The New Jersey Symphony announced plans today for a new concert hall in Jersey City’s downtown Powerhouse Arts District. With an expected opening date in Spring 2026, the new hall gives the symphony a permanent performance space after years of floating between multiple venues throughout the state.
The new Symphony Center will offer 44,000 square feet for a 550-seat theater, space for education and community programs, and 8,000 square feet for administrative offices. The main theater space will not have a fixed stage or seating, allowing flexible configurations for cross-disciplinary performances or other cultural events.
The location in Jersey City also opens the New Jersey Symphony to educational opportunities in the area. The ensemble plans to host music education programs at Symphony Center and establish new education partnerships with organizations throughout the city. It will also continue its long-established education programs in Newark and the surrounding Essex County communities, including the New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra, and performances across the state.
The cost of the new hall was not revealed, although The New York Times reported the existing building that will house Symphony Center was constructed for roughly $40 million as part of a luxury housing development by the home builder Toll Brothers. The Times said the symphony will raise an additional $12 million to complete the interior space and fine-tune the acoustics.
![New Jersey Symphony Center internal rendering. Image: New Jersey Symphony](https://www.intoclassical.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-08-21c.jpg)