Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Ogilvie scales back design for her Main Street hotel

CDAC says conference rooms might be a plus

By Jeff Kearns

Diane Ogilvie is back with a new set of plans for a hotel she would like to build at 226 W. Main St., and this time she thinks the design is the best ever.

"This is the first time I feel really good about it. I pulled the last one because I didn't like it." Ogilvie has been to the town with various proposals over the years for a hotel complex. This version is scaled down considerably and no longer includes retail space on the first level.

The Conceptual Development Advisory Committee met with Ogilvie Feb. 25.

Architect Jim Starkovich said he tried to take everything into account that was recommended at the last CDAC meeting, including reducing the size of the front of the building. Starkovich also eliminated the rear entrances to cut down on traffic on Villa Avenue.

The hotel, which Starkovich describes as "business-oriented," would be arranged around two courtyards. The front building would have staggered rooflines to present a less imposing front to the street and give the building a more residential quality.

The current plan seeks approval only for a hotel and restaurant. A conference center that appeared in previous proposals had been eliminated, but some committee members suggested that conference rooms might actually be useful for the town, something councilmembers might consider a community benefit.

"Because this would be a planned development, it needs a strong community benefit, [beyond] just looking good," Town Council and committee member Randy Attaway said. "To convince us on the planned development, the second floor should be conference rooms for the community, to fill a need in town for a small meeting place."

Mayor Linda Lubeck, also a committee member, said the tradeoff for meeting rooms would be how much traffic would be generated.

Most of the traffic, Ogilvie said, would probably come off Los Gatos Boulevard instead of through the downtown area. Nevertheless, a traffic study would be required prior to approval. The hotel would also have an underground parking lot.

Kathryn Morgan praised the lack of impact on Villa Avenue and the ample on-site parking but added that she was concerned the buildings might obstruct views of the hillsides behind the site, which is across the street from Los Gatos High School.

Ogilvie's plans include razing the buildings that house Siam Thai Cuisine and La Strada restaurants, as well as the Kerful Dry Cleaners.

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