White Eagle Hall
Construction and architecture
The white eagle is part of the coat of arms of Poland. White Eagle Hall, which opened in 1910 was built by Polish immigrants and craftsmen under the direction Rev. Peter Boleslaus Kwiatowski, who established numerous parishes in northeastern New Jersey. The facade of the building is adorned with busts of Polish heroes Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Casimir Pulaski, Tadeusz Kosciuszko, and Henryk Sienkiewicz. There are two glass skylights – one commemorating Frédéric Chopin, the classical music composer, and the other Marcella Sembrich, an internationally renowned opera star. The venue has a capacity of 800 standing or 400 seated, and can be configured for other events. It features three separate bars, 28 foot-high ceilings; a 25-foot high proscenium stage (30 feet wide and 25 feet deep) with two levels of back-stage areas, including fully equipped dressing rooms and warm up areas. The building also houses restaurants. It is seen as an important new venue in the Hudson County music scene. and has become a premiere music venue in the state.
History
In 1934, ownership was transferred to St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church and served, among other purposes, as a bingo hall. For many years it was the practice gym of the national powerhouse St. Anthony High School basketball team, the Friars. They did not play any home games there (they often played at the Jersey City Armory). Coach Bob Hurley led this team to 28 state championships, 4 national championships becoming the winningest high school basketball program in United States history and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. From 1968 to 1975 "Battle of the Bands" contests took place on the stage, where talents such as Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Frank Infante, the guitarist for Blondie, got their start.
Beginning in 2013, the building underwent a comprehensive multimillion-dollar historic restoration by the Ben LoPiccolo Development Group. The original wood floor was used as bar counters and balcony flooring; wood fixtures from nearby Saint Boniface Church (from 1865) were used in the window frames, bar sides and balcony railings and ledges; Boniface altar fixtures are part the box office and merchandise area. The venue reopened in April 2017. Devils Arena Entertainment, a division of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE), took over management of the venue in September 2021.
See also
References
- ^ "Mystery Solved: The Four Men on White Eagle Hall". timothyherrick.blogspot.nl. 2 May 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
- ^ Lustig, Jay (3 May 2017). "Renovated White Eagle Hall brings music to Jersey City". The Record. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
- ^ Zeitlinger, Nicholas (3 July 2016). "White Eagle Hall completes first phase with opening of French restaurant". THe Jersey Journal. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
- ^ Testa, Jim (5 April 2017). "Is Maxwell's for sale? White Eagle Hall is opening; Cathedral Hall growing". The Jersey Journal. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
- ^ admin (2021-09-23). "Historic, 800-Capacity Performance Venue, White Eagle Hall to be Operated by the Booking and Management Team at Prudential Center". HBSE. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
- ^ Armstrong, Kevin (8 April 2017). "St. Anthony legendary practice gym reopens as music hall". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on 16 May 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
- ^ Blair, Gillian (3 April 2017). "Finally! The Beautifully Restored White Eagle Hall Reopens This Month". Jersey Digs. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
- ^ Barbagallo, Lauren (March 21, 2014). "White Eagle Hall Two husband-and-wife teams—along with a local indie-music legend—are working to put this magnificent old building back in business". Hudson Reporter. Archived from the original on March 4, 2018. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
- ^ Keller, Kristen (7 April 2017). "Jersey City's White Eagle Hall set to reopen today". The Jersey Journal. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
- ^ Keller, Kristen (6 April 2017). "White Eagle Hall set to reopen Friday in Jersey City". The Jersey Journal. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
- ^ West, Teri (February 2, 2024). "Jersey City's White Eagle Hall settling into a niche as a regional music powerhouse". NJ.com. Retrieved January 13, 2025.