The Gensler designed building would bring office space and a public art gallery to the Sunset Strip
The chic, British members-only Arts Club received the go-ahead for a ground-up project on the Sunset Strip. The development would bring office space, a private club, restaurants, retail, and a public art gallery to Sunset Boulevard at Hilldale Avenue—the site of the Hustler store building.
The West Hollywood City Council voted 4-1 on Monday in favor of approving the Gensler-designed project, which is backed in part by actress Gwyneth Paltrow.
West Hollywood Mayor John Duran lauded the project as a return to the pre-rock ‘n’ roll Sunset Strip, when this swath of the boulevard was peppered with “elegant dining” and patrons dressed to the nines.
“To me, this is the sort of use that we’ve all been dreaming about having for quite some time to reinvigorate and re-energize music on the Sunset Strip,” Duran said.
In addition to offices and a private club, the Arts Club will offer a ground-floor restaurant where live music could be performed, a public art gallery that could be used as a community space between exhibitions, and restaurants—all open to the public.
The Sunset Strip is always changing, said Duran, but “the one constant thread over the 100-year history of the Strip is music and entertainment, and that’s what keeps Sunset, Sunset.”
The only councilmember to vote against the plans was John Heilman.
“I’ve consistently said the project is way too big—unnecessarily big,” he said.
Heilman said he did not have a problem with the Arts Club itself, but with the project’s inclusion of “speculative office space that’s being built so the developer can make a profit.”
