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Introduction
The Loew's Jersey Theater opened in Jersey City, New Jersey of the United States of America in 1929. It was one of the five Loew's Wonder Theaters, a series of flagship Loew's movie palaces in the New York City area. It was designed by the architectural firm of Rapp and Rapp in a Baroque/Rococo style. Tri-plexed in 1974, and then closed in 1986, it was dark for years. 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.
Overview & Description
The Loew's Jersey opened September 28, 1929. It was one of five "Wonder Palaces" that opened in 1929 and 1930 in the New York City area. Journal Square, a neighborhood in Jersey City, New Jersey, 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 Stanley Theatre.
The theatre was built on land purchased from the Pennsylvania Railroad and located on a main commercial avenue that ran the full length of Hudson County. New Jersey from Bayonne, New Jersey at one end through to Union City, New Jersey. Journal Square also served as a terminus for many Public Service Railway trolley and bus lines. And the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad, now know as the Port Authority Trans-Hudson or PATH, has a major station at Journal Square with lines to New York City, Hoboken, New Jersey and Newark, New Jersey.
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 Madame X, 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 Robert Morton "Wonder Organ" pipe organ.
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 fly system with the 50'-0" wide screen rigged to be flown in and out. In front of the stage, a three segment orchestra pit was installed. One segment, on left side of the pit as viewed from the audience, contained the pipe organ 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.
The theatre was equipped with a stage lighting system that controlled a system of lighting fixtures and units on the stage and in the auditorium.
Beneath the stage, two levels of dressing rooms, along with a trap room and rehearsal hall were provided.
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 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 chandelier and a promenade.
The exterior of the theatre was dressed with terra cotta tiles and large marquees. 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.
At the apex of the front facade of the building, a Seth Thomas animated clock was installed. The clock featured a white faced clock that was illuminated from behind with a statue of Saint George and a statue of a dragon. 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 spear lunge.
Triplexing
In 1974, the Loew's Corporation had the theatre subdivided into three smaller theatres.
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.
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.
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.
The pipe organ was also removed from the theatre.
Closing
The theatre closed in August of 1986. The final film shown was Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives. 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 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.
Restoration
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.
The Garden State Theatre Organ Society acquired a sister pipe organ to the missing Loew's Jersey pipe organ, originally installed at the Loew's Paradise theatre, and began the installation and restoration of the organ.
Projection System
Currently, the Loew's Jersey is equipped to present 35mm films in their original 1.33:1, 1.37:1, 1.85:1 and 2.39:1 aspect ratios with adjustable masking on its 50' wide screen. Films are projected using Ashcraft Super Core-Lite carbon-arc lamphouses and modified Norelco (Kinoton) FP-20 projectors.
Volunteers
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.
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
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.
Other events currently presented at the Loew's Jersey include performances of Gilbert and Sullivan 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 Beck and The Decemberists.
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 The Last Days of Disco and was featured in a 2007 Geico commercial featuring their gecko character. The theatre has appeared in two A&E specials and numerous magazines as a backdrop for brides and other fashions.
The Trans-Siberia Orchestra recorded one of their popular Christmas albums in the Loew's Jersey.
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.
Trivia
- Local history states that a young Frank Sinatra, living in Hoboken, New Jersey, attended a performance by Bing Crosby at The Loew's Jersey. As a result of that concert, Frank decided to become a crooner and performer.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- A large sign exhorting audience members to contribute scrap metal to the World War II effort was found in the theatre.
- 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.