],<ref name="n161386644">{{Cite news |last=Walters |first=Michael K. |date=October 6, 1997 |title=Disco lives! – in film's flashback at the Loew's |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-disco-lives-in-fil/161386644/ |access-date=December 22, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=34}}</ref> '']'',<ref>{{Cite news |last=Petrick |first=John |date=May 14, 1998 |title=Two movies wrap Hudson scenes |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-two-movies-wrap-hudso/161430220/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=17 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227153424/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-two-movies-wrap-hudso/161430220/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and '']'',<ref>{{cite web |last=Fry |first=Chris |date=November 19, 2018 |title=Loew's Jersey City Transformed for Upcoming Appearance in 'The Joker' |url=https://jerseydigs.com/loews-jersey-city-filming-location-joker/ |access-date=December 24, 2024 |website=Jersey Digs |postscript=none |archive-date=September 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240911132446/https://jerseydigs.com/loews-jersey-city-filming-location-joker/ |url-status=live }}; {{cite web |last=Atmonavage |first=Joe |date=October 1, 2018 |title=See behind the scenes of the 'Joker' movie filming in N.J. |url=https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2018/09/jersey_city_joker_movie_filming.html |access-date=December 24, 2024 |website=The Jersey Journal |archive-date=March 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326020351/https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2018/09/jersey_city_joker_movie_filming.html |url-status=live }}</ref> in addition to the TV special ''TSO: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve''.<ref name="p313713136">{{cite news |date=December 14, 1999 |title=Jeanne Moreau Making 'ER' House Call |work=New York Daily News |issn=2692-1251 |page=106 |id={{ProQuest|313713136}}}}</ref> and an episode of ].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Heinis |first=John |date=September 23, 2011 |title='Cake Boss' Picks Winner |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-cake-boss-picks-win/161484130/ |access-date=December 24, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=3}}</ref> It was also featured in music videos for ]'s song "]",<ref name="n161426315">{{Cite news |last=Perry |first=Claudia |date=December 7, 1997 |title=Something in the way it looks brings Elton to Jersey theater |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-something-in-the-way-it/161426315/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Star-Ledger |pages=4 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227154336/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-something-in-the-way-it/161426315/ |url-status=live }}</ref> as well as for music videos by the singer ],<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 11, 1997 |title=Music notes |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-music-notes/161427296/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=The Star-Ledger |pages=79 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227153952/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-music-notes/161427296/ |url-status=live }}</ref> the band ], and the band ].<ref name="n161427069" /> The theater was used as a filming location for ]'s film ''A Perfect Christmas'' in 2006,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Theodore |first=Jeff |date=August 12, 2006 |title=Christmas Trees Galore |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-christmas-trees-galor/161450556/ |access-date=December 24, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=3 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227154826/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-christmas-trees-galor/161450556/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and one of the Loew's events inspired the 2010 documentary film ''Saturday Nightmares'', which was shot at the theater.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cerbo |first=Toni-Ann |date=December 24, 2010 |title=Love of Loew's, horror turns into film |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-love-of-loews-horro/161483267/ |access-date=December 24, 2024 |work=The Jersey Journal |pages=37 |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227155434/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jersey-journal-love-of-loews-horro/161483267/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The band ] shot a music video for the single "]" from their 2011 album '']'' at the Loew's Jersey.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hortillosa |first=Summer Dawn |date=February 21, 2011 |url=http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/index.ssf?%2Fbase%2Fnews-5%2F1298273119205280.xml&coll=3 |title=The Strokes visit Jersey City to shoot music video at Landmark Loew's Jersey Theatre |work=The Jersey Journal |access-date=February 22, 2022 |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303202133/http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/index.ssf?%2Fbase%2Fnews-5%2F1298273119205280.xml&coll=3 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Critical reception ==
When the theater opened, the ''Bayonne Evening News'' wrote that the facade was imposing and that the interior "reflects the utmost in magnificence and structural skill".<ref name="n160855123" /> The ] described the theater as "magnificently constructed and sumptuously decorated",<ref name="p1112002242" /> while the ''Jersey Journal'' praised the "grandeur of the interior".<ref name="NPS p. 32" /> Another source described the theater as New Jersey's "most lavish temple of music and entertainment".<ref name="n161263573" /> ''Boxoffice'' magazine wrote in 1969 that the Jersey Theatre had "embodied virtually every new feature in theatrical elegance, convenience and mechanical equipment" when it opened.<ref name="p1476049914" /> '']'' of ], wrote that the theater had been "New Jersey's answer to ]".<ref name="p425438882" />

When the Jersey Theatre shuttered as a movie palace in 1986, the ''Jersey Journal'' said: "For many, a chapter of history has ended."<ref name="n161317751" /> ''The New York Times'' wrote in 1992, "The cavernous auditorium sits neglected, suspended in time like a cathedral in a war zone."<ref name="NYT 1992 v687" /> Another writer for the same newspaper, in 1997, compared the theater's interior to those of ].<ref name="p109772444" /> The next year, a critic for ''Film Journal International'' wrote that, despite its dilapidated condition, the theater still resembled a grand European ].<ref name="p1286212671" />

After the theater partly reopened in the 2000s, a writer for ''The Clifton Journal'' wrote that the interiors were comparable to those of ] or ],<ref name="n161441712">{{Cite news |last=Monahan |first=Melissa |date=April 10, 2003 |title=Loew's Jersey accentuates the positive |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/clifton-journal-loews-jersey-accentuate/161441712/ |access-date=December 23, 2024 |work=Clifton Journal |page=B1}}</ref> while Egan likened the building to a Venetian or Parisian building.<ref name="n161443269" /> ''The Record'' described the theater as "one of last and grandest movie cathedrals".<ref name="p425775820" /> A ''Times'' writer said in 2004 that the theater's design evoked nostalgia in longtime Jersey City residents, while newcomers would be "blown away by the over-the-top rococo lobby".<ref>{{cite web |last=Stapinski |first=Helene |date=May 23, 2004 |title=Urban Survival; Great Escapes, No Beach House Needed |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/23/nyregion/urban-survival-great-escapes-no-beach-house-needed.html |access-date=December 23, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=July 25, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240725191911/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/23/nyregion/urban-survival-great-escapes-no-beach-house-needed.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2013, '']'' described the Loew's Jersey as one of several New York City–area movie theaters with "exteriors that loom large", describing the Jersey in particular as "outlandishly Rococo".<ref>{{cite news |last=Paletta |first=Anthony |date=June 10, 2013 |title=Movie Theaters Roll Out Marquee Architecture; New Movie Houses Across the City Are Drawing Attention With Design Plans |work=The Wall Street Journal |issn=0099-9660 |id={{ProQuest|1365935263}}}}</ref> '']'' wrote in 2014 that "glimpses of its former glory are visible once the eyes adjust to the darkness".<ref name="Goldstein t279" /> A reviewer for '']'' in 2017 compared the theater to a palace, although he said that the film quality suffered slightly because of the auditorium's large size and the use of physical ].<ref name="n161491647">{{Cite news |last=Olivier |first=Bobby |date=March 3, 2017 |title=Be surrounded by beauty in this film 'palace' |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-be-surrounded-by-beauty/161491647/ |access-date=December 24, 2024 |work=The Star-Ledger |pages=19}}</ref>

==See also==
* ]
* ]

==References==

=== Notes ===
{{Notelist}}

===Citations===
{{reflist}}

===Sources===
* {{cite report |url=https://nj.gov/dep/hpo/1identify/SRB/2021-11-18/NJ_Hudson_Loews_Jersey_Theatre_combined.pdf |title=Historic Structures Report: Loew's Jersey Theatre |date=April 25, 2022 |publisher=], ] |ref={{harvid|National Park Service|2022}}}}
* {{cite report|url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_NY/12000534.pdf|title=Historic Structures Report: Loew's Kings Theatre|date=July 6, 2012|publisher=], ]|ref={{harvid|National Park Service|2012}}}}
* {{cite report |url=https://s-media.nyc.gov/agencies/lpc/lp/0656.pdf |title=United Palace (Formerly Loew's 175th Street Theatre) |date=December 13, 2016 |publisher=] |ref={{Harvid|Landmarks Preservation Commission|2016}}}}


==External links== ==External links==
{{Commons category|Loew's Jersey Theatre}}
*
* {{Official website|http://www.loewsjersey.org/}}
*

{{Jersey City}}
{{Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment}}


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Latest revision as of 18:32, 29 December 2024

Theater in Jersey City, New Jersey

Loew's Jersey Theatre
The facade as seen in 2006
Address54 Journal Square
Jersey City, New Jersey
United States
Coordinates40°43′56″N 74°03′52″W / 40.732330°N 74.064567°W / 40.732330; -74.064567
Public transitJournal Square Transportation Center
OwnerGovernment of Jersey City
OperatorDevils Arena Entertainment
TypeMovie palace
CapacityAt least 3,021
Current useEntertainment venue
Construction
OpenedSeptember 28, 1929
ClosedAugust 21, 1986 (as movie palace)
Rebuilt1986–2001, 2021–present
Years active1929–1986 (as movie palace), 2001–present (as event venue)
ArchitectRapp and Rapp
Website
loewsjersey.org Edit this at Wikidata
Loew's Jersey Theatre
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
New Jersey Register of Historic Places
Location54 Journal Square, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
Architectural styleLate 19th & 20th Century Revivals; Baroque Revival
NRHP reference No.100007648
NJRHP No.1518
Significant dates
Added to NRHPApril 25, 2022
Designated NJRHPMarch 10, 2022 (original date August 15, 1985)

The Loew's Jersey Theatre (also the Loew's Jersey City Theatre) is a theater and live performance venue at 54 Journal Square in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States. Designed by Rapp and Rapp as a movie palace, it opened on September 28, 1929, as one of five Loew's Wonder Theatres in the New York City area. Owned by the government of Jersey City, the Jersey Theatre has been operated by Devils Arena Entertainment (DAE) since 2021. It is listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places.

The Jersey Theatre occupies an irregular site and is divided into two sections: the lobby section and the auditorium. The lobby section has an elaborate terracotta facade with a marquee, a mechanical Seth Thomas clock, and a sculpture of Saint George fighting a fire-breathing dragon. The entrance leads to a vestibule and a lobby with high ceilings, in addition to several foyers and lounges. The auditorium has at least 3,021 seats on two levels, with an elaborately decorated proscenium arch, walls, and ceilings. Like the other Wonder Theaters, the Loew's Jersey Theatre featured a "Wonder Morton" theater pipe organ manufactured by the Robert Morton Organ Company; the current organ was taken from the Paradise Theater in the Bronx, New York.

Loew's Theatres began developing a theater in Journal Square in 1927. The Jersey Theatre originally presented films and live shows, although the live shows were discontinued in 1935. The theater slowly declined after World War II, screening films almost exclusively, and was split into three screening rooms in 1974. The Jersey Theatre closed in August 1986 after Hartz Mountain Industries acquired the theater with the intent of demolishing it and redeveloping the site. Supporters of the theater's preservation formed Friends of the Loew's (FOL), which began restoring the theater after Jersey City's government bought it in 1993. The theater partially reopened for performances in 2001. After several unsuccessful attempts to lease the theater to a third party, Jersey City officials leased the theater to DAE in early 2021. DAE closed the theater later that year for an extensive renovation, which, as of 2024, is planned to be completed in 2026.

Description

The Jersey Theatre is located at 54 Journal Square in the Journal Square neighborhood of Jersey City, New Jersey, United States. The theater is on an irregular site on the western sidewalk of Kennedy Boulevard, just west of the Journal Square Transportation Center. It is divided into two sections: the lobby section to the east and the auditorium to the west. The PATH railroad tracks run slightly north of the theater. Directly to the south is an alley known as Journal Square Concourse West or Gloria Esposito Way, which links Kennedy Boulevard and Magnolia Avenue. The theater is surrounded by commercial and office structures, including Journal Squared to the east and One Journal Square and 26 Journal Square to the south.

The Jersey Theatre was designed by the firm of Rapp and Rapp. Observers have variously categorized the Jersey Theatre's style as Spanish Baroque, Italian rococo, or "dripping gold-leaf style". The theater was one of five Loew's Wonder Theatres in the New York City area and the only one outside New York City proper. The other Wonder Theatres were the Paradise Theatre in the Bronx, the 175th Street Theatre in Manhattan, the Valencia Theatre in Queens, and the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn. The Jersey Theatre was also one of three large movie theaters on Journal Square, along with the State Theatre and the Stanley Theatre.

Facade

Journal Square elevation

The primary elevation of the facade faces east toward Journal Square. The facade is clad in cream-colored terracotta and is split vertically into an ornate central bay and two outer bays. On Journal Square, the lobby section is accessed by a wide doorway. The doors are recessed slightly from the facade, and there is a bronze ticket booth protruding from the middle of the storefront, separating the doors into two sets of four. Bronze columns divide the front of the ticket booth into several sections with bronze panels and glass panes. Above the doorway is an arched transom window. The original marquee above the doorway was curved, but it was replaced in 1949 with a rectangular sign flanked by two rectangular light boxes. In 2024, the marquee was again replaced with an LED sign.

To the north (or right) of the main entrance, under the marquee, is a black-marble exit doorway with sign boxes and a recessed double door. To the south (left) of the main entrance is a single-story storefront with a glass frieze above it. Approximately half of the storefront is covered by the marquee, while the remainder is topped by a terracotta cornice.

Above the marquee, the central bay is surrounded by a curved frame and includes motifs such as an urn, flowers, a fruit bowl, and cherubs. Atop the frame is a clock manufactured by the Seth Thomas Clock Company, measuring approximately 10 by 12 feet (3.0 by 3.7 m) across. There is also an arched niche with animated figures of Saint George slaying a dragon, although it is unknown who made the figures. The Saint George and dragon figures are made of bronze and are each 6 feet (1.8 m) tall. The dragon figure could move its jaws, and it also had a red light bulb behind its mouth. Every fifteen minutes, a 550-pound (250 kg) bell rang once, and the dragon's mouth moved to reveal the lightbulb while Saint George raised his sword. A separate 250-pound (110 kg) bell rang every hour; due to noise ordinances, this bell did not ring after 10:00 p.m.

The central and outer bays are separated by pilasters with fluting. The outer bays each contain terracotta frames, and there is a face with a mask at the top of each frame. A frieze runs atop the eastern elevation of the facade. Both outer bays are topped by elaborate parapets with urns and asymmetrical pinnacles; the northern pinnacle, on the right, is taller. Behind the main entrance's facade is the auditorium's facade, which is made of buff-colored brick. The top of the auditorium's facade has a terracotta parapet that steps up toward a medallion at its center. There is also a chimney at the southern end of the auditorium's eastern facade.

Other elevations

The north elevation, facing a neighboring department store, is made of buff brick with terracotta decorations. Within the theater's eastern (lobby) section, the north elevation consists of three arched panels made of terracotta. Above the lobby's north elevation is a terracotta frieze with a medallion at its center. The theater's western (auditorium) section is also divided into three arched terracotta panels, which are each topped by shields with leaves. There are pilasters between each of the auditorium's panels, in addition to pilasters at the extreme western end of the facade. Above the auditorium's north elevation is another terracotta frieze with shields above each of the three panels, as well as a stepped parapet, similar to the one atop the Journal Square elevation.

The south and west elevations curve into each other and are both plain in design. The south elevation is made of buff brick and faces the adjacent alley, while the west elevation is made of red brick and faces the cul-de-sac at Magnolia Avenue. On the south elevation, the eastern section of the ground story is clad in stucco, and there is a terracotta cornice and a setback above the ground-story storefront. Behind the setback, the easternmost section of the south elevation's upper stories is decorated with a terracotta panel, while the rest of the upper-story facade is clad in plain brick. The west elevation, and the westernmost section of the south elevation, are similar in style except for the brick color. There are several doorways at ground level, a belt course above these doorways, and a fire escape with a canopy.

Interior

When the theater opened, the interior was described as being decorated in the Italian baroque style. It included a collection of expensive and rare art from Europe. These included furnishings, bronzes, canvases, and clocks from England, France, Germany, and Italy. There was also an air-conditioning system that distributed cooled air throughout the building. At the time of the theater's opening, Loew's characterized the theater as "equal to a trip to the mountains, sea or country".

Vestibule

The ceiling of the lobby

The main entrance leads to a vestibule with white and black marble finishes on the walls. The vestibule has a plaster crown molding with leaves and flowers, in addition to a plaster ceiling with medallions and a chandelier. The vestibule's eastern wall has bronze-and-glass doors leading from the entrance, and the western wall has a nearly identical set of doors leading to the lobby. There were originally black-and-white marble ticket booths on the north and south walls of the vestibule, though only the south ticket booth is still extant. There is also a doorway on the north wall, leading to a passage to the theater's northern exit, and a doorway on the south wall, leading to the theater's offices. The office of the theater's assistant manager, to the south, was converted to a restroom in the 2000s.

Lobby

The lobby is elliptical and has a gold and gray color scheme with blue and red accents. It is elaborately decorated with such motifs as medallions, cherubs, cartouches, faces, floral patterns, fleurs-de-lis, gold ropes, putti, and urns. The terrazzo floor is covered with carpets. The center of the lobby is surrounded by columns in the Corinthian order; the bottoms of the marble columns are clad in copper and rest on marble pedestals. The lower portions of the walls have marble wainscoting, and the lobby's rear wall had mirrors with gilded frames, There are also niches with gold mosaic tiles. The ceiling rises three stories above the ground story and is domed. A six-tiered bronze-and-crystal chandelier is suspended from the center of the ceiling, which cost $60,000 to install.

A pair of curving stairs leads from the lobby to a mezzanine. The staircase on the southern wall has a white-marble newel post with an elaborate lamp, in addition to a bronze balustrade, and fabric panels along the wall. The south staircase's intermediate landing has a gold-tiled niche. The staircase on the northern wall has a bronze balustrade, similar to the one on the south staircase.

The mezzanine, along the main lobby's perimeter, is placed behind the Corinthian columns and has a bronze railing. The mezzanine's outer walls have brocade panels and mirrors, while the coffered ceiling has gold-colored medallions. There were originally velvet furniture along the mezzanine. The northern and southern portions of the mezzanine both have two niches, one each to the west and east, which have turquoise walls and gold-colored plaster decorations. At the eastern end of the mezzanine is the music gallery, which has a domed ceiling, plaster decorations, and walls with brocade panels and mirrors. It originally had a piano, a china collection, paintings, and bronze and silver figures; some of the items were salvaged from one of the Vanderbilt residences in New York City.

Foyers and galleries

The lobby's ground level connects with the orchestra-level foyer to the west. That space had a red-carpeted floor; a wall with marble wainscoting, gilded pilasters, and red fabric panels; freestanding square piers; and a ceiling with medallions and gold leaf. The orchestra foyer also had an antique French clock. Fireproof kalamein doors on the south wall lead to the basement, while those to the west lead to the auditorium.

The mezzanine foyer, directly above the orchestra foyer, has a red carpet, in addition to blue walls with red brocade panels and golden pilasters. The mezzanine had a pool with live goldfish, which was removed in 1974. This pool is flanked by niches with gold and green tiles. Fireproof kalamein doors lead off the mezzanine foyer to the theater's lounges and restrooms. The ceiling has plaster medallions and gold-and-green decorations.

Next to the mezzanine foyer are separate sets of rooms for men and women, each of which include a restroom, a separate washroom, and a lounge; the women's rooms also include an octagonal room for cosmetics. The men's rooms are to the north, while the women's rooms are to the south. The men's lounge is designed in the Elizabethan style and includes a wood-grained fireplace mantel and plaster decorations. The men's restrooms and washrooms have tile floors and walls, in addition to marble partitions. The women's lounge has a marble fireplace mantel with a mirror; plasterwork pilasters, cornices, and ceilings; wooden wainscoting; and a carpeted floor. The women's restroom and washroom have similar floors, walls, and partitions to the corresponding men's room, though the women's restroom was built with only seven stalls. The cosmetic room has marble wainscoting, a carpeted floor, and plaster decorations.

Staircases from the mezzanine's north and south walls ascend to a balcony-level foyer, which leads to the upper section of the auditorium's balcony. The staircases have bronze railings, walls with fabric panels, and plaster ceilings with moldings. On the balcony foyer itself, the walls are divided into panels with gold borders, and there are velvet curtains.

Auditorium

The auditorium originally had 3,021, 3,300, or 3,600 seats. The seats are spread across a parterre-level orchestra and a balcony level. On both levels, seats face the stage to the west. The balcony is on the auditorium's eastern end and is divided into rear (upper) and front (lower) sections. The lower balcony's south and north walls include hallways to the lobby mezzanine, while the upper balcony is accessed via the balcony foyer. There are two projection booths behind the orchestra-level seats, next to the foyer, which were built in the 1970s when the orchestra level was divided into two screening rooms. Behind the balcony was a room for members of the press. Battisti Studios was responsible for much of the interior design.

Design features

There are plaster decorations covered with gold leaf. The auditorium is decorated with murals, Greek cross patterns, medallions, gold panels, painted niches, and plaster medallions. The decorations themselves were designed to distribute sound across the auditorium, and a custom chemical mixture was applied to the walls and ceiling to ensure that sound was distributed evenly throughout the theater. At the balcony level, the north and south walls each have three large arches, which each contain red-velvet draperies with gold fringes, in addition to canopies with walnut and gold-colored decorations. Behind these draperies are multicolored lights. In addition, there is a gold-colored balustrade with plaster decorations at the front of the lower balcony. The ceiling was painted blue, with ivory and gold leaf decoration. The auditorium was illuminated by a ten-tiered chandelier with bronze and crystals. The lights within the chandelier could change color to accompany the sound films that were being screened.

On the auditorium's western wall is a proscenium arch. This arch is decorated with panels made of veined marble, in addition to various cartouches. On either side of the proscenium arch is an organ loft, which is flanked by four elaborate columns that are topped by a cornice and a domed canopy. Velvet draperies are hung from the organ lofts' cornices. The current movie screen, within the proscenium arch, measures 25 by 50 feet (7.6 by 15.2 m) across and was installed in 2002. The stage is variously cited as measuring 33 by 72 feet (10 by 22 m), or 35 by 75 feet (11 by 23 m), across. The orchestra pit in front of the stage could fit 45 musicians. There is a fly system about 80 feet (24 m) above the stage, in addition to multiple lifts beneath the stage and orchestra pit. In the orchestra pit, there are separate lifts for the piano, organ, and orchestra; the lift below the organ is capable of revolving.

Backstage, sets for up to ten live acts could be prepared in advance. The basement was originally divided into rehearsal and storage space, in addition to 50 dressing rooms. The former dressing rooms are placed along the basement's perimeter, measuring about 12 feet (3.7 m) wide and about 12 to 20 feet (3.7 to 6.1 m) long. The center of the basement had a trap room (located directly under the stage) and property rooms. There was a corridor where performers could enter the orchestra lift; as a safety measure, the orchestra lift could not move if any of the doors in that corridor were open. Underneath the seating areas was a plenum space, which was part of the ventilation system. The basement's eastern end was originally divided into ushers' rooms.

Organ

Like the other Wonder Theatres, the Loew's Jersey Theatre has a "Wonder Morton" theater pipe organ manufactured by the Robert Morton Organ Company. The organ features a console with 4 manuals and 23 ranks of pipes. The Jersey's original organ was removed from the theater in 1949. It was moved to the Arlington Theatre in Santa Barbara, California, in 1986, and the organ was rededicated there in 1988.

The current organ console, which had always been intended for installation at the Jersey, was initially installed in the Paradise Theatre by accident. After being removed from the Paradise Theatre, the organ was sold several times before it ended up in Kansas City, Missouri. The organ was moved in 1997 to the Jersey Theatre, where it was rededicated in 2007. The current organ is formally known as the Bob Balfour Memorial Wonder Morton and is the only Wonder Morton still being used at a Wonder Theatre. It is variously cited as having 1,678 or 1,799 pipes. Like the original organ, it has 4 manuals and 23 ranks of pipes and can play sound effects such as thunder and car horns. The pipes are located in the organ lofts and each measure between 5 inches (0.42 ft; 0.13 m) and 16 feet (4.9 m) tall. Pressurized air flows into the pipes from ducts measuring 18 inches (460 mm) wide and over 50 feet (15 m) long. To operate the organ, the operator presses one of several foot pedals at the organ console, which control the amount of air flowing through each air pipe.

Use as movie palace

Movie palaces became common in the 1920s between the end of World War I and the beginning of the Great Depression. In the New York City area, only a small number of operators were involved in the construction of movie palaces. Relatively few architects were responsible for these theaters' designs, including legitimate theater architects Thomas Lamb, C. Howard Crane, and John Eberson. By the late 1920s, numerous movie palaces were being developed in outlying neighborhoods in New York City; previously, the city's movie palaces had been concentrated in Midtown Manhattan. The five Wonder Theatres were developed by Loew's Inc., which at the time was competing with Paramount-Publix. In 1927, Loew's president Nicholas Schenck agreed to take over five sites from Paramount-Publix, in exchange for agreeing not to build competing theaters in Chicago; these five sites became the Wonder Theatres.

Development and opening

View of the PATH railroad tracks at Journal Square. The Jersey Theater is at right, across the tracks. A bridge is located to the left.
The Jersey Theatre (right) is located next to the PATH's Journal Square station.

In 1922, the Pennsylvania Railroad sold a tract of vacant land next to the Hudson & Manhattan Railroad's (H&M) Summit Avenue station (now the PATH's Journal Square station), known as the bowl, for $218,000. New York City businessman Henry S. Kerbaugh was recorded as the owner of the bowl. The Bergen Square Realty Company, also operated by Kerbaugh, acquired the land in January 1923 for $2.46 million. Kerbaugh announced plans in 1925 for a garage and showroom on the bowl site. The bowl plan evolved into a $3 million project for a theater and 16-story office building. The project was contingent on the Jersey City government's approval of a roadway connecting Journal Square with Pavonia Avenue to the north. However, this roadway was not approved, and the project languished.

By 1927, Loew's was planning a theater near the Journal Square bowl, one of several development projects in the neighborhood. The site was chosen because it was easily visible from Journal Square and was close to the H&M station there. The theater, which had originally been intended to be constructed in Staten Island, New York, was planned in conjunction with a 17-story hotel in Journal Square, developed by Bowman-Biltmore Hotels. In mid-1927, Loew's received permission to remove part of the adjoining Plaza Bridge's balustrade to make way for the theater, provided that plans for the theater were finished in six months. However, Rapp and Rapp were unable to finish their plans on time. Due to the growing popularity of talking films, the theater was redesigned partway through the development process to accommodate these types of movies. The modifications included acoustic improvements to distribute sound evenly through the auditorium. J. J. Schneberger obtained a construction permit for a 4,000-seat Loew's theater in early 1928. That July, Loew's awarded a $3 million construction contract for a new theater to the Masem Construction Company. The theater was nearly complete by April 1929.

Despite an ongoing advertiser boycott of The Jersey Journal, Loew's ran large numbers of advertisements in that newspaper prior to the theater's opening. When the theater opened on September 28, 1929, its first film was Madame X. The Jersey Theatre was the third Wonder Theatre to open that month, after the Paradise and Kings theaters, which had opened on September 7. The Loew's Jersey had cost $2 million and was the first movie theater in New Jersey to be developed specifically for sound films. The theater's opening featured performances from local musicians, directed by Don Albert; in addition, the actor George K. Arthur greeted visitors at the opening. Ben Black was the original master of ceremonies, Leo Weber was its original organist, and George Dumond was its first managing director.

Operation

When it opened, the Loew's Jersey City presented first runs of films produced by United Artists and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, along with newsreels, short films, and stage shows that had already been performed at the Capitol Theatre in Manhattan. First-run films were screened at the Jersey City Theatre before they appeared in any other movie theater in the state. Stage shows from the Capitol Theatre were successively sent to the Loew's Paradise, Kings, Valencia, and Jersey City theaters. In its early years, the Jersey City Theater hosted first runs of films, interspersed with dance revues, vaudeville, graduation ceremonies, and contests. Patrons originally paid 25 cents for front-row seats and 20 cents for all other seats, and a new show was hosted every week. The theater screened a wide variety of films throughout its history, ranging from the 1939 film Gone with the Wind to the 1986 film Howard the Duck. The Loew's Jersey City was a frequent hangout for North Jersey couples.

1920s to 1940s

Seen at dusk

The orchestras at the Jersey City Theatre and Loew's other theaters began performing at alternating Loew's theaters in late 1929. Loew's also hosted competitions on the Jersey City Theatre's stage, and the theater broadcast weekly music performances over the radio. In 1930, Loew's installed a Trans-tone wide screen at the Jersey City Theatre. Jersey City mayor Frank Hague arranged a major celebration for the theater's first anniversary, which was celebrated by the cutting of a massive cake. The Bayonne Times reported that the theater was often filled to capacity. The theater's stage shows were rescheduled in 1931 so that they opened on Fridays, rather than on Saturdays as they previously had. By then, the Jersey City Theatre was one of the few Loew's theaters that still hosted vaudeville. A concession stand was also added to the theater in approximately the early 1930s. The theater recorded more than a million annual patrons in the 1930s, maintaining its popularity despite the onset of the Great Depression.

Loew's began hosting five-act vaudeville shows at the Jersey in 1932. The 1933 season, which included performances by Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Bojangles Robinson, and Milton Berle, was typical of the theater's offerings. According to some accounts, Frank Sinatra decided to become a singer after seeing one of Crosby's shows at the Loew's Jersey City. The theater hosted an even more elaborate stage show, featuring the actors George Jessel and Jackie Cooper, to celebrate its fifth anniversary in 1934. Loew's decided to stop hosting live shows at the Jersey City Theatre in August 1935, switching to an all-film program. At the time, the company was eliminating vaudeville shows from most of its theaters. The screening of China Seas the same month marked the first time that a film had been screened at the Jersey City Theatre for more than a week. Film screenings at the theater continued to attract large crowds into the late 1930s.

The Jersey City Theatre sold war bonds for the United States military during World War II, and there may briefly have been live shows during the war as well. The theater hosted symphony concerts each Sunday through 1945, and it also hosted an annual beauty contest. After Dumond retired as the theater's manager in 1945, James Kolbeck took over. Under Kolbeck's leadership, the theater was renovated. For instance, the orchestra pit and the original organ were covered in 1949, as the theater no longer hosted live shows at that point. In addition, a "Glascreen" movie screen was installed the same year. A new marquee was added in 1949, and a new air-conditioning system was added as well. One of the theater's later managers recalled that the air-conditioning system had helped increase attendance during the summertime.

1950s to early 1980s

Following the U.S. Supreme Court's 1948 ruling in United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc., Loew's Theaters was forced to split up its film-production and film-exhibition divisions. As part of the split, William Analante took over as the theater's manager. Additionally, a 1,000-square-foot (93 m) panoramic screen was installed at the theater in 1953, and lenses and projectors were added. Patronage declined by 50% in the decades after World War II. By the 1960s, Loew's Theaters Inc. had begun to struggle financially, and the chain closed some of its larger theaters due to high expenses. In addition, urban residents had begun to move to the suburbs, and neighborhood movie houses had to compete with shopping-mall multiplexes and household televisions. As such, visitor numbers decreased in the 1960s, although the Jersey Theatre avoided closing completely.

Amid concerns over vandalism, in the mid-1960s, Loew's invited antiques dealers to remove the theater's art for safekeeping. The Loew's Jersey began hosting events such as a televised boxing match in 1964, and it started screening multiple first-run films the same year as part of the Showcase program. During the same decade, the vertical sign on the theater's facade was removed, and the auditorium's sound equipment was upgraded. The lobby was renovated in 1965 with new tiles, lighting, and carpeting. The theater hosted its last stage concert of the 20th century in 1968, and the theater celebrated its 40th anniversary the next year with a reenactment of the original dedication ceremonies. Additionally, the Loew's Jersey began hosting Greek-language films once a week in 1970.

Interior of the auditorium, showing the seats on the orchestra level
The auditorium was split into three screening rooms in 1974.

The theater was split into three screening rooms in 1974. The project, which was carried out by the Woodbay Construction Corporation of Cedarhurst, New York, required closing the theater for four months. Two 524-seat screening rooms were created on the orchestra level, and the balcony was converted into a third, larger screening room with 1,078 seats. Though many seats were removed, most of the decorations remained intact. The original organ, which at the time was the only Wonder Theatre organ still in place, was removed as well. The stage was sealed off, and air vents were added to replace the original air vents. When the theater reopened in December 1974, it was the first triplex theater in North Jersey. After its conversion, the Jersey Theatre initially saw increased patronage. There was increasing petty crime in Journal Square by the early 1980s, prompting police officers to patrol the Jersey Theatre daily. In addition, there was increasing competition from other multiplex theaters being developed in North Jersey. Before long, unruly groups of teenagers made up much of the Jersey Theatre's remaining clientele.

Closure

In early 1984, Jersey City's City Council approved a study to determine whether the area around the Loew's Jersey Theatre should be designated as a blighted area, permitting the city government to acquire property via eminent domain. Loew's and local developer Hartz Mountain Industries formed a partnership to replace the Loew's Jersey and an adjacent parking garage and store with two office towers. The plans included retail, parking garages, a connection to the Journal Square PATH station, and 1.6 million square feet (150,000 m) of offices. Loew's also canceled the lease of a card shop in the theater. Before the development could proceed, the Jersey City government held public meetings on whether to declare the site as blighted. Preservationists asked the Jersey City Historic District Commission to designate the building as a city landmark. The city's planning board recommended that the site be designated as blighted, and the City Council implemented the board's recommendation in September 1984.

The theater was added to the New Jersey Register of Historic Places on August 15, 1985, though the owners objected to the listing. Although it was also eligible for addition to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), the theater was not listed at the time because of an objection from the owners. Hartz Mountain bought the theater for about $1.5 million in early 1986; the agreement was finalized that October. By that time, the Saint George and dragon figures on the facade had been broken for several years. The theater closed on August 21, 1986. The final films shown were Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives and One Crazy Summer. After the Jersey Theatre closed, the city government contemplated requiring Hartz to preserve the theater's facade and lobby, and Hartz initially agreed to preserve these parts of the theater. Although the theater was designated as a Jersey City landmark, the City Council had to pass a resolution for the landmark designation to have any legal effect.

Abandonment and redevelopment

1980s and 1990s

Proposed demolition

The theater's marquee

The week after the theater closed, the National Endowment for the Arts provided a $10,000 matching funds grant for the theater's preservation, provided that the local community raise a corresponding amount. By January 1987, Hartz was no longer interested in preserving the theater and instead requested a demolition permit. A state judge denied Hartz's request, prompting Hartz to sue the Jersey City government. Two local groups established the Friends of the Loew's (FOL) to save the theater. Colin Egan, who later led FOL, recalled that he had become involved in the theater's preservation after noticing the theater's dilapidated condition while stopped at a traffic light. Thousands of people signed petitions supporting the theater's preservation, and the actors Tony Randall and Phyllis Newman protested outside the theater in April 1987 to oppose its demolition. The same month, the City Council approved a redevelopment plan for Journal Square, which was revised later that month. Hartz was also not allowed to do anything to the theater for 135 days. Egan claimed that the site would have been vacant if the theater had been razed, as Journal Square was in the midst of an economic downturn.

Meanwhile, Jersey City mayor Anthony R. Cucci criticized the City Council's vote, saying it made the city government vulnerable to a lawsuit from Hartz. At the time, the United States Supreme Court had recently ruled that private property owners, such as Hartz, could sue municipalities for failing to allow a "reasonable use" of their land, Cucci vetoed the Journal Square redevelopment, but the City Council overturned the veto. The City Council commissioned a study on the theater's preservation, hiring two New Jersey firms to conduct the study. However, Hartz refused to let the consultants enter the theater, so the study results were not published until September 1987. The study found that it was feasible to restore the structure, but Hartz and Cucci claimed that it would be too expensive for the city government to take over the theater. State judge Burrell Ives Humphreys ruled in July 1987 that the city was not required to issue Hartz a demolition permit. After a property appraiser valued the theater site at $3.4 million, Hartz asked the city government to either buy back the theater or allow Hartz to redevelop the site and demolish the auditorium. In November 1987, the Jersey City planning board voted to recommend that Hartz be allowed to redevelop the site.

Performing-arts center plans

Cucci vetoed a proposal to save the theater in January 1988, but the City Council once again overruled him. Hartz offered to establish a performing arts center at the theater, donate the building to the city for $1, and drop its lawsuit, in exchange for receiving tax abatements and being designated as Journal Square's developer. The alternate plan was proposed in part due to growing grassroots efforts to preserve the theater. That July, Hartz and the Jersey City government finalized their agreement. Preservationists, Hartz employees, and representatives of the Jersey City and Hudson County governments were appointed to the performing arts center's board. Hartz agreed to sell the theater to the performing arts center if $4 million was raised by the end of 1992; otherwise, Hartz would take back the theater. The performing arts center was intended to help revive Journal Square's economy. One study estimated that the city government would spend $1 million annually operating the Loew's Jersey Theatre.

Local volunteers began cleaning and repairing the theater, working beneath temporary floodlights. The seats were overgrown and moldy, the stage was flooded, paint was peeling off, and the lights were broken. Hartz agreed to maintain the facade, illuminate the theater, and build a new roof. The Jersey City Historical and Preservation Association (JCHPA), one of the two groups that made up the FOL, also planned to remove the interior partitions and replace the boiler and plumbing system. The theater needed additional repairs, including upgrades to mechanical systems, electric wiring, fire-safety equipment, and dressing rooms. Egan planned to obtain a new theater organ as well. During the renovations, local students' artwork was displayed on the theater's facade. Although the city government estimated that the theater would cost $12 million to renovate, the JCHPA estimated that the work would cost half that. In 1990, a judge ruled that the city government had to refund Hartz $84,000 in property taxes that had been paid for the theater.

The Jersey City Economic Development Corporation (JCEDC) provided a $1 million grant for the theater's restoration in 1991, and the state government allocated another $1 million. By then, the auditorium still needed extensive renovations. By 1992, cost estimates for the project ranged from $4.2 million for a basic restoration to $8.5 million for extensive equipment upgrades. During this time, the theater's lobby held weekly events, and it was also used for receptions and other gatherings. Jersey City's City Council was scheduled to vote to allocate $2 million in bonds for the theater's renovation in August 1992. However, the vote was postponed after objections to the performing arts center arose. By December 1992, the city government was negotiating to buy the theater from Hartz, avoiding the need to raise $4 million before the end of that year.

City takeover and restoration

The Jersey City government voted on February 10, 1993, to buy the theater, paying Hartz $325,000. Preservationists had to devise restoration plans and raise sufficient funds within a year, or else the theater would be resold. The city leased it to the JCEDC, while FOL was selected to restore the theater. Volunteers subsequently began renovating the theater with assistance from professional contractors. Egan, whom the JCEDC employed as a consultant, was the only worker who received a salary; he recalled that he sometimes spent 16 hours a day on the renovation. By mid-1994, work on the lobby,was about to begin. Various parts of the renovation were funded by grants, including $1 million each from the New Jersey Historic Trust and the Jersey City government. FOL still needed up to $3 million for a full restoration.

FOL volunteers met every weekend, leaving the theater's front doors open to attract more volunteers. The volunteers repaired the facade and interior, replaced the mechanical systems, removed the interior partitions, and cleaned out garbage and debris. Employees of nearby companies helped restore the theater, including Goldman Sachs investment bankers and Fleet Bank employees. In 1996, the city government and JCEDC requested that the City Council ask the state for $500,000 in Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) funds to install new seats. The UEZ funds were ultimately approved in May 1997. That year, the Garden State Theatre Organ Society (GSTOS) acquired an organ that had originally been installed at the Loew's Paradise Theatre. The GSTOS loaned the Paradise's organ permanently to the Jersey Theatre, and the organ was shipped from Kansas City to Jersey City. In addition, the sidewalk outside the theater had to be rebuilt before workers could refurbish the dressing rooms in the theater's basement.

Because many of the volunteers were not particularly skilled in construction, many aspects of the renovation took several years. By the late 1990s, there were 150 dedicated volunteers who met at the theater regularly, in addition to 1,000 people who volunteered occasionally. In several cases, the volunteers conducted repairs for a fraction of the official cost estimates. For example, the restoration of the orchestra pit cost $37–39, rather than the official estimate of $200–250 thousand. Volunteers spent $3,000 re-illuminating the marquee in 1997, far below the official cost estimate of up to $75,000. The sound technician Robert Eberenz helped restore the projection equipment, which included a mid-20th-century Perspecta sound system and three projectors. FOL also cleaned and reupholstered the theater's seats, which were reinstalled starting in May 1999. The theater's clock was removed for restoration that July. FOL also began raising $50,000 for other upgrades. Egan estimated that volunteers had donated $1 million in labor.

2000s and early 2010s

Auditorium reopening and continued repairs

The clock and the Saint George and dragon figures atop the theater
The theater's clock and the Saint George and dragon figures were rededicated in May 2001.

The clock and the Saint George and dragon figures were rededicated in May 2001, and the organ was rededicated the next month after it had been partly restored. The Jersey Journal reported that only the balcony and dressing rooms remained unfinished, although The Record cited a FOL spokesman as saying that the restoration was only half complete. The auditorium partially opened in 2001, and Comcast donated funds for a new screen the next year. Initially, the Loew's Jersey hosted events such as rock-and-roll concerts, weekend film screenings, and film festivals. FOL volunteers staffed these events, working as janitors and concessionaires. Because there was no functioning sprinkler system, the city government had to issue temporary certificates of occupancy for each event, and fire marshals had to attend each performance. Meanwhile, FOL continued to restore the theater. Egan said in 2002 that up to $1 million was still needed for fire-safety upgrades and a restoration of the balcony, while other estimates ranged up to $5 million.

After FOL's lease expired in June 2003, Jersey City's mayor Glenn D. Cunningham wanted to lease the theater to a third party. FOL signed an agreement with the City Council in early 2004, but Cunningham did not ratify the agreement, affecting FOL's ability to raise funds and schedule events. Because of the uncertainty over the lease, the city government could evict FOL at any time, and donors were unwilling to make large donations. The City Council and Cunningham continued to argue over the lease until Cunningham died in May 2004. Acting mayor L. Harvey Smith proposed giving FOL a five-year lease but subsequently suggested conveying the theater to a city agency. FOL signed a five-year lease in October 2004, paying a nominal fee of $1 annually, with two renewal options, and the City Council also approved the lease. The next year, the Hudson County government gave FOL $600,000, which would have been used for air conditioning, and the Jersey City government received additional donations from building owners.

When Jerramiah Healy became mayor in 2004, his administration and FOL began involved in disputes over the theater's management. City government officials gave conflicting messages as to the lease's validity, and Healy's administration claimed that the lease was invalid. The city government also withheld up to $2.5 million that had been earmarked for the Loew's Jersey. The disagreements over the lease went unresolved until 2009, when Jersey City's City Council approved a memorandum of understanding, which allowed the mayor to appoint more people to FOL's board. Meanwhile, the theater's organ was rededicated in October 2008 following repairs, and work on the balcony's restoration began the next year after the Provident Bank Foundation donated $5,000. By the late 2000s, the Loew's Jersey City had become a popular venue for alternative rock concerts and vintage film screenings. The Journal Square Restoration Corporation and FOL also collaborated to host events on Friday nights.

After Chris Christie became New Jersey's governor, in 2010, he took back $11 million in unspent UEZ funds from the Jersey City government, including some funding allocated for the Loew's Jersey. Some of the doors were replaced in the early 2010s, and workers also repaired the storefronts. Healy announced in 2013 that he would stop allocating city funds for the Loew's Jersey's restoration. The theater was temporarily closed the same year after a passerby discovered a crack in the theater's facade. Meanwhile, FOL volunteers continued to repair the balcony and lounges gradually. Although the city had withheld significant financial support from the Loew's Jersey, the theater still received funding from various donations, charitable grants, and ticket revenue. The theater still had no functioning air conditioning and was operating at a net loss by 2013, despite hosting 50 events annually. City officials claimed that FOL had failed to raise sufficient funds for the theater, while Egan countered that the city had withheld some of these funds. KRE Developers, which was constructing a building nearby, offered $2.5 million for the theater's restoration.

AEG lease and legal dispute

A corridor in the theater

Jersey City officials again wanted a third party to take over the theater by November 2013. City officials claimed that a professional management team would help the theater compete with North Jersey concert venues such as the Wellmont Theater and New Jersey Performing Arts Center. In addition, city officials wanted the Loew's Jersey Theatre to be the centerpiece of a redeveloped Journal Square, which had seen less new development than eastern Jersey City. Jersey City mayor Steven Fulop opened a request for proposal for the theater's management in February 2014. Fulop ordered that all work related to the Jersey Theatre's development be paused. FOL sued the city government that March, claiming that its lease was still in effect, but Hudson County judge Hector Velazquez initially ruled that the lease extension was not valid. Four large concert promoters, each of whom partnered with local community groups, submitted bids to restore the theater.

In June 2014, Jersey City officials awarded the contract for the theater's management to AEG Live. AEG was to provide $3.5 million toward a restoration, and it would rent the theater for 30 years at an annual cost of $350,000. The roof, seats, carpets, and bathrooms would be repaired for $30–40 million. FOL opposed the AEG's selection, and Egan claimed that the theater's conversion to a commercial venue would not benefit the local community. Velazquez overturned his own decision on the lease in July 2014, and he ruled in May 2015 that the city government could not evict FOL until 2020. The agreement with AEG was rescinded, and the lease by Friends of the Loews remained in effect.

Jersey City's freeholder board voted in August 2015 to rescind a $300,000 grant, which would have funded mechanical upgrades to the theater. The FOL, which contended that the grant's revocation was a retaliatory measure, successfully asked a judge to reverse the grant's rescission. The New Jersey Superior Court reversed Velazquez's ruling in April 2017, saying that the lower court had not adequately addressed the city's claim that FOL had breached the terms of the lease. The Jersey City government withdrew its lawsuit against FOL that June. In addition, the city government announced that it would begin installing fire-safety equipment at the theater, funded by $2.5 million each from the developers of the nearby Journal Squared and One Journal Square skyscrapers. FOL's lease continued to run until February 2020.

2020s renovation

In 2020, the Jersey City government and FOL decided to proceed with a $40 million renovation of the Loew's Jersey. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the theater's marquee displayed messages for the local community, and the auditorium hosted events like graduations that required social distancing. Devils Arena Entertainment (DAE) was selected to renovate the theater in February 2021, at which point the renovation was slated to cost $72 million. As part of DAE's agreement, the company had to stage 20 music, 10 theatrical, and 10 comedy shows each year, in addition to performances sponsored by FOL. The theater's balcony level remained closed, and the theater lacked sprinklers, a functioning air-conditioning system, and wheelchair accessibility. The renovation was to include upgraded mechanical systems, upgraded exits, and new concession and ticket areas. LED screens would also be installed throughout the theater. Removable seats would be installed on the orchestra level to allow the theater to host both concerts and conventions.

The redesigned theater needed to meet the United States Department of the Interior's design standards because it was a New Jersey state landmark. The Jersey City Historic Preservation Commission tentatively approved DAE's proposal for the theater's renovation in July 2021. The Loew's Jersey hosted an open house in September 2021 for its 92nd anniversary, and it closed for renovations following a wedding the next month. The renovation was initially scheduled to take four years. The Phelps Construction Group was hired to conduct the renovation. The Jersey Theatre was listed on the NRHP in 2022, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) issued a $42.27 million tax credit for the theater's renovation that year. The FOL expressed concerns that the city government was planning to sell the theater, but city officials denied these rumors. At the end of 2022, the Jersey City Municipal Council voted to transfer ownership of the theater to the Jersey City Redevelopment Authority (JCRA), which would allow the NJEDA to issue tax credits to the theater.

By mid-2023, the renovation cost had increased to $105 million; the reason for the increased cost was not fully explained, as construction had not even started. Former governor Jim McGreevey, who was campaigning to become the mayor of Jersey City, requested that the JCRA explain the cost increases. To facilitate the renovations, Phelps proposed temporarily closing a heavily-used alley next to the theater, but residents opposed the closure. In November 2024, workers removed the original marquee to replace it with a digital sign. By the end of the year, the reopening had been postponed to late 2026.

Notable people and events

In the 1920s and 1930s, the Loew's Jersey hosted performers such as Gracie Allen, George Burns, Cab Calloway, and Duke Ellington. Other celebrities that appeared there included Jack Benny, Lauren Bacall, Mickey Rooney, Robert Montgomery, and the Ritz Brothers. In addition, actors like Jean Harlow, Judy Garland, and Humphrey Bogart visited the theater to promote their films. After it reopened, the Loew's Jersey hosted performances by musicians including Patti LaBelle, Vina Morales, Paul Sorvino, Beck, Courtney Barnett, Sufjan Stevens, and Kurt Vile. It has also hosted bands such as The Decemberists, The Duprees, Neutral Milk Hotel, and Yo La Tengo. In addition, the annual Golden Door Film Festival was hosted at the Loew's Jersey Theatre in the 2010s.

The Loew's Jersey was used for film, video, and photography shoots starting with the 1990s renovation. For example, the theater was used as a filming location for the movies Illuminata, The Last Days of Disco, Cradle Will Rock, and Joker, in addition to the TV special TSO: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve. and an episode of Next Great Baker season 2. It was also featured in music videos for Elton John's song "Recover Your Soul", as well as for music videos by the singer D'Angelo, the band Alice in Chains, and the band Veruca Salt. The theater was used as a filming location for Queen Latifah's film A Perfect Christmas in 2006, and one of the Loew's events inspired the 2010 documentary film Saturday Nightmares, which was shot at the theater. The band The Strokes shot a music video for the single "Under Cover of Darkness" from their 2011 album Angles at the Loew's Jersey.

Critical reception

When the theater opened, the Bayonne Evening News wrote that the facade was imposing and that the interior "reflects the utmost in magnificence and structural skill". The New York Herald Tribune described the theater as "magnificently constructed and sumptuously decorated", while the Jersey Journal praised the "grandeur of the interior". Another source described the theater as New Jersey's "most lavish temple of music and entertainment". Boxoffice magazine wrote in 1969 that the Jersey Theatre had "embodied virtually every new feature in theatrical elegance, convenience and mechanical equipment" when it opened. The Record of Bergen County, New Jersey, wrote that the theater had been "New Jersey's answer to Radio City Music Hall".

When the Jersey Theatre shuttered as a movie palace in 1986, the Jersey Journal said: "For many, a chapter of history has ended." The New York Times wrote in 1992, "The cavernous auditorium sits neglected, suspended in time like a cathedral in a war zone." Another writer for the same newspaper, in 1997, compared the theater's interior to those of Vatican City's buildings. The next year, a critic for Film Journal International wrote that, despite its dilapidated condition, the theater still resembled a grand European opera house.

After the theater partly reopened in the 2000s, a writer for The Clifton Journal wrote that the interiors were comparable to those of St. Patrick's Cathedral or Buckingham Palace, while Egan likened the building to a Venetian or Parisian building. The Record described the theater as "one of last and grandest movie cathedrals". A Times writer said in 2004 that the theater's design evoked nostalgia in longtime Jersey City residents, while newcomers would be "blown away by the over-the-top rococo lobby". In 2013, The Wall Street Journal described the Loew's Jersey as one of several New York City–area movie theaters with "exteriors that loom large", describing the Jersey in particular as "outlandishly Rococo". The Daily Beast wrote in 2014 that "glimpses of its former glory are visible once the eyes adjust to the darkness". A reviewer for The Star-Ledger in 2017 compared the theater to a palace, although he said that the film quality suffered slightly because of the auditorium's large size and the use of physical 35 mm film.

See also

References

Notes

  1. Sources disagree on whether Sinatra visited the theater in 1933 or 1935.
  2. Though contemporary sources spell the manager's name as "Kolbeck", it has also been spelled "Kolpeck".
  3. Sources disagree on whether the repairs cost $37 or $39. In addition, the official estimate for the repairs has been cited as either $200,000 or $250,000.

Citations

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  4. New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission; Dolkart, Andrew S.; Postal, Matthew A. (2009). Postal, Matthew A. (ed.). Guide to New York City Landmarks (4th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 333–334. ISBN 978-0-470-28963-1.
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