West Palm Beach’s Sunset Lounge is undergoing some exciting changes. Since the 1930s, the historic venue has hosted legendary Jazz, R&B, and blues musicians such as Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, and James Brown. Now, after years of planning, this iconic building is undergoing an architectural and artistic restoration. The renovations are central to the City of West Palm Beach’s efforts to attract visitors to learn more about the community’s history and culture. Here is more on what is happening with the West Palm Beach Sunset Lounge Revival Project.
The Sunset Lounge Revival Project
If you pass by North Rosemary Avenue and 8th Street, you will see that construction is underway at the Sunset Lounge site. In 2015, the City of West Palm Beach purchased the building for renovation. The renovation project will not only restore a historic music venue. The new building will be the heart of the city’s first Cultural Tourism Program.
The Sunset Lounge Revitalization Project is the product of years of planning by the West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency. The agency consulted with neighborhood residents to get feedback on the best ways to develop and implement the project while honoring the community’s history and culture. The plans for the Sunset Lounge and Heart and Soul Park were designed to keep and preserve the city’s African-American heritage.
The 12,308-square-foot Sunset Lounge is the crown jewel of the revival project. The newly restored structure will have a renovated bar and a new restaurant on the first floor, a second-floor ballroom and floor stage, the third-floor will have a mezzanine with a rooftop bar and patio. The property will also have a 7,200 square-foot addition on its east side, with kitchen facilities, dressing rooms, a broadcast facility, a rooftop garden, and other features. The $12.5 million improvement investment to the Sunset Lounge is the beginning. The West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency has also invested funds for Heart and Soul Park between 7th and 8th. The park, which is across from the Sunset Lounge, has been designed with jazz-themes that will include public art, a butterfly garden, interactive musical instruments, and a playground. Additionally, historic area homes are being restored and converted into business spaces. The Sunset plans to open next year in the late spring or early summer.
David E. Klein, Esq. and Guy Rabideau, Esq. are Florida Bar Board-Certified Real Estate Attorneys with the experience you need for all aspects of your Palm Beach County real estate transaction. We have the expertise and local knowledge you need to ensure that your interests are protected during every stage of the process. Contact Rabideau Klein today to discuss your real estate legal needs.