With a full dais that included new member David Marek, the Los Altos Planning Commission reviewed two proposed housing projects last week and gave feedback that ultimately encouraged the respective developers to return to the commission with updated plans.
Local residents took issue with both projects – one at 376 First St. and the other at 4898 El Camino Real – for the same reasons: lack of parking, the inclusion a rooftop deck, inconsistent design compared with other city housing developments and the number of affordable units.
Often a hit, this time a miss
The commission considered the proposal for the multifamily development at 376 First St. for the first time at its Aug. 1 meeting. Brett Bailey of the Dahlin Group architecture firm spoke on behalf of applicant Jan Unlu, introducing a condo complex comprising 15 units spread across four stories – eight one-bedroom and seven two-bedroom condos. Bailey’s design features a common roof deck and one level of underground parking with a mechanical lift system.
Currently, the site is home to the single-story Ristorante Bella Vita and 10 parking spaces. Three affordable units are included in the plan in exchange for height, setback and parking incentives and waivers.
Bailey reminded the commission that this was not Dahlin’s first rodeo: Los Altos Gardens and 100 First St., two projects Commissioner Ronit Bodner noted are often used as examples of good architecture in town, were also designed by the Pleasanton-based firm.
The contemporary gable look Bailey aimed for in his 376 First design is not similar to the firm’s other projects. While he considered it the more conservative design – an earlier iteration he tried to make “boxy and fun” received mixed reviews from colleagues, the senior associate admitted – multiple commissioners argued that the usual Dahlin Group quality just wasn’t there.
“There are a lot of good elements, with the material palette (showing) promise,” Commissioner Doo Ho Lee said. “I like the (use of) real wood, but there’s a loss of opportunity in having no entry on First Street. It’s not welcoming.”
Resident Jon Baer contended that the design is too modern for downtown; it could work on El Camino Real, he said. Later, Commissioner Phoebe Bressack agreed, calling for a design that reflects the “village” feel.
Marek, a lawyer by trade who was appointed to the commission by the Los Altos City Council June 11, said at first he liked the project, but after listening to critiques from fellow commissioners, he wasn’t so sure.
“I’m comfortable with the overall look, but a lot of these concerns are warranted,” Marek said.
The commission suggested a few design tweaks, including securing the building with a gate, lightening the color of the elevator tower to make it less intense, reorienting the entrance and breaking up the mass of the building with architectural elements.
“We have a lot of work to do, and I think you’ll be pleased when I come back,” Bailey said.
Brimming with juxtaposition
Commissioners compared components of applicant Mircea Voskerician’s Altos II project at 4898 El Camino Real to an assortment of structures: a commercial building, a cruise ship, an airport control tower and a prison tower. Overall, the group was unified in feeling that the building felt heavy largely because the long balconies that wrapped around each floor were “super-banded.”
The building has come a long way since the project’s Feb. 21 study session, commissioners agreed. Bressack called the design application “one of the more successful ones (commissioners) have seen” due to architect Jeff Potts’ willingness to incorporate their feedback.
Still, concerns with the mix of materials, the fact that the 21-unit project includes only three- and four-bedroom units and the lack of substantial detail on the rear elevation, among other objections, led to a unanimous decision to direct the 4898 El Camino Real team to return once more before the commission recommends approving the project to the city council.
If approved, the project will replace a one-story commercial building currently occupied by the Futon Shop, as well as a number of other offices and retail outlets.
Voskerician informed the commission that he and Potts had developed variations of the project with the same footprint that provide either 24 units or 28 units with one-, two- and three-bedroom models, depending on the preference of city leaders. The 28-unit option would allow an increase in affordable housing units from four to six, a major benefit to Los Altos, Voskerician said. His current design adheres to the city’s 35 percent density bonus – which allows developers to secure building variances in exchange for incorporating affordable housing units or public space in their projects – but he said would be receptive the city selecting any of the plans.
Design recommendations fall under the purview of the Planning Commission, but the density bonus decision are largely up to the council, Commissioner Sally Meadows said. Still, commissioners agreed to offer input on both the revised design and which plan they prefer – 21-, 24- or 28-unit – at their next meeting, scheduled Aug. 15.
