Historic Private Members’ Club Unveils New Fitness Facility and
Revived Famous Players Cafe & Restaurant
The Los Angeles Athletic Club (LAAC), a cornerstone of health, wellness, and social connection in Downtown Los Angeles, is excited to unveil its multimillion-dollar renovation project, promising to elevate the member experience with unprecedented updates. This extensive enhancement includes the launch of a new 7th-floor fitness facility and the opening of the Famous Players cafe and restaurant by Top Chef Marcel Vigneron.
A New Era of Fitness
The LAAC proudly opens its doors to a new era of fitness with a 10,000-square-foot facility designed to exceed the expectations of modern athletes and wellness enthusiasts. This expansive space features the latest cardio machines, free weights, and a new indoor track surface. Overlooking LAAC’s historic beaux arts indoor pool and iconic basketball courts, the space is also equipped with new Indoor Air Quality Meters. This advanced air filtration system is designed to monitor and optimize indoor air quality by simultaneously measuring particle counts (such as debris and smog), overall temperature, relative humidity, and barometric pressure while filtering out unwelcomed organic compounds for a safe and healthy environment.
Refinished the historic skylights and plaster over the basketball courts and pool – taking into care of the heritage it took to install these from the original. The Audio-Visual system was thoughtfully designed to include multiple audio zones, allowing for an even audio experience as the 10,000-square-foot space is traversed. Through the schematic design process, consideration was given to the surrounding pool and basketball court to minimize noise pollution from adjacent fitness areas. Six new televisions with broadcast and in-house media adorn the walls, two of which are 98” televisions surrounded by wallcovering made from vintage footballs.
The refreshed look is a complementary combination of the space’s concrete and steel elements mixed with pops of warm finishings and bold lighting, reflecting an atmosphere that is both classic and exuberant. The LAAC fitness facilities are open Monday through Friday from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm; Saturday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm; and Sunday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Famous Players Restaurant: A Culinary Homage with a Modern Twist
Famous Players makes a triumphant return as a full-service café and restaurant under the guidance of chef Marcel Vigneron. Occupying 2,200 square feet, Famous Players offers an all-day dining experience, from espresso bar mornings and breakfast to weekend brunch and dinner nightly.
Celebrating California’s rich culinary landscape, the menu features elevated yet approachable dishes, including tableside Caesar salad, House Chopped Hanger Steak Tartare with egg yolk jam, Petaluma Farms organic roast chicken, sustainable Coho salmon, and a ras el hanout cauliflower steak with a spicy date gremolata. The arrival experience is a new bistro counter for quick takeaway orders by day (including espressos, smoothies, and juices), which transforms into a wine station by night, offering an array of select California wines.
The new Famous Players’ interior honors LAAC’s heritage with a completely new design, tables, chairs, custom banquette seating, ornamental ceiling, and lighting treatments, taking particular care to maintain the original tile flooring and millwork.
The space incorporates earth tones, leather, wood, marble, mixed metals, and vibrant deep blue accents. Curated historic portraits of sports figures, Olympians, early Hollywood entertainers, artists, and literary figures from Los Angeles were digitized from original black and white photos adorn the wall on 98″ 4K Frame TVs.
Notably, Famous Players introduces Sunday Supper, a weekly series fostering community through shared meals. Monday through Friday, Famous Players serves breakfast from 7:00 am to 11:00 am; lunch from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm; and dinner from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Saturday and Sunday, brunch is served from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm, with Sunday Supper from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
Comprehensive Club Upgrades for the Ultimate Member Experience
The LAAC’s commitment to excellence extends beyond these notable additions. A cutting-edge NextGen pool filtration system has been installed, featuring drought-compatible chlorine generation technology, using less water, resulting in a reduction of total solids typically found in pools. This system provides an ultraviolet light-purified swimming experience, ensures pH-neutral water, and delivers a more stable and effective chlorine treatment for the near Olympic-sized lap pool. Additionally, it eliminates the odor associated with traditional chlorine systems.
A Community-Driven Wellness and Social House
Spanning 88,000 square feet, LAAC redefines the concept of a wellness and social house, fostering a sense of community among members and hotel guests. The club offers:
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Private training, group sessions, and over 20 weekly fitness classes
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Array of athletic courts: squash, handball, racquetball courts
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Expansive co-working spaces
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Indoor lap pool
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17,000 square feet of meeting and event space
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Two restaurants (Famous Players and Invention Bar & Lounge) and two bars (Blue Room and Duke’s Sports Bar)
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Neptune Spa features a full suite of wellness services with locker rooms, sauna, steam rooms, cold plunge pool, jacuzzi
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Nail salon and barber shop
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Rooftop patio & deck
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Weekly live musical performances from jazz to DJs, wellness programming, vision boarding, speaking panels, and sports viewing parties are among the many activities that enrich the LAAC experience
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72 hotel guest rooms and suites
LAAC stands as an historic yet forward-looking beacon in Downtown Los Angeles as a haven for community, wellness, and social engagement. Founded in 1880, the Los Angeles Athletic Club remains a vital part of the city’s fabric, located at the corner of 7th and Olive. With these latest enhancements, LAAC continues to innovate, offering an exceptional environment where members and guests can pursue their health, wellness, and social objectives in a timeless yet welcoming setting.