Is 6th Street the new 4th Street? Downtown bars aplenty coming soon

Is 6th Street the new 4th Street? For downtown drinkers, the answer may soon be yes. Later this month, three-story nightclub Versus will open its doors at 6th and Spring. Soon afterward, a different kind of drinking establishment will open just a few blocks away from Versus, which is inside the old Los Angeles Stock Exchange building. 

The Association, located right next door to the new Cole’s, will cater to downtown's increasingly sophisticated after-work crowd. The bar, which is the latest venture by the Room co-founder Ashley Joyce, hopes to be a hit with loft-dwelling urbanites in nearby SB lofts buildings such as the SB Manhattan.   

We also hear that Cedd Moses' new bar in the Santa Fe lofts building will open (also on 6th Street, just across the street from the Association) in early 2009. Working title is Santa Fe, and it will be a tequila/mezcal-themed watering hole -- perhaps with a historic nod to the old Santa Fe railroad company as a design theme.

The sexy, pub-like Association has a ...

members-only feel, with a basement location, leather banquettes and brass accents throughout. The 1,800-square-foot hotspot hopeful is described as a "proper bar" by the U.K.-born Joyce, who says he already has all the requisite permits in order and that he will open as soon as he feels ready.

While the bar is still under construction, expect the Association to open by "early November," with exposed concrete ceilings, original early-20th-century tile greeting visitors as they walk into the bar, and a creative cocktail menu designed by a San Francisco bartender. 

The bar resembles Moses' Seven Grand (in spirit, not necessarily design). It's not a club -- no DJs or wild nights here; just a basic bar with decidedly adult mahogany woodwork throughout -- which should endear it to the neighborhood. 

All of a sudden, this part of downtown is looking more and more like lower Manhattan circa 1994, and that's a very good thing indeed, we say.

-- Charlie Amter

Photo of the Association by Tara Godvin

Comments

[Downtown]

nice. There are actually even more bars that are opening in that area that are not mentioned in the article. There are three more bars on spring between 5th and 6th street

[Aissa Galoso]

such a beautiful thing to see new life breathed into these old majestic structures.

[Dave Bullock]

Nice, I love my block! I've only been waiting for this for 3 years now! Cole's was the spot, we'll see how it is now, but I'm expecting good things.