The construction parties get started for new Capitol Hill nightclubs The Social and Q

A look at the future Q (Image: Q Capitol Hill)

Men at Work, remixed. Hammer Time? Uh, that song by the Village People construction guy. We're sure the soundtrack is amazing as work gets underway to build out two new nightclubs set to expand Capitol Hill's dance and drink scene. The paperwork is finally complete and hammers are ready to fly at the Social's future home on E Olive Way and Q Capitol Hill on Broadway at Pike.

Work has been underway at the Social for about a week now after DPD finalized the construction permits for the three-level, 12,000 square-foot "ultra lounge" set to overhaul a cloister of retail spaces at 1715 E Olive Way. Social partner Chris Pardo tells CHS the construction schedule for the club should take about two months. In August, CHS reported on some delays in the project as the Social worked to handle stricter requirements for noise improvements at the future club space.

Pardo also shared a big announcement for the venture's 3,000 square-foot restaurant:

We also have reached an agreement with Todd Nordahl, he will be opening the restaurant portion of the Social. We are excited about working together and feel like our concepts are a great match.

The Social is coming soon (Image: The Social)

Nordahl, you might recall, took over the helm of the Rosebud and ran into problems with the landlord that led to the restaurant's sudden closure. With plans to re-open the Rosebud space  being made it looks like Nordahl's pledge to re-open a restaurant nearby will play out hand in hand with the Social.

Here's the Social's pitch:

We are excited to announce our latest venture: The Social - a three level 12,000 sqft ultra lounge/ restaurant and nightclub. The Social is located on East Olive and will feature three distinct rooms, including four bars and a 3000 sqft restaurant. The entertainment venue is being designed by award winning Capitol Hill firm Pb Elemental (recently named one of the Decades Best by Seattle Magazine). Our focus is to provide a well designed, fun, and high quality venue for the LGBTQ community. The Social is a joint venture of three Capitol Hill small business owners Alex Garcia (Emerson Salon, Banyan Branch), Shanon Thorson and Laura Olson (Po Dog, Auto Battery, Grim's) . Drawing on their specific talents we will be featuring a gourmet food menu, holding daily events and drawing from national and international DJ talent. The Social is scheduled to open this summer, watch for updates on http://www.facebook.com/TheSocialSeattle. We are excited to join the expanding scene on East Olive with Tommy Guns, CC Attles and Fred Wildlife Refuge.

On Broadway, Q Capitol Hill received its permits to begin construction this week but the buildout of the 17,000 square-foot former auto garage space being overhauled at 1426 Broadway will take some time.  This week, the demolition portion of the project should get underway. The target for opening at this point is "early 2012," partner Scott Smith tells CHS.

To hit that target, Q is bringing in construction firm Skanska . Smith says the concept for Q remains basically the same as what CHS spoke with him about this summer even as architects Bohlin Cywinski and Jackson firm up the building plans for the dance and lounge space.

Business cards make it official (Image: Q Capitol Hill)

Here's the latest description of the project from Q:

Q is a state-of-the-art, 12,500 sq. ft. multilevel lounge and nightclub located in Seattle's vibrant Capitol Hill neighborhood that will set a new standard for excellence by returning to the fundamentals of what makes a nightclub experience great: innovative interior design, groundbreaking sound and lighting, exceptional service, and our twist on specialty drinks and cocktails, including the club’s own signature line of infused and flavored vodkas.

Q will be open seven days a week, serving both as a lounge on weekdays and as a nightclub on weekends. No matter whether you are seeking a relaxed atmosphere after work or a fun night of dancing, you will be able find it at Q. Leave behind the hassles of the clubs in Belltown and Pioneer Square, and don't worry about the elitism and attitude found in so many upscale lounges – because at Q, everyone is welcome.

The space is designed by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, the AIA award-winning architects behind such projects as the iconic Apple Cube on New York’s Fifth Avenue, Pixar Studios Headquarters, and Seattle City Hall, to name a few. We have also chosen to work with Skanska, the world famous Swedish construction company, to oversee construction.

In addition, Q will incorporate world-class audio-visual components as part of its overall design, providing the most memorable experience for our patrons possible. These include a sound system by Funktion One from England that's been designed by Sound Investment AV, and state of the art lighting design by Steve Lieberman of the award-winning SJ Lighting in Los Angeles.

Opening in early 2012, Q will instantly change Seattle's nightlife for the better and will become an integral part of the people and businesses that make up the Capitol Hill neighborhood.

Smith, too, said there is also progress being made on the personnel front:

We've hired a general manager -- Ryan Schmitt -- who brings a wealth of experience from his previous positions at Palomino and The Daily Grill.  Ryan is working closely with Ken Batali, our incredible bar consultant, in pulling the club's three bars together and developing our drinks menu for us.

You can follow the progress of both projects via Facebook -- Q Capitol Hill and the Social