The Bay Club, located on Sunset and PCH, closed its doors in May. The site may reopen as an Equinox fitness center.
When the Bay Club, a fitness club located 17383 Sunset Boulevard, closed on May 31 after nearly 20 years in operation, it left a void for an upscale fitness entity in Pacific Palisades.
It was reported September 27 Real Estate Journal story (“Equinox to Open Los Angeles Gym Overlooking Pacific Ocean”) that a new Equinox would open in that space. The story said the club would occupy about 24,000 square feet in the former Bay Club location.
The story added that “In recent months, there has been a resurgence in gym memberships after a decline during the pandemic, which initially led to reduced interest in group workouts. However, data from CoStar indicates that fitness retail’s share of overall retail leasing has remained relatively stable for the past five years.”
Architect Heather Waldstein of Rosenheim & Associates, representing Equinox, was initially supposed to provide a presentation of the building signage and frontage on October 12 to the Pacific Palisades Community Council.
CTN asked Waldstein when the projected opening for the Equinox might be. She did not have a timeline. CTN asked her if the project had come to the Pacific Palisades Design Review Board (DRB).
“No,” she said.
The DRB is the governing body on signage, and with the city, gives approval, which allows a project to go forward.
CTN contacted PPCC President Maryam Zar, who said the City had told the architects to go directly to the Community Council, and not the DRB. The City was contacted for an update, since the project had not gone to the DRB, yet.
The building, at the corner of Sunset and Pacific Coast Highway, has been the site of a fitness center since the building’s opening in 1986.
A Pritikin Fitness Center was initially in the building, succeeded by the Pacific Athletic Club in 1991, and then the Spectrum gym, according to a Los Angeles Times story.
The 101,923-sq.-ft. main building, called Sunset Coast Plaza, is a three-story office and retail property, with a parking garage underneath. It underwent renovations in 1989 and 2001, and according to its website, there are numerous office spaces available.
The Bay Club closed because of leasing issues. At the time, a spokesperson told CTN, “We can’t comment on rent negotiations. We spent a lot of time trying to craft a solution, but ultimately, we were not able to get an agreement forged.”
This is wonderful news. Will be a great fit and improve the neighborhood. I hope they have a juice bar or restaurant.