The renovation of this iconic music and entertainment venue is the cornerstone of the West Palm Beach CRA’s work to revive the Northwest District of West Palm Beach and establish long-term viability and economic stability in the neighborhood.  After several years of community input and engagement about the future of the site, the agency is spearheading the project that will highlight both the history and present-day needs of this predominantly African-American community.

The general concept is to revive the musical roots of the site by creating a state-of-the-art performance and art-focused venue that pays homage to its humble and notable beginning.  In the 1940s and 1950s, the Sunset Lounge was one of the premier African-American entertainment venues in south during the Jim Crow law period that enforced racial segregation.  The famous jazz venue drew hundreds of patrons to watch the notable artists of the time including Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie and Louis Armstrong.  The redevelopment of this celebrated site will pay homage to the rich jazz and black history of the area and celebrate its significant legacy and impact, ultimately transforming the Sunset Lounge into the epicenter for a new African-American cultural tourism destination.  

The renovated Sunset Lounge includes:

• A complete rehabilitation of the existing 12,308 sq. ft. building.
• The first floor will have a renovated bar and a new full-service restaurant. 
• The redesign will convert the second floor of the structure back to a ballroom with a large elevated/floating stage and third floor mezzanine.
• The addition of a new, two-story 7,200 sq. ft. building with a roof garden on the east side of the Sunset Lounge.
• The new building will house the restaurant kitchen, bathrooms, dressing rooms for performers, lobby, office space, box office, and a broadcast facility. 
• The plan adds a new parking lot in the rear, valet in the front of the building along with a gathering plaza, and a rooftop bar and patio for patrons to enjoy.

Construction on the Sunset Lounge was completed in 2022. The CRA is now looking to identify operator with interior finishes underway.

Contact Genia Baker: 561-822-1437