New Capitol Hill clubs should have you dancing by spring, ultra lounging by summer

(Image: Suzi Pratt)

"Construction" is not really the right word for an "ultra lounge." An ultra lounge is created. Starting next week, honest-to-goodness construction creation work will start at the Broadway home of one of the next generation of Capitol Hill gay dance clubs.

Scott Smith gave CHS a tour of the soon to be transformed auto garage space that will become the 12,000 square foot Q dance club over the next several months. "Right here is where 'the Beast' will be," he said as he pointed to near what is currently the roll-up door to Broadway in the former Capitol Hill Collision space. The "super-sofa" feature will cap the west end of the club -- near the bourbon bar, naturally.

(Image: Suzi Pratt)

In the meantime, Smith and business partner Andy Rampl -- "the straight one," Smith says -- might want to consider re-opening the garage business. A driver cruised right into the old garage space during our visit. Smith says he's been asked to give an estimate. But there's not long to wait. Next week, you should see activity begin at the 1426 Broadway garage across the street from the Harvard Market QFC .

That puts Q on pace for a summer opening -- possibly sometime in June. Maybe July. Given the enormity of the project it's best to leave things a little fuzzy.

The Social , already partially built out on E Olive Way , is now zeroing in on an April debut. Todd Nordahl, formerly of the late, great Rosebud , is heading up the restaurant portion of the project backed by a group of Capitol Hill entrepreneurs and the Laura Olson empire:

The Social is under way on Olive Way (Image: the Social)

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 LGBT 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 t o open this summer, watch for updates on facebook.com/ TheSocialSeattle. We are excited to join the expanding scene on East Olive with Tommy Guns, CC Atties.

Olson's Auto Battery and Manhattan Drug s and Garcia's Emerson Salon are CHS advertisers.

Despite the progress being made by the new guys, it hasn't been the best time for the elder statesmen of Broadway dance clubs but there are signs things are getting better. We recently reported on the challenges faced by Neighbours as the City of Seattle  required a series of upgrades to allow the club to continue at full capacity. Neighbours Underground appears to be a casualty of the process but the site has been busy this week with contractors working on the sprinkler system at the nearly 30-year-old club.

Q, it turns out, also has a plan for downsizing but this scheme is built in from the get-go. Smith says the 12,000 square foot space will be sectioned off to a 5,000 square-foot venue by sleek aluminum curtains on slower weeknights so the club can continue to operate without it feeling lonely in the nooks and crannies of the space. Add multiple DJ booths and a major investment in bleeding edge equipment and Q should be able to build a bustling party on any night of the week.

Today, however, you'll only find the huge, empty garage. There's an old auto elevator the partners are trying to get rid of if you are in the market. Smith walks east from the entrance along the south wall and explains the long, dramatic corridor that will extend the length of the club and provide a space for what promoters hope will be long lines of patrons able to wait inside, safe from the rain and, of course, looking fine. The hallways was a requirement from the Fire Marshal but, like other quirks of the 1912 building, Smith says the plan is to make it an asset. Same goes for the some 5,000 square feet of office, etc. space above the club. There's no plan to put it to use yet but it will probably come in handy at some point.

There's already been a change in plans for the main bar to a much larger, four sided "walk-around" counter flanked by three lounge seating areas and the mezzanine lounge that overlooks it. The project architects Bohlin Cywinski Jackson  also decided to pop open the space above the bar to create a 20 foot ceiling and open up the wall behind it that will be lighted with digital color washes.

In other words, Q ultra lounge will be even more ultra than originally planned when it debuts after a few months of creation.