Loews Theater Rehab: Jersey City Planning Board Preview

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Jersey City is not stopping in its plans for expansion as several new development plans are set to hit the desk of the planning board on Tuesday night.

Jersey City's Planning Board will meet virtually on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

On Tuesday's agenda are 18 different proposals, site plans and amendments awaiting review. One of the more notable items is the review of the proposed rehabilitation of the Loew’s Theater in Journal Square.

The plan is to bring the historic theater back to life and make it a space that can once again host live performances as well as films. Work on all sides, inside and out, of the theater are part of the plan. According to planning board documents, rehabilitation of the marquee aims to resemble the original marquee. The existing structure will be re-used, and the existing historic ceiling will be rehabilitated. The three faces of the marquee will be reconstructed based on physical evidence, historic photographs and original drawings. The plans are sticking to the original style and architecture as much as possible.

The rehabilitation of the theater come with a $72 million price tag. It's part of the city's push to bill itself as an arts and culture hub across the Hudson from Manhattan.

Also on the planning board agenda, are two new developments on MLK Drive. One of the developments, located at 483 MLK Drive, will bring a four-story building with three units inside and commercial space at the ground floor. The other, located at 241 MLK Drive, will fill the vacant lot with a 5-story mixed use building with 18 units and 645 square feet of retail space.

A new mixed use tower in Journal Square is also on the agenda. Located at 11, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25-29 Cottage Street, the building would be 28 stories tall along the proposed Homestead Place Extension. The tower would have 669 apartments and approximately 44,551 square-feet of permitted office space.

Read the full agenda online.