Jazz Loft takes ownership of Riverhead’s Vail-Leavitt Music Hall

The historic Vail-Leavitt Music Hall in Riverhead is entering a new era.

The Town of Riverhead has officially completed the sale of the 144-year-old venue to The Jazz Loft, finalizing a partnership that first took shape in 2023, according to an announcement. The deal has closed with Jazz Loft founder and president Thomas Manuel and members of the organization’s board on hand to mark the occasion, town officials said.

Riverhead Supervisor Jerry Halpin called the closing “the culmination of several years of dedication and hard work,” crediting the Town Board, former supervisors Tim Hubbard and Yvette Aguiar, and The Jazz Loft for helping bring the deal across the finish line.

Councilwoman Denise Merrifield said the organization’s focus on jazz education and live performance — from big band and swing to Sinatra-era classics — makes it a strong fit for the historic downtown venue.

“This theater is a national historic treasure,” Manuel said in the announcement. “We are eager to get to work and restore it to its former glory and begin its next chapter of bringing a vibrant cultural scene to the Town of Riverhead.”

Town officials said the project is expected to help boost foot traffic to nearby restaurants and shops while preserving one of Riverhead’s most iconic cultural landmarks.

The Jazz Loft is described online as “a premier non-profit performance venue and museum dedicated to preserving, teaching, and performing jazz music.” It’s based in Stony Brook.

Before becoming in inactive, the historic theater was previously run by the nonprofit Council for the Vail-Leavitt Music Hall.

Built in 1881, it’s been long said the building was modeled after Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., where President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, though there’s no mention of that on the official Wikipedia entry.

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Top: The Vail-Leavitt Music Hall as it appeared in October 2008 at 18 Peconic Ave. in Riverhead. Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Americasroof. This image has been cropped and otherwise altered to contain an inset image of Supervisor Jerry Halpin (R) and Thomas Manuel of The Jazz Loft, courtesy of Riverhead Town.