ALBANY — Todd Shapiro, the Manhattan PR agent who opened the political hangout the Albany War Room Tavern, has purchased the former La Serre building downtown and intends to open a private club and restaurant catering to the under-40 crowd, with a planned debut on election night in November. The business, as yet unnamed, will also have 20% of its tables set aside for the general public, Shapiro said Saturday.
“The hottest trend in New York City in recent years has been restaurant clubs,” Shapiro said, citing places including Zero Bond, Casa Tua and Maxime’s as the next generation of private clubs reigniting interest in a model made famous in the near past by Soho House, founded in London in 1995 and now with more than 40 locations in 19 countries.
Dorcey Applyrs, the city’s chief auditor and, as the Democratic mayoral candidate this fall, its presumptive next mayor, said Saturday that she plans to hold her election festivities at Shapiro’s club…