Lakehouse Music Academy founder Jon Leidersdorff inside the first floor studio of the academy’s new facility at 51 Monmouth Street. (Photo by Brian Donohue. Click to enlarge.)
By BRIAN DONOHUE
From the bars on the window of what was once the town jail to the framed black and white photos on the wall depicting its days as a festooned borough hall, the echoes of history resound through the 142-year-old building at 51 Monmouth Street.
Now, there’s something else bouncing off those thick brick walls: the joyful racket of children and adults learning to play music.
Ribbon cutting at the new Lakehouse Music Academy facility. (Photo by Brian Donohue. Click to enlarge.)
Lakehouse Music Academy, an Asbury Park institution with 600 students of all ages and abilities, officially cut the ribbon on its Red Bank facility inside the former borough hall Wednesday.
The building where mayors conducted the people’s business beginning in the 1880’s was christened anew with a ditty sung by current Mayor Billy Portman from the 1980’s: a rendition of “Our House” by the British ska band Madness.
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The 12-year-old academy has a larger facility in Asbury Park that houses rehearsal and recording studios as well as lesson spaces. Founder Jon Leidersdorff said the Red Bank facility will be “mostly a teaching space” for students of all ages and levels of ability.
“We are open to everyone,” said founder Jon Leidersdorff.
Lakehouse has been operating in the basement and first floor since the spring as renovations continued and scheduled the ribbon cutting for the completion of the work. The new facility includes a large studio on the first floor and a series of smaller lesson rooms in the catacomb-like basement — the thick walls and small spaces proving a perfect fit for multiple classes to be conducted simultaneously.
One could, conceivably, learn to play “Jailhouse Rock” in the room that was once the town jail. (see photo of the window with bars on it below).
The addition of Lakehouse adds to Red Bank’s already impressive options for children and adults looking to learn to play music.
It sits directly across the street from School of Rock and down the street from the Count Basie Center for the Arts, which operates a slew of educational programs, including the Monmouth Conservatory of Music and the Count Basie Center Turner Academy for the Arts.
The building was built in 1882 and served as Borough Hall until 1958, after which it housed only the police department. It is currently owned by Red Bank Catholic High School. Lakehouse leases the space from the school and provides the school with music education instruction.
The borough sold the building to a charity in 1999. It was then sold to the YMCA and finally Red Bank Catholic – a series of moves that sparked an unsuccessful lawsuit aimed at returning it to public ownership.
redbankgreen editor Brian Donohue may be reached via email at [email protected] or by calling or texting 848-331-8331 or yelling his name loudly as he walks by. Do you value the news coverage provided by redbankgreen? Please become a financial supporter if you haven’t already. Click here to set your own level of monthly or annual contribution.
