Steve Ross, in partnership with Leisure Resorts LLC, is planning to develop a four-story private membership club in downtown West Palm Beach. The project will be built on a city-owned parking lot next to the Palm Harbor Marina. Leisure Resorts, which operates the marina and holds a long-term lease on the 1-acre site along the Intracoastal Waterway, has not yet announced the name of the club.
The proposed location is just south of Waterview Towers at North Flagler Drive and Second Street, across from the Ben hotel, which Related Ross is currently under contract to purchase. The area also includes other city-leased waterfront properties such as Elisabetta’s Ristorante and a University of Miami Health System clinic.
The design for the building features retail space on its lower two floors and two ground-floor restaurants that will be open to the public. The upper floors and rooftop are reserved for members only, offering amenities like a rooftop pool, spa, fitness center, and business center. Kenneth Himmel, president of Related Ross, stated there will be no hotel rooms in the facility.
Building height will be limited to 75 feet due to a 2023 settlement agreement that resolved a decade-long legal dispute between Leisure Resorts and Waterview Towers regarding control over the marina and parking lot.
Himmel explained that demand for new clubs is high among local residents who face long waitlists or high initiation fees at established island clubs—fees can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars or even exceed $1 million at places like Mar-a-Lago. “The club is designed to meet pent-up demand from Palm Beach and West Palm Beach residents shut out of long-established island clubs by long waitlists and steep initiation fees that can run into the hundreds of thousands — or more than $1 million at Mar-a-Lago,” said Himmel.
Membership is expected to surpass 500 people with an aim to attract diverse groups including artists, musicians, athletes, and families. While Himmel described membership pricing as “affordable,” he did not provide specific details.
This development comes amid growth in West Palm Beach’s private-club scene driven by an influx of wealthy newcomers and increased business activity since the pandemic. Other projects such as Biba Social and Bellini Rooftop Lounge are also underway downtown.
