The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

City approves luxury hotel on El Camino

By Justin Berton

Construction of a high-class hotel at El Camino Real near Pastoria Avenue was approved by the Sunnyvale City Council at its May 21 meeting, but not until the developer pledged to make a few changes in the architectural style.

City Councilmembers originally denied developer Aldo Selvi's request for the hotel in a 4-3 decision after a group of neighbors angrily protested the proposed four-story building.

The hotel would be Sunnvyale's most extravagantly constructed, according to the city's principal planner, Fredrick Bell.

Councilmembers directed Selvi's staff to work with neighbors on the project and return when a compromise had been reached.

Now, the 104-room luxury hotel, which includes five bungalows and sports the tentative moniker "The Grand Hotel of Sunnyvale," is set to break ground late this summer--but with a few changes to the original plans.

Neighbors were successful in getting the main building reduced from four stories to three and pressuring the architect to match the residential style of the houses on the Olive Avenue side.

Councilmember Fred Fowler commended the developers and neighbors for reaching a common ground.

"Where we are now and where we were [when the project was first proposed] are light years apart," Fowler said.

This time, no members from the neighborhood spoke during the public-comment portion of the hearing or attempted to block approval of the hotel in any way.

Though councilmembers unnanimously approved the hotel, there were some questions raised as to the design of the building and whether the structure could live up to the city's required public art ordinance.

Councilmember Jack Walker expressed the most concern about the design, and suggested the architects add more curves to the building.

"Right now it looks like a box," he said. "Like a tilt-up you'd see on Bayshore."

John Vidovich, the developer of the project, agreed to discuss the issue with designers.

Vidovich also announced plans to purchase a 24-foot-tall stained-glass dome to mount atop the stucture in hopes can meet the public art requirement.

The dome is currently being removed from the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco, where the building is undergoing construction to make way for new office space in the hotel.

The public art requirement was created to ensure works of art be in plain view of the general public on private developments that encompass more than two acres.

[ Back to Contents Page | Sunnyvale Sun Home Page | Archives ]

This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, May 27, 1998.
©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.