On Oct. 7, Council unanimously approved a project from the interior design and food & beverage service company RH that will reshape Old Town, giving new life to spaces that once held Gap, Steamers Grillhouse and others. Topics discussed during the public hearing included the remodelling plans, the history of the building and even down to menu items for the restaurant slated to go in.
Jordan Brown, senior vp of architecture and design for RH, gave a presentation on RH’s global projects, explaining their current business model of operating restaurants and furniture showrooms at the same time. Stewart Wagner, the director of pre-development for RH, was also in attendance.
The applications that evening were: to amend the planned development ordinance; an architecture and site filing for exterior changes; and a conditional use permit for formula retail space over 10,000 square feet (including a restaurant with alcohol service). The existing PD governs for the large swath of Old Town was adopted in 1996, allowing for separate joining structures. But the applicant proposed modifying this. They wanted to go for a unified Mediterranean-style facade. It’s more consistent with the surrounding architectural context, RH officials argued.
“We don’t build retail stores, we build inspiring spaces that blur the lines between residential retail, indoors and outdoors, home and hospitality,” said Brown, explaining that RH was founded in 1979, and highlighting that they’ve had a gallery on North Santa Cruz Avenue for the past 15 years.
She outlined RH’s recent upscale projects in Napa Valley, Montecito, San Francisco, England (their first gallery outside of North America) and—most recently—Paris (which just opened last month). Brown said their purpose-built-for-Los Gatos design comes with the intentions of matching the current architectural aesthetic of Old Town.
Vice Mayor Rob Moore asked Brown about the menu, hoping to ensure a plant-based option will be offered once the restaurant is open. Brown assured him there are currently options for vegetarians and said they’re working on even more. Scot Vallee, the head of West Coast development for Federal Realty, the property owner, said he believes RH will make the building “memorable.”
The public speaks
Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce CEO Jennifer Lin gave her full approval of the RH proposal and said she thinks the location will attract visitors from across the region.
“When those guests come and visit Los Gatos, they will explore our boutiques, dine in our restaurants and discover our services,” said Lin, asserting that this proposal will broaden visibility, higher foot traffic and increase sales.
Longtime Los Gatos resident (and Discover LOST Gatos columnist) Alan Feinberg said while he agrees RH’s new storefront would benefit the town in multiple ways, he worries it would threaten the community’s small-town charm.
He said he doesn’t like the unified design, which he argued would take away from the building’s individuality.
Susan Burnett, who sits on Planning Commission and the Historic Preservation Committee, said she believes Los Gatos is at a crossroads.
“Where in Old Town is there still that feeling of what Los Gatos is known for? Why has the small-town feeling prevailed?” said Burnett, urging her fellow Town officials to protect the current stucco building.
She said she’d bristled at comments made by the RH CEO recently at Planning Commission, as he’d derided the disjointed form currently sitting vacant on the site.
And by the way Burnett said, the new RH restaurant is 4,000 square feet smaller than Steamers.
Lee Fagot, a town resident of some 30 years, also urged Council to preserve the current character of the community.
“This redesign tonight does not fit, is not needed and will only have a negative effect on our community,” he said.
But in the end, after pushback from Councilmember Mary Badame against Vice Mayor Moore’s attempt to condition the project on including at least one plant-based menu item, Council approved the project—without any explicit menu restrictions.
I’m genuinely puzzled as to why anyone on the town council would attempt to influence or condition the approval of a building permit based on the menu items of a new business. A business is investing its own money to revitalize a long-vacant property and bring life back to that part of town — and yet the vice mayor appears to be obstructing the approval simply because the cuisine might not match his personal preferences. That seems highly inappropriate and unprofessional