Stephen Ross plans waterfront private club in downtown West Palm Beach

Stephen Ross has just unveiled plans for a new waterfront private membership club in downtown West Palm Beach, as reported by The Palm Beach Post.

The four-story club is planned for a city-owned parking lot beside the Palm Harbor Marina, directly across from The Ben hotel—now under contract to be acquired by Related Ross. The site is leased long-term by Leisure Resorts, which also operates the marina, placing the club at the literal edge of downtown and the water.

Image of West Palm Beach, Markets of Tomorrow

Designed as a hybrid of public and private space, the building is structured to engage both members and the broader city. The lower two floors are planned as retail, including two ground-floor public restaurants, while the upper levels and rooftop would be reserved for members, with plans for a rooftop pool, spa, fitness center, and business center.

The waterfront club is expected to serve more than 500 members and aims to attract a broad mix of ages and interests, including artists, musicians, athletes, and families. Himmel has described membership as “affordable,” signaling a deliberate contrast with Palm Beach’s legacy island institutions, where waitlists stretch for years and initiation fees can exceed six figures.

That positioning reflects a broader shift underway in West Palm Beach. As more residents are priced out or shut out of traditional clubs, a new generation of social spaces is emerging across the city—each with its own identity, audience, and sense of place.

Rendering courtesy of Hotel Biba

Biba Social is one of the most anticipated, set to open later this year at the historic Hotel Biba on Belvedere Road. Envisioned as a boutique members-only social club and hospitality destination, it blends West Palm’s relaxed glamour with European influence, offering curated lounges, dining, and bar experiences, and flexible spaces for gatherings and events.

Rendering courtesy of Mr. C West Palm Beach

Looking ahead, the Bellini Rooftop Lounge is planned for 2027 atop the Mr. C Hotel & Residences, introducing a members-only experience into one of downtown’s most prominent new towers.

Image courtesy of Higher Order

And in the Flamingo Park District, Higher Order has already debuted, bringing a day-to-night health and wellness club that combines movement, recovery, and social space into a single destination.

Paving the way since December 2023, The Cove Club emerged as one of West Palm Beach’s first modern private waterfront clubs, offering members a beachfront pool, restaurant, dock access, and curated programming in an oasis-like setting. More recently, Tropic Ocean Airways began using The Cove Club as its private waterfront terminal for seaplane operations—an early signal of how these clubs are becoming infrastructure as much as lifestyle.

For Related Ross, the new waterfront club extends a broader vision of downtown as a walkable, layered destination—one that blends hotels, offices, residences, dining, and now, private membership culture.