Loews Theater Jersey City's $130M restoration by OTJ Architects and Off the Record Collective targets 2026 reopening
Jersey City's Loews Theater, which opened its doors in 1929 and was designed by Rapp & Rapp, is undergoing a $130 million renovation led by OTJ Architects and Off the Record Collective. This project, initiated in 2021, aims to restore its stunning Baroque-Rococo exterior and the elegant Italian Renaissance interior that once hosted icons like Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald. The plans include reintroducing a 15-foot Czech crystal chandelier and creating flexible seating for 2,600 guests, with standing capacity for 4,000. The theater closed in 1986, became city property in 1993, and joined the National Register of Historic Places in 2022. Phelps Construction Group is overseeing the renovation, which is set to be completed by fall 2026.
Key facts
- Loews Theater opened in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1929
- Designed by Rapp & Rapp Architects with Baroque-Rococo exterior and Italian Renaissance auditorium
- Theater closed in 1986 and was purchased by Jersey City in 1993
- $130 million restoration project commissioned to OTJ Architects in 2021
- Added to National Register of Historic Places in 2022
- Will accommodate 2,600 seated guests or 4,000 standing guests
- Expected to reopen in fall 2026
- Located near Journal Square PATH Station
Entities
Artists
- Duke Ellington
- Ella Fitzgerald
- Bing Crosby
- Ray Charles
- Frank Sinatra
- Kerri Silvestri
- The Supremes
Institutions
- OTJ Architects
- Off the Record Collective
- Rapp & Rapp Architects
- Jersey City Redevelopment Agency
- State of New Jersey/NJEDA
- Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment
- Phelps Construction Group
- Woods Bagot
- GRT Architects
- Arcadis
- National Register of Historic Places
Locations
- Jersey City
- New Jersey
- Brooklyn
- United States