Exclusive West Hollywood Private Club Will Open a Public Restaurant

On Monday, the West Hollywood City Council approved plans for a glitzy building for London’s 155-year-old The Arts Club. By a 4-to-1 vote, developers are able to move forward with constructing the 120,000 square foot private club, which includes a restaurant for members, and one for the general public.

The original Hustler store on Sunset is now slated for demolition, with The Arts Club’s nine-story building opening in its place. This site will also have space for a 2,000 square foot open-to-the-public bistro, art gallery, and intimate entertainment venue that favors an old-school jazz club. The private club will use the top floors, which include a private restaurant, screening room, hotel rooms, and rooftop pool.

According to Steven Afriat, CEO of the Afriat Consulting Group, the developers want locals to enjoy the Arts Club property, and created plans for a non-members to do just that.

It’s still too early to name a restaurant tenant. The site will likely break ground in early 2019, and could be completed by 2020. The future LA location for The Arts Club is a celebrity-backed venture, with names like Gwyneth Paltrow leading the pack. Council member John Heilman objected to the development, by suggesting the development is, “Unnecessarily big.”

Correction: An earlier version of this article stated the community voiced concerns about the planning process. The article has been updated.

The Arts Club. 8920 W. Sunset Blvd West Hollywood, CA

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