Amy Sacco's New Project No. 8 Preps For Big Opening

Amy Sacco's return to New York clubland with LDV Hospitality is well underway at her new venue on W. 16th Street. But because of the public outcry when the plans were announced, LDV was forced to change course and make sure that the project would never, ever be referred to as Bungalow 8. LDV had also agreed in a broadly worded letter to the SLA [warning: PDF] stating "Amy Sacco is not and shall not be an employee, owner or paid consultant of the Applicant", leading the Community Board to drop its opposition to their proposed gastropub in the former XL space.

With permission to go forward in hand, LDV has renamed the project #8 and previews began last week and continue this week in advance of the public opening, with a New York Daily Newsspy reporting that the space was gorgeous. What they also heard and what a 16th Street insider told Eater is that despite the promises made to the community, Amy Sacco is very much a presence inside the new space and that #8 is very much her vision and her operation. It probably wouldn't take too much legal skill to craft a corporate structure to make Sacco's involvement in #8 comply with the above mentioned letter, but it will be interesting to see if the Community Board and SLA intervene in the near future.
· Amy Sacco’s New Chelsea Nightspot Gets Raves From Guests [NYDN]
· Bungalow 8 Coverage [~ENY~]
· Nightlife Coverage [~ENY~]