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At right is the Powerhouse Lounge space; at left on the corner is the pizzeria space

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“We could have come up with a trendier name,” says Jeff Favia of the Powerhouse Lounge’s straightforward nomenclature. “But we are committed to supporting and representing the Powerhouse Arts District.”

The restaurant and bar, which is now slated to open in late September after some construction delays, will be in the Marin Boulevard building that was once home to the Rascals on the Hudson comedy club.

Favia, a former owner of the York Street Tavern near Exchange Place, was brought on as a consulting manager for the Powerhouse Lounge by the property’s owner, Dimitri Goletsos.

The two men brought in a small group of local investors — mostly Favia’s friends — and broke ground in late March. They decided to preserve the brick interior and the sliding garage doors that will open to Marin Boulevard and outdoor patio seating. 

“The building had a lot of potential,” Favia says. “It’s unique, and the high ceilings give it a cavernous feel.”

The team hopes the eclectic style and careful attention to architectural detail will appeal to local artists, and help provide a spark for the revitalization of the Powerhouse Arts District, where most of the past few years’ planned developments have yet to break ground. They even commissioned artist Thomas John Carlson, founder and director of Jersey City Art School, to paint a mural on the building’s exterior.

“Thomas was up there finishing the mural in the 90-degree heat,” says Favia, who adds that Carlson’s work has helped pique interest in the project. “A lot of people see the mural, and it makes them wonder what’s going on inside.” 

Favia and his partners believe that the economy has affected how people choose to spend their money at bars and restaurants. So they’ve planned a tapas-style menu, where diners can sample many flavors without spending 15 to 20 dollars on one entree they may or may not enjoy. 

“Our menu will feature mostly appetizer-size items, from sushi and brick-oven pizza to calamari and mini burgers,” he says. “I think it’s a good concept for the recession: good, simple, fresh food without pretension.”

As for the decor, he says, “our guests will be eating off coffee tables, on couches, at the bar, even under a tree.”

But in this rare case, the presence of a tree does not mean outdoor dining.

Instead, they’ve planted the 15-foot-tall live tree, which reaches the vaulted 20-foot ceiling, indoors. The tree, along with exposed wooden beams and the sunlight streaming through the skylights, gives the space an organic, homegrown feel. Other unique features include a computerized sound system, a “leaking” pipe waterfall, and three 50-inch televisions. “This isn’t a sports bar, but you can catch a big game if you’re looking for it,” Favia says.   

Another unusual plan for the lounge involves transportation. Though the site sits just three and a half blocks from the Grove Street PATH station, Favia says they plan to use two shuttle vans that will provide taxi service to the rest of Downtown Jersey City, some parts of the Heights and Journal Square, and the southern part of Hoboken. While the details haven’t been ironed out yet, he says patrons would access the driver by calling an 800 number.

Meanwhile, the lounge’s adjacent corner space will function exclusively as a brick-oven pizzeria, similar to Favia’s now-closed Hoboken venture Favia Lite Cafe. It will seat about 30 and offer take-out service.

“We’ll play Italian music like Louis Prima and show live videos of the The Godfather,” he says.

THE DETAILS
The Powerhouse Lounge; 360 Marin Blvd. Opening date: Late September.