Tower Club's Reinvention

If you’ve walked into the Tower Club in Tysons lately, you’ve been met with scaffolding, dust and clanging tools. The members-only business club, started by developers in 1989, is going through a seven-month, $2M renovation to keep up with the changes happening in the bustling Tysons submarket 17 floors below. The 22k SF club updated its lounge and restaurant and is adding space for small meetings and co-working, and planning events to draw a wider mix of members. 

GM Kara Carmichael, who took over the Tower Club last May after running Chef Geoff's across the street, is in the updated lounge. A wall of TVs was added on one end, along with updated chairs and tables, and space for people to work. She’s hoping the club will attract more members in the evenings, something it hasn’t typically had. Touchdown rooms will be added for members to hold four- to five-person meetings and an open area, similar to a co-working space, will also be added. The club will also have tablets and every device recharger imaginable plus upgraded WiFi.

The Tower Club’s Reserve restaurant hired a new chef in July and placed more focus on fine wines -- several at the restaurant can’t be found anywhere in the DC area and some run as high as $2k. The club’s events will now include classes about wine and liquor, networking events for women execs, and speakers like Eric Cantor, who’s scheduled for May. The membership, which historically was real estate and fed tech execs, is drawing younger entrepreneurs and execs. Of its 1,236 members, Millennials have grown from 15% to 20% in the last six months. Women execs are also flocking, representing 65% of new members.