Stylus, a members-only "acoustic salon," is set to open later in 2026 at 48 Clinton Street on the Lower East Side. The club will cap membership at 750 and bills itself as a "sonic sanctuary" that combines high-fidelity listening rooms, sound-based wellness and a chef-driven menu. The former LoHo Studios and Blue Man Group rehearsal space is being reworked into a layered, acoustically engineered venue for listening sessions, screenings and private dinners.
What you'll hear inside
The centerpiece of Stylus is "Ephemeral," a double-height listening room built for vinyl sessions and live sets and designed to change its acoustic character on demand. The space is slated to feature a custom analog system by Devon Turnbull of OJAS alongside an immersive rig from Amadeus Acoustics, which the club says can shift the room's acoustics instantly. The layout and sound plan focus on isolation and flexibility so the room can handle anything from hushed listening sessions to amplified performances, according to Time Out.
Engineered design and an "acoustic chameleon"
Architecture firm O'Neill Rose Architects describes the project as a series of "rooms within rooms," with facades and materials chosen to connect with Clinton Street while dialing down city noise. A team of acoustic advisers, including Amadeus Acoustics, Bourdeau Acoustical Design and Criterion Acoustics, worked with the architects to shape the main listening space into what they call an "acoustic chameleon" that can evoke anything from a cathedral to an intimate jazz club. The project details and a walk-through of the design are laid out by Surface.
Food, tea and low-ABV drinks
The kitchen at Stylus will be led by chef Anita Lo, who held a Michelin star for nine consecutive years at Annisa, with a focus on seasonal, locally sourced dishes that draw on Japanese influences. Planned menus will center on small plates, tea programs and low-ABV cocktails, along with guest chef residencies and culinary workshops, as reported by Time Out.
Membership, fees and the nonprofit tie
Stylus will limit membership to roughly 750 people and operate on a hybrid for-profit and nonprofit model that directs initiation fees into artist support, according to reporting on the club's structure. Observer lists a reported initiation fee and annual dues, with discounted pricing for under-35s and Lower East Side residents, while Wallpaper notes that part of the one-time payment is being positioned as a tax-deductible donation to a nonprofit that funds commissioned artists.
From LoHo to Stylus
The building at 48 Clinton Street has a longstanding downtown music pedigree, having housed LoHo Studios and later serving as a rehearsal space for Blue Man Group, and the project leans into that recording-house history as it becomes a private cultural spot for listening and performance. Local coverage of the building's sale and renovation has highlighted its music past and recent redevelopment plans. For neighborhood context see EV Grieve.
When it opens and how to apply
Stylus is slated to open later in 2026 and has already begun accepting applications for a tightly limited membership. Planned programming includes focused listening sessions, film screenings, panels and sound-based wellness offerings. The team behind the club has emphasized daytime and evening schedules that read more like ongoing cultural programming than a traditional members' lounge, and applications have been reported as open in design coverage. See Surface for current application information and updates from the project team.
