Golden Triangle execs and Hollywood creatives will soon have a stylish new sanctuary for power wining and dining, working and beyond.
Gravitas, a new workspace and social club, is set to open its 28,000-square-foot space later this year in Beverly Hills. Decked out in Carrara and Calacatta marble, the multi-story haven will house a restaurant with indoor-outdoor seating, an open-air garden bar with an unobstructed view of Santa Monica Boulevard, temperature-controlled wine lockers, private dining booths, a recording studio, two private rooms, a state-of-the-art conference room, a car club and a “G-Car” chauffeur service that allows members book rides to and from the club.
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A second-story loft will feature another bar, a performance stage, big-screen TVs for watch parties, and a private entrance with discrete elevator access.
The hub is the brainchild of Kansas-based entrepreneur Brandon Steven and hospitality industry veteran Seth Glassman, who first connected when the latter helped open 6S Steakhouse in Steven’s hometown of Wichita in 2017. The duo says five-star customer service will be paramount for Gravitas, which is geared towards C-suite execs, creatives and “innovators and motivators,” says Steven, who co-founded Genesis Health Clubs with his brother, Rodney Steven, and owns auto dealerships in Los Angeles and throughout Kansas.
Designed by Kelly Architects (which is behind Gucci Osteria, Public School, Clifton’s Republic and a slew of downtown Los Angeles’ swankiest bars), the massive club encompasses “a little piece of a lot of different [inspirations from around the world] that motivated me over the years,” says Steven. The renderings reveal stunning terrazzo flooring and marble walls, light wood paneling and reflective laser-cut ceiling accents. Furnishings include sculptural suede sofas, cozy dining booths and mid-century modern seating.
A 26-seat circular bar will eventually double as a sushi or omakase bar as the culinary programming is expanded, says Glassman. There’s also a living wall with seasonal plants that Steven likens to the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.
“I’ve been fortunate that I’ve seen some of the best restaurants and resorts in the world. I’ve always been a design nut,” adds Steven. Among the finishing touches, he says, is a subtle design nod to the Golden Triangle on the entrance’s travertine floor.
Gravitas has been years in the making for Steven, who sought a luxe one-stop shop situated near friends’ offices in Beverly Hills and began dreaming up the design pre-pandemic. “That was part of how this originated. Every time we all wanted to gather for lunch or drinks and then dinner, we just didn’t have a place where we wanted to have great drinks, then lunch, or drinks and then dinner,” he says.
He recruited longtime friend Glassman — previously atInnovative Dining Group (BOA Katana, Sushi Roku) — as the managing partner to spearhead the culinary and event lineups. On the F&B team, chef Preston Madson (Barbuto) will lead the culinary program, while sommelier Raphael Guirguis and mixologist Yael Vengroff will create the wine and co*cktail menu. Former Mother Wolf general manager Josh Hering will head up day-to-day restaurant management.
“I can imagine jazz brunch on a Sunday, then it converts to a sports bar upstairs,” says Steven.
Adds Glassman, “that’s one of the coolest things about it. At some of the other clubs, it seems like you go meet your person, you’re conducting business, you dine and you leave. Here, there’s just so much going on and you could come at different points of the day and do all these different things.”
Membership will be $5,500 per year with a $2,500 initiation fee. For those under 30, annual dues are $4,000, while the Spousal package is $7,500 for two people. The Gravitas Elite Membership (G.E.M.) will include a personalized oversized wine locker, unlimited G-Car service, five expedited applications for family and friends, three guest passes per month, priority reservations and more perks. Applications opened in May, and prospective members can inquire here or take a virtual tour here.
Located a stone’s throw from fellow members-only house Spring Place, Gravitas comes as Soho House is now restricting membership.
“When I was 25, I would have killed to have a place like this for networking and business meetings,” says Steven. “I couldn’t afford an office or a conference room, a podcast room or private dining rooms, or all the things this club offers are things that I couldn’t afford, but I knew I would afford them one day. I wanted to be in a situation with like-minded people who were hungry and aggressive … And that’s what we developed here, is a place that you could do everything.”
Gravitas’ membership format, explains Glassman, allows for “the opportunity to give that much better service. Members are coming in even more than a regular would at a brick-and-mortar restaurant. My thing has always been hospitality and service and getting to know [people] and meeting and exceeding their expectations. So knowing what they like to drink and what they like to eat, where they like to sit. You could take it to the next level in the members-only establishment.”
“This is why I’m so bullish on it. I think we’re filling the void and not just building a beautiful building,” adds Steven. “Specifically on Camden, Cipriani has opened, Marea is going to open across the street. Funke, Steak 48, we’ve had a lot of these restaurants open. But it’s also a gathering spot. I know there are other places that people in Beverly Hills can wind up at. So even if you have dinner, I just don’t know where to go afterwards. You have a nightcap and you listen to jazz. You meet up for drinks before you get dinner.”
As for that Gravitas Car Club? “This is something I’ve wanted to do for forever,” says Steven. “Everyone wants to experience a Ferrari, a Chevelle, that old Eleanor Mustang or the Bentley. Members can tap on their Gravitas app, speak with their dedicated concierge and request the desired luxury car they’ve been eyeing.
Gravitas, 435 N Camden Ave., Beverly Hills, 90210
