West Hollywood’s House of Blues will close its doors in a little more than a month, paving the way for the beginning of a long-planned hotel, condo and retail project on the corner of Sunset Boulevard and North Olive Drive. Construction is expected to begin by the end of the year.
Live Nation Entertainment, HOB’s owner, has filed a document with the state Economic Development Department saying the venue will close on Aug. 7. Its nearly 200 employees will be laid off beginning July 31. The closing was first reported yesterday in the L.A. Business Journal.
The West Hollywood location, which opened in 1994, is known for having hosted the likes of Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Aerosmith and Justin Timberlake. And then there are the gospel brunches, Nashville nights and occasional Goth bands. West Hollywood’s House of Blues is also one of the most eclectic and fascinating museums in a creative city that can claim few. Every inch of every wall, door and ceiling in the 40,000 square foot club and restaurant on Sunset Boulevard has a story, all collected by Isaac Tigrett, who opened the House of Blues with business partner Dan Akyroyd.
The House of Blues will be replaced by a 149-room hotel, 40 condominiums, apartments for low- and moderate-income people and 35,000 square feet of shops, restaurants and a nightclub that will extend south down Olive Drive to Fountain on property on which apartment buildings now are located and east to DeLongpre. It also will include a massive digital sign on Sunset Boulevard. The Combined Properties project, known as Sunset Time, was designed by Stephen Kanner, who died in 2013. In early discussions of the project, Combined Properties had said it would keep the House of Blues, albeit in a smaller venue.
But Michael Grozier, a Live Nation executive who has worked with the House of Blues since 1994, said Live Nation decided to move. It couldn’t find another suitable location in West Hollywood but Grozier said it does intend to reopen House of Blues elsewhere in Los Angeles. Grozier said Live Nation hopes to conserve the massive collection of folk and Indian art inside the establishment, which was chronicled in a recent story in West Hollywood Magazine.
It is unclear when demolition of the House of Blues will begin. When the House of Blues opened in 1994 it was a catalyst for the revival of the Sunset Strip, the historic home of rock ‘n’ roll. But times change and today, the Sunset Boulevard’s nightclubs are giving way to hotels.
i am glad H of B IS gone, i lost my job of 16 years, working at butterfiels.
Perhaps a block party would be in order for those of us who had to put up with the HOB poor management and infringement on our previously quite neighborhood.
Disco Dan is a man/woman after my own heart 😉
The Sunset strip thrived long before the House of Blues was opened and it will thrive after it’s torn down much to the enjoyment of those of us who have had to endure it’s poor management and neighborhood infringement. From what I understand it was poorly built with insufficient amenities to support it as a entertainment venue.
Hopefully the construction of the hotel and condo’s will be less disruptive than what we are currently plagued with.
Almost ALL developers have no soul but they worship at the altar of the dollar.
Why?!? This is taking the heart out of Sunset Blvd.
I grew up in LA and lived there till I was 23.
I can’t imagine the strip without it.
WHY?!?
My heart is bleeding.
Like condos can’t be build somewhere else. This developer has no soul.
A huge loss for West Hollywood. With the loss of this establishment night-life entertainment is bound to move elsewhere. Another short-sighted pro-development move by our city council to the detriment of the city.
Perhaps Chanel is going to provide clothing and accessories for low and moderate income folks that reside in the building, henceforth their promotion. Shows us their philanthropic qualities.
The article states:
“The House of Blues will be replaced by a 149-room hotel, 40 condominiums, apartments for low- and moderate-income people”
And the rendering has a Channel logo on the side? “low and moderate income”, and Channel, do not belong together. The developer is clearly lying
Get on the EM list from WeHo City Hall which you can do by visiting the web site. You will then know when the Planning Commission will discuss this new monstrosity. Show up and speak out. [And, Lynn, just FYI, in the context of your comments the word is spelled as COMPLEMENT with and “E” not an “I”. And I think Bob and Lester should consider moving to Manhattan where they will be most comfortable.
I’m curious if the 40 condos/apartments are designated ALL for low or moderate-income people…of if that’s the total number of units and 20% of the complex will be deemed low-income or (8 units). From what I understand…in exchange for providing low income units, the developer is allowed to build above maximum density and/or allow fewer parking spaces. I believe that’s the deal developers get in Weho.
HOB should never have been permitted for lack of appropriate parking. This new project sadly lacks originality.