At Monday night’s Historic Preservation Commission meeting the only item on the agenda seeks an approval for planned rehabilitation of the exterior at 8811 Santa Monica Blvd. The former location of Flaming Saddles, Eleven Restaurant and Nightclub, and the Larrabee Sound Studios has a legacy dating back to the early 1900’s as the First National Bank of Sherman.
Staff report: The project includes the exterior rehabilitation of the two-story commercial building to accommodate the use of a new karaoke bar.
The subject property is improved with a two-story commercial building constructed circa
1922 in the Italian Renaissance Revival style and designed by architect W. Asa Hudson.
The trapezoidal building is finished with smooth stucco walls and an unpainted brick
bulkhead and features tall arched wood-sash windows with divided lights along the Santa
Monica Boulevard and Larrabee Street façades. The canted southwest corner entrance
is framed by a cast stone voussoir surround with keystone cartouche, and the building is
topped by a simplified cornice concealing a flat roof and parapet. Decorative features
include Palladian window groupings with spiral pilasters, wrought-iron window grilles, and
“SNB” medallions referencing its original use as the First National Bank of Sherman.
Known historically as the First National Bank of Sherman, the building was constructed
in the commercial core of the former town of Sherman and served as a bank and
commercial property until the 1960s, when it was converted into recording studios. It
housed the renowned Larrabee Studios until 2003. Since then, the building has been
occupied by a series of nightclubs and bar tenants, including most recently Flaming
Saddles, and is currently vacant. The City of West Hollywood designated the property as
a cultural resource in 1991 as a contributor to the Old Sherman Thematic District,
recognizing its architectural significance and its association with the City’s early economic
and social development.
As a designated Cultural Resource, any alterations to the building require a design
approach consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of
Historic Properties. The current project seeks to rehabilitate the property for a new use
as a karaoke bar while preserving its historic character. The proposed work includes
repair and conservation of historic building materials, such as cleaning and repointing of
the brick bulkhead and retaining unpainted cast stone details, along with the installation of reversible, contemporary features such as new doors, signage, lighting, and an awning.”
Staff recommends approval: The proposed exterior rehabilitation of the historic commercial building at 8811 Santa Monica Boulevard would not adversely impact the property’s historic character. The
project is in conformance with the SOI Standards and will allow long-term preservation
and continued active use of this designated cultural resource. Based on the information
presented in this report and exhibits, and subject to the findings and conditions in the draft
resolution, staff recommends that the Historic Preservation Commission adopt Resolution
No. HPC 25-176 to approve Certificate of Appropriateness 24-0023 for the proposed
exterior rehabilitation.
As noted in the staff report permits for the interior are separate from the approvals for the exterior of the space. The new ownership group signed the lease in August of 2024.
You may attend the meeting on 10/13 7:00pm Plummer Park Rooms 5 & 6.
Would have been nice to see drawings of this with the article.
What I miss most about Flaming Saddles is that I could use it as an example of how we celebrate redneck cowboy culture when all the middle American conservatives would whine online about how we put them down ! 🤣
Ok this will really blow your mind, check out Savannah Bananas, talk about appropriation of thirsty gay culture for middle America 🤦
More karaoke? Noooooo! We have karaoke, we have tranny-oke! It’s everywhere how is that supposed to differentiate this venue? I thought it was going to be a marijuana smoking place.