The New Jersey Symphony’s new Symphony Center at the Powerhouse Arts District will include a 550-seat performance hall, dedicated rehearsal and production spaces and rooms to host year-round cultural arts educational classes, workshops and afterschool programs. — Renderings courtesy: New Jersey Symphony (via NJEDA)
By Joshua Burd
State officials have pledged more than $29 million in tax credits to the New Jersey Symphony, marking a key step in the organization’s plan to open a new permanent location in Jersey City.
The award, which was approved this week by the Economic Development Authority’s board, supports a project that will include a 550-seat performance hall, dedicated rehearsal and production spaces and rooms to host year-round cultural arts educational classes, workshops and afterschool programs, according to a news release. The venue at 151 Bay St. will also serve as a new anchor for a well-known cultural corridor in Jersey City, occupying a site adjacent to several luxury residential buildings developed by Toll Brothers.
“New Jersey’s booming arts and culture sector continues to create impactful economic opportunities, enhancing quality of life in local communities and supporting high-quality jobs across the state,” said Evan Weiss, the authority’s CEO. “The NJEDA is committed to supporting cultural institutions like New Jersey Symphony as it expands artistic offerings and educational initiatives, cultivating new generations of artists and catalyzing neighborhood vitality.”
Known as Symphony Center at the Powerhouse Arts District, the facility will be among the latest beneficiaries of the EDA’s Cultural Arts Facilities Expansion or CAFE Program. Eligible projects can receive tax credits covering up to 100 percent of eligible costs up to $75 million, as the state looks to increase cultural arts activities, attract visitors, boost engagement with the arts in underserved communities and revitalize downtowns.
Symphony Center will host more than 100 public performances annually, including orchestral concerts, jazz, film, spoken word and multimedia productions and encourage community engagement through civic events, artist residencies, public forums and cultural celebrations, the EDA said. It will also include new administrative space for the New Jersey Symphony while expanding free and low-cost arts programming in a location that’s within walking distance of the PATH train, Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, NJ Transit buses and ferry service to Manhattan.
“This expansion is a transformative moment for New Jersey Symphony, Hudson County and for Jersey City,” New Jersey Symphony CEO and President Terry D. Loftis said. “With the NJEDA’s support for the Symphony Center, which will become the first fully managed facility by New Jersey Symphony, we can expand our performances and education programs into Jersey City. This expansion continues our deep commitment to Newark and other communities throughout New Jersey, where our mainstage concerts, community events and education programs impact the lives of thousands each year.
“As the Symphony’s president and CEO, and as a resident of Jersey City, I am excited about the opportunities this new chapter creates for our community, and I look forward to welcoming everyone to the Symphony Center.”
Jersey City Mayor James Solomon added: “The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra choosing Jersey City as its permanent home is a significant moment for our city and the entire region. The Symphony Center at Powerhouse Arts District will be a world-class performance venue and a civic anchor, bringing free and low-cost arts programming to Hudson County residents. Jersey City has invested deeply in building the Powerhouse Arts District into a thriving cultural corridor, and this $29 million commitment from the NJEDA reflects exactly what’s possible when state and local partners align around a shared vision. We are proud to welcome the New Jersey Symphony home.”
