Housed in a warehouse built in the 1920s, the new Lakehouse Recording Studios is at the centre of an innovative new music collective in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

Envisioned and financed by producer/songwriter Jon Leidersdorff, the collective features a musical instrument store, merchandise shop, a video production company, and the Lakehouse Music Academy.

The build, however, was anything but easy and required a gut renovation to maximise the ageing building’s potential.

“We took advantage of an opportunity to dramatically increase its flexibility, by turning its 10,000 sq ft footprint into an 15,000+ sq ft structure,” commented WSDG Project Manager Matt Ballos.

“Instead of adding a new floor to the roof, we opted to grow down. The key was to eliminate the ground floor truck entrance, and drop the floor 7.5 feet. By sinking steel girders to support a six-inch thick concrete slab at the 16 ft. height, we created an entirely new 5000 sq ft, 2nd floor, which Leidersdorff split with the Lakehouse Music Academy (LHMA)."

The new Lakehouse Studios offers a 740 sq ft North Studio with a 400+ sq ft variable acoustics outfitted live room and a 440 sq ft control room capped by a rectangular, fabric covered ceiling cloud with triangular wings, custom designed by Ballos.

North Control features a vintage Neve 8024 Console, Augspurger GA115V Monitors, Protools HD 3 Accel and an extensive arsenal of outboard gear. The South Studio features a 300 sq. ft. Control Room, SSL Matrix Console, Focal Twin6 BE and Yamaha NS 10 Monitors, Protools HD Native, a full complement of outboard gear and a 140 sq. ft. live room.

Since opening earlier in the year, the studio has already played host to staff producer Pete Steinkopf (The Bouncing Souls) and Canadian group Organ Thieves, who recorded their entire album in just eight days.

“Members of the Organ Thieves have worked with producers Rick Rubin and Jack Joseph Puig in some of the best studios in the world, and they’ve been sending great clients to Lakehouse ever since those sessions."

And while Leidersdorff has created something unique within the collective, the neighbours aren’t too bad either.

“It’s gratifying to find a talented artist/businessman like Jon Leidersdorff prepared to make dual commitments to his hometown and his art,” John Storyk concludes. "The home studio we built recently for Bruce Springsteen isn’t too far from Lakehouse. This area is blossoming with energy and talent, we’re delighted to have played a role in its revival.” 

Photos by Holtz Photography

lakehouserecordingstudios.com

www.WSDG.com