Brandon Charnas and interior images of the private clubs at Zero Bond and Moss https://brandoncharnas.com/
Over the past decade, private members clubs have quietly reshaped New York’s social, cultural, and professional landscape. Once niche and discreet, they are now powerful engines of networking, dealmaking, and community building, often occupying architecturally significant buildings and navigating some of the city’s most complex regulatory terrain.
Few projects illustrate this evolution more clearly than Zero Bond, the members club founded by Scott Sartiano, housed at the only legal zero address in New York City. Co-developed and leased by Brandon Charnas, co-founder of Current Real Estate Advisors, the club is widely regarded as one of the most selective and culturally influential private spaces in Manhattan. Its rise was neither easy nor inevitable, requiring years of zoning analysis, community board negotiations, landmark approvals, and an unusual level of hands-on involvement.
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What ultimately set Zero Bond apart was not scale or spectacle, but curation. As Charnas explains, successful clubs are not about status or money, but about creating a social environment that consistently brings together the right mix of people, ideas, and energy. In a city increasingly saturated with aspirational members clubs, Zero Bond offers a case study in why only a few endure.
“You cannot buy your way in. You are paying for the social creation.” – Brandon Charnas
How did you first come into commercial real estate?
Brandon: I grew up in this community. My great-grandfather was Benjamin Katz, the founder of Katz’s Delicatessen, so real estate, neighborhood politics, and New York institutions were always part of my life. I started in traditional office leasing and building sales, and over time realized there was an opportunity to create something more scalable and more creative. That eventually led to the founding of Current Real Estate Advisors in 2016.
How did you first become involved with the Zero Bond building?
The building always stood out. It is a gorgeous prewar structure on Bond Street, and uniquely, it carries the only legal zero address in all of New York City. I sold the building to Paramount Realty Trust in 2014. At the time, it was the former Brooks Brothers building and the floors were broken up and largely vacant.
As part of making the numbers work, we secured a lease with Equinox for part of the building, but the upper floors were still empty. That vacancy created the opportunity to imagine something unconventional.
As part of making the numbers work, we secured a lease with Equinox for part of the building, but the upper floors were still empty. That vacancy created the opportunity to imagine something unconventional.
Rendering of the main entrance lobby at Zero Bond
What were some of the regulatory hurdles that made opening Zero Bond challenging?
Everything. You cannot get a liquor license unless zoning is fully compliant, and the building exceeded size thresholds that triggered specific commercial use requirements. Zoning protections in SoHo were originally designed to keep big-box retailers out, which limited allowable uses.
After zoning, any physical changes had to go through Landmarks Preservation Commission approval. On top of that, Community Board 2 is anecdotally the toughest in the city. A four-a.m. liquor license north of 20,000 square feet almost never happens here.
After zoning, any physical changes had to go through Landmarks Preservation Commission approval. On top of that, Community Board 2 is anecdotally the toughest in the city. A four-a.m. liquor license north of 20,000 square feet almost never happens here.
How did you convince the community board to agree to a private club?
When I spoke to the board about my great-grandfather and Katz’s role in the neighborhood, it became emotional. That context helped people understand that this was not an extractive project. We are rooted here.
It took three community board meetings and more than a year of what essentially became grassroots lobbying effort. Without the liquor license, the rents required for this space simply would not have been possible.
We showed that this was not a nightlife concept and not a typical hospitality tenant. It is closer to a high-end office space that you never want to leave. That framing changed everything.
We even located our own office inside Zero Bond. It became a living showroom for what a curated, hospitality-driven work environment could be.
It took three community board meetings and more than a year of what essentially became grassroots lobbying effort. Without the liquor license, the rents required for this space simply would not have been possible.
We showed that this was not a nightlife concept and not a typical hospitality tenant. It is closer to a high-end office space that you never want to leave. That framing changed everything.
We even located our own office inside Zero Bond. It became a living showroom for what a curated, hospitality-driven work environment could be.
How important is location to a private club’s success?
Critical. A club has to be central and it has to feel like a destination. Some clubs fail simply because they are physically difficult to get to. Bond Street works because it is discreet but accessible. Scott Sartiano refers to it as Ground Zero Bond for a reason.
What differentiates Zero Bond from other private clubs?
Privacy and programming. There is no other club where the membership team is on the floor every day. They know the members. That matters.
It is also one of the hardest clubs to get into, but it is relatively affordable. You cannot buy your way in. With many clubs, you are paying for food, access, or status. Here, you are paying for social creation.
Scott Sartiano's curation is intentional. Here, you’re paying for the social creation. You might be sitting next to a 30-year-old tech founder, an artist, a banker, or a celebrity. That mix does not happen accidentally. here you’re paying for the social creation
It is also one of the hardest clubs to get into, but it is relatively affordable. You cannot buy your way in. With many clubs, you are paying for food, access, or status. Here, you are paying for social creation.
Scott Sartiano's curation is intentional. Here, you’re paying for the social creation. You might be sitting next to a 30-year-old tech founder, an artist, a banker, or a celebrity. That mix does not happen accidentally. here you’re paying for the social creation
One of my favorite stories was when Andreessen Horowitz hosted an event for Congressman Ritchie Torres. While the event was happening during the day, the elevator opened and Bill Clinton arrived on his way to a meeting upstairs. He stopped at the event to show support.
That kind of spontaneous overlap between politics, tech, and culture is exactly what a well-run members club is supposed to enable.
Grill Room at Zero Bond (Credit: Zero Bond)
Do you think private clubs work inside residential buildings?
Personally, no. That was always my biggest concern. A residential building is its own community. Opening it up to outside members is not something I would want in my own home.
Hotels are different because you know what you are getting into. But a members club has to stand on its own. It cannot rely on residential access to succeed.
Hotels are different because you know what you are getting into. But a members club has to stand on its own. It cannot rely on residential access to succeed.
Moss is a private members’ club within the mixed-use tower at 520 Fifth Avenue, offering residents and non-residents alike access through paid membership. (Credit: Binyan Studios)
Do you think there is a risk of oversaturation in the private club market?
Yes. We are seeing a dot-com-style boom in members clubs. Everyone wants to be part of it, but only a few people know how to do it properly.
Nightclubs burn hot then fade. A members club is about longevity. You should never feel taken advantage of. You should feel supported. Members don't like not being able to get a reservation at their club and not receiving a personalized experience.
Nightclubs burn hot then fade. A members club is about longevity. You should never feel taken advantage of. You should feel supported. Members don't like not being able to get a reservation at their club and not receiving a personalized experience.
It's so important to be hands-on. Scott Sartiano is involved down to the silverware. Attention to detail matters.
Choose locations carefully. Choose partners carefully. Zero Bond could have expanded quickly, but it did not. We're opening our second location in Vegas at the Wynn. it was chosen deliberately since growth only works when the culture travels with it.
At the end of the day, private clubs succeed or fail based on whether members feel seen. The clubs that stop working to keep members happy are the ones that will not last.
Choose locations carefully. Choose partners carefully. Zero Bond could have expanded quickly, but it did not. We're opening our second location in Vegas at the Wynn. it was chosen deliberately since growth only works when the culture travels with it.
At the end of the day, private clubs succeed or fail based on whether members feel seen. The clubs that stop working to keep members happy are the ones that will not last.
(Credit: Zero Bond)
Clubs in NYC Residential Buildings
Aman New York Residences in the former Crown Building
Perks: Three-story
wellness area with spa, indoor pool, cryotherapy, lounges, private dining,
cigar terrace, and spectacular spaces within the Aman New York hotel. Members can
add family members and enjoy deep privacy. One of the most expensive clubs
globally.
Who it’s for:
Ultra-high-net-worth individuals seeking privacy, wellness, and luxury
lifestyle integration.
Aman New York Residences, #16B
$21,500,000
Midtown West | Condominium | 2 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths | 3,646 ft2
Aman New York Residences, #16B (Aman Property DE)
Central Park Tower (Extell Development Company)
Access to 10Cubed is reserved exclusively for Central Park Tower residents and their guests, with no separate public membership or annual fee beyond condo ownership.
The club is perched on the 100th story of the tower (hence its name), and spans multiple floors and offers private dining rooms, a residents-only restaurant and bar, a wine room, lounge spaces, a ballroom for events, and curated programming, all with the backdrop of sweeping views of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline.
10Cubed (Extell Development)
Central Park Tower, #127/128
$128,000,000
Midtown West | Condominium | 6+ Bedrooms, 6+ Baths | 11,535 ft2
Central Park Tower, #127/128 (Compass)
520 Fifth Avenue and bar area at Moss (Photo credit: Photo Credit - Nicole Franzen and styled by Dominique Baynes)
Moss is a newly opened club spanning five floors at 520 Fifth Avenue, combining 20,000 square feet of dining and social spaces with another 20,000 square feet for wellness and “physical culture.” Founded by sisters Colleen and Hailey Brooks, the club offers chef-driven restaurants and lounges, live music and cultural programming, and an expansive fitness and spa complex. Initiation fees ranging from about $1,500 to $3,950 and monthly dues from roughly $280 to $745.
Moss (Credit: Nicole Franzen)
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Bar Babette at Moss (Credit: Nicole Franzen)
(Credit: Nicole Franzen)
520 Fifth Avenue, #PH78 (Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group)
The Surrey
Casa Tua is a members-only club marrying fine dining and private club spaces. Membership requires an initiation fee in the low five figures and annual dues in the mid four figures, depending on access level. The club has a residential feel, curated crowd, and discreet atmosphere, with an emphasis on food-driven gatherings and long-form socializing rather than nightlife.
(Casa Tua)
The Surrey Residences, #PH1
$50,000,000
Park/Fifth Ave. to 79th St. | Condominium | 4 Bedrooms, 4.5 Baths | 5,195 ft2
The Surrey Residences, #PH1 (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
One High Line (Credit: Evan Joseph)
Faena Rose is a newly opened private club within the Faena New York Hotel at One High Line in West Chelsea. Membership costs are reported to be in the high four to low five figures annually, plus an initiation fee tied to access across the Faena brand. The club emphasizes art, design, and cultural programming alongside high-end dining and wellness.
The Living Room (Faena)
One High Line, #W28B (Serhant)
Prestigious Standalone Private Clubs in NYC
Club entrance (Union Club)
Dining room (Metropolitan Club)
(CORE: Club NYC)
(Zero Bond)
Rooftop pool (Soho House)
Other Notable Private Clubs
Downtown
(Flyfish)
Casa Cipriani, Financial District
Spring Place, Tribeca
Flyfish Club, Lower East Side
(The Twenty Two)
Chez Margaux, West Village/Meatpacking District
The Twenty Two, Union Square
Midtown
(Ned's Club NoMad)
ZZ's Club New York, Hudson Yards/Midtown West
(Harvard Club New York)
Harvard Club New York, Midtown West
Colette, Midtown East
New York Athletic Club, Billionaires' Row/Midtown West
Upper East Side
Harmonie Club entrance (Harmonie Club)
Doubles Club, Upper East Side Gold Coast
Harmonie Club, Upper East Side Gold Coast
Colony Club, Upper East Side Gold Coast
Cosmopolitan Club, Lenox Hill
Maxime's, Upper East Side Gold Coast
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Or call us at (212) 755-5544
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