The theatre originally opened as the Englewood Plaza movie theatre on November 22, 1926. United Artists purchased the building in 1967 and kept the doors open through 1973, when it closed. Through the efforts of a group of local citizens under the leadership of John Harms, the John Harms Center came to life on October 10, 1976 with the performance of the Russian pianist, Lazar Berman.
In the fall of 2004, the 1,367 seat Bergen Performing Arts Center reopened the doors of the former John Harms Center, long considered one of the leading cultural institutions in North Jersey. Founded on April 30, 2003, a small group of dedicated individuals led by Frank Huttle III, were determined to preserve this special theatre that had brought some of the world’s finest performing artists “right next door” for so many years.
Beck Design is now responsible for bringing this iconic theatre into a new, modern age. This $8.2M project consists of a full renovation of the 32,800 SF Bergen Performing Arts Center facility located in Englewood, New Jersey. By way of addressing curb appeal, user functionality and updated technology, the renovation will create a community theatre that will serve the next generation of patrons, while preserving its historic features that makes this theatre a staple for Englewood. The renovation will be complete in the Fall of 2020.
