LOS ANGELES — The building that houses Fantasy Island, a longtime strip club in West Los Angeles, will soon come down and be converted into a six-story apartment building.
The club’s property owner filed plans this week with the city to build a 102-unit building on the site. Fantasy Island’s current operator had been leasing the multiroom structure.
The club, which was converted to a bikini bar in 1993 after a long stint as a Kelbo’s Hawaiian Bar-B-Q restaurant, is a well-known landmark at 11434 W. Pico Blvd. with its mock lighthouse.
In 2016, the three-stage club was sold and remodeled, becoming more upscale, offering an extensive liquor menu and adding a dozen TVs for viewing sports. The club, on its website, promises “strong cocktails, good food and beautiful showgirls.”
About the same time, the Expo Line’s extension to Santa Monica debuted, drawing additional foot traffic. The property is located between the Expo Line’s stations at Expo/Bundy and Expo/Sepulveda. It also is located near the Santa Monica and San Diego Freeways.
Fantasy Island’s general manager, Igor, told XBIZ that the club continues to operate at the location and “will do so for the next three to four months.” Igor said the club's operators haven’t disclosed what will happen afterwards.
Property records show the current owners of the property bought the half-acre site in March for $8.8 million.
