Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
The Viper Room Will Be Torn Down And Remodeled As Part Of A 12-Story High Rise

It’s curtains for the Viper Room as you know it.
The iconic music venue on the Sunset Strip hosted bands such as Hole, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Tenacious D and more. The cave-like club was the toast of the ’90s rock scene when it was co-owned by actor Johnny Depp. The club also became notorious in 1993 when actor River Phoenix died from an overdose on the sidewalk outside the venue.
Now, come next year, the building and surrounding storefronts are slated to be torn down and replaced with a mixed-use high rise.
According to a statement sent by Silver Creek Development, which bought the property four years ago, the 12-story building will include a hotel, restaurants and condos. And the Viper Room? That'll reopen with a new design on the ground level.
While the ’90s may feel like they weren't that long ago, we should still consider the historical significance of the Viper Room and sites from the same era, according to Adrian Scott Fine of the Los Angeles Conservancy.
"They're not even talking about these places, or even thinking about them as being potentially historic because they do see them as being so new,” Fine said. “So we need to change that because we're going to lose a lot of places before we even start understanding how they fit into a larger context."
Because the soon-to-be-demolished Viper Room lacks architectural significance, it will be “inherently more difficult to make the case” to protect the building, Fine said
Tommy Black, general manager of the Viper Room, says he's excited that the venue will get "a new lease on life" and become "bigger and better."
Construction is set to begin in 2023.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.

-
USC says it’s reviewing the letter also sent to eight other prestigious schools nationwide. California's governor vowed that any California universities that sign will lose state funding.
-
Scientists say La Niña is likely, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a dry winter in Southern California.
-
According to a grand jury report the contractor took advantage of strained relations and political pressures to “force” the city to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to settle disputes.
-
Administrators say the bargaining units should be dismissed, or that they have no standing. One campus is going after the federal agency in charge of union activity.
-
The landslide is not connected to the greater Portuguese Bend landslide, city officials said.
-
Nom. Nom. Nom. The event destroyed the internet when it was first announced — and sold out in minutes.