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The Musicians Of Arts District Rehearsal Space Get Booted For Soho House
The Arts District is getting a Soho House and the funny thing is, they're displacing actual artists as they move into the neighborhood. The new Soho House, which will be called Soho Warehouse, is planned for 1000 S. Santa Fe, which sits near the L.A. River. The five-story building has been home to a rehearsal space called Downtown's Rehearsal for over 25 years. L7, The Melvins and Macy Gray have all played music inside these walls, according to LA Weekly. Here, musicians have enjoyed the freedom to play loud instruments at any time, day or night. However, the largely industrial neighborhood has been gradually changing, which pricey gourmet grocers like Urban Radish and top restaurants like Bestia moving in over the last couple years.
Dave Ferrara, who said he's been practicing here for over 10 years, told LA Weekly, "It's truck stops and strip clubs, and tons and tons of junkyards, if that's what rich people want to look at and see." However, he warned, "They're never gonna get rid of that shit smell, though."
The nearest strip club in question would be the Play Pen, an apparently fully nude join that has 3.5 stars on Yelp.
It wasn't clear whether or not the bands would be kicked out when Soho House first announced their intentions, but Ferrara said he received his 90-day notice in September. It states that the closing date was December 1, 2015. Some musicians have moved to Downtown Rehearsal's sister spot over on 7th Street, while other musicians don't know where they'll be going to rock out at their convenience.
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When Soho Warehouse opens in 2017, those who can afford a membership will have access to a spa, rooftop pool, fitness center and artist studio rooms where guests can stay for weeks or months at a time. A market and food court is planned for the ground floor, which will be accessible to the public. The buyers paid $18.5 million for the building, according to Downtown News.
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