Los Gatos Weekly-Times Ogilvie application passes hurdle, heads for council By Jeff Kearns Diane Ogilvie says she was so happy when the Planning Commission approved her application for an upscale hotel that she just had to jump up out of her seat. It's not hard to see why: she's been working on the plan for eight years. Commissioners approved the planned development application to change the zoning for the site and the demolition of the Kerful Cleaners building, which some had argued was historic and should be saved. The commission's approval will be forwarded as a recommendation to the Town Council, which is set to hear Ogilvie's application on Dec. 21. Although Ogilvie and architect Jim Starkovich were sent back to redesign the project several times, this hearing did not address the building's architecture, which will be the subject of another hearing that has not yet been scheduled. In her redesign, Ogilvie aligned the setback of the building with the First Church of Christ Scientist next door, eliminated a portico at the entrance, and removed a 38-foot tower in the front of the building. Some windows that would have faced a residence on the side of the building were also removed from the design. Ogilvie also agreed to cut the seating capacity of the restaurant from 240 to 160, which means that the project will have 18 more parking spaces than required by Town Code. The size of the restaurant was also cut, from 3,600 to 2,490 square feet. Rosemary Bitman, a neighbor on Villa Avenue, has opposed the hotel, but Ogilvie said that she sold the property where Bitman lives to the town to provide land that was to have been used for a new library. Bitman, who rents on the property, knew there was a hotel coming, Ogilvie said. "Each resident was informed that the residences were temporary and as to the development plans for the property," Ogilvie said. Bitman told the commission that it has "a responsibility to protect the residential character of Villa Avenue." Other residents expressed concerns about increased traffic on E. Main Street and about losing the services of the cleaners. Along with Kerful Cleaners, Siam Thai and La Strada restaurants will also be demolished. The hotel, at 220 E. Main St., would have 83 rooms, 29 of which would be suites with kitchens. Starkovich says the rooms are designed for longer stays. The application passed 6-1, with Marcia Jensen dissenting without comment. "I've had a lot of good reports from everyone," Ogilvie told the Los Gatos Weekly-Times. "After almost eight years, I think they really want the hotel--especially the merchants on E. Main, they need the foot traffic." [ Back to Contents Page | Los Gatos Weekly-Times Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, November 11, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.