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Hotel proposed for State St. Santa Barbara Historic Landmarks Commission impressed with developer’s plans for the 700 block
Unity Shoppe to host telethon Local nonprofit helps people, inspires similar efforts around the country By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Unity Shoppe will air its annual telethon on Friday. This year’s fundraiser will be hosted by Montecito singer Kenny Loggins, who has been hosting the telethon for the past 36 years. “It has become a community awareness event. We invite people to call in, and we have a phone bank of about six to eight people,” Tom Reid, executive director of Unity Shoppe in Santa Barbara, told the News-Press. The telethon will be broadcast live from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on KEYTTV, Channel 3. Mr. Loggins, the vocalist known for songs such as the theme to “Footloose” and “Danger Zone” from the original “Top Gun” movie, has made the telethon a Please see TELETHON on A4
Tom Reid
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS
FYI The Unity Shoppe telethon will run from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday on KEYT-TV, Channel 3. For more information go to unityshoppe.org.
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
A new hotel is being proposed for this side of the 700 block of State Street. The impacted area would be from 710 State St., pictured above, to 720 State St.
By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The Santa Barbara Historic Landmarks Commission was wowed Wednesday by conceptual plans to build a four-story hotel on lower State Street, especially because it would be located in an outdoor paseo setting similar to other downtown paseos. Commission members also appreciated that there would be a 20-foot setback from the street, its height at most would be no greater than a few nearby buildings, and its sections would look like separate but similarlooking buildings combined together. The hotel is being planned for the 700 block of State Street, on the side closest to Anacapa Street. The impacted area would be from 710 State St. to 720 State St. The project consists of a proposal to construct a 32,799square-foot, four-story, 66-room hotel including a restaurant/bar and conference rooms on six lots totaling 30,004 square feet. The project also includes 16 parking spaces on the ground floor. The project would include demolition of structures such as the 14,455-square-foot building at 710 State St. The remaining 6,071 square feet of existing nonresidential development would remain (714-720 State Street). “I like this project,” Commissionmember Cass Ensberg said. “I think it’s really interesting. It’s kind of quirky. I like that. The paseo part of it is appropriate. I think it works.” Added Commission Chair Anthony Grumbine, “The elevation is extremely charming.” Commission members voted unanimously to send the proposal on to the Planning Commission for review, with the caveat that it be returned to them “eventually” to see how their concerns and
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS
More than 60 people recently attended a workshop concerning the Stow Grove Park Master Plan.
City of Goleta seeks input on Stow Grove Park Master Plan By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
This is the view from Ortega Street of the proposed hotel site, which would include 710 State St. to 720 State St. and some land along Ortega Street.
recommendations to developers 710 State St. Partners (James P. Knell/general partner) and architect Kevin Moore are incorporated into their plans. Mr. Moore noted the project had come before the commission before but was envisioned for housing. Developers withdrew their plans and reworked them, reducing the overall size by 3,500 square feet, making slight changes to move the hotel away from the street and the public. There would be a variety of rooms on the ground floor, a second-floor restaurant/bar, a third-level smaller outdoor area and a fourth floor with a smaller bar and restaurant food and outdoor seating. “The biggest change is the volume close to State Street,” Mr. Moore said. “We’ve reduced it pretty dramatically. Most of the
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mass has been pushed into the back corner.” Most of the hotel would be two stories high, and its fourth floor would make it “roughly the same height” as another building nearby and the News-Press building parapet, he said. “We broke the mass of the building up so it appears as if it’s different structures built at different times,” he said. Commission members called the design “beautiful” and “handsome” with “an attractive facade.” Nevertheless, they voiced concerns about how and where guests would check into the hotel, reducing the transparency of balconies and railings to protect guests’ privacy, and reducing the size of the rooftop pergola/trellis structure to make it less visible from State Street.
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They also wanted to ensure that at some point, the paseo would be securely closed to the general public — perhaps by a timed gate — so only guests and hotel employees would have access to the hotel. In addition, the commission members want a third arch added that people would walk beneath directly into the hotel paseo to “make it special and a way to be celebrated,” Chair Grumbine said, adding that the commission wants to see artist renderings of people walking through the paseo “to see how the whole thing feels.” Commission members also wanted to ensure people know the hotel is there. “I know it will be really great,” Commissionmember Ensberg said. “It shouldn’t hide itself when Please see HOTEL on A4
The city of Goleta recently hosted the Stow Grove Park Master Plan Workshop at La Patera Elementary School. The workshop on Saturday was an opportunity for people to give input on the project as well as see the data that has been collected so far from the community. “The event was great, with over 60 people in attendance, nearly doubling the number of residents from the first workshop,” Joanne Plummer, the Goleta parks and recreation manager, told the News-Press. “Workshop attendees received a project update from the project team and participated in activities that helped communicate their desires for specific amenities as well as share opinions of what they like to see or not see in Stow Grove Park.” The park is near La Patera School, and approximately 10 of the people attending the workshop decided to tour the park with the consultant team, Ms. Plummer said. (The walk was optional because of the weather.) “City staff and the consultant team presented the four options and various park element options,” Luz Reyes-Martin, a
newly elected Goleta City Council member, told the News-Press. “Attendees had an opportunity to ask questions and then were given color coded stickers to place on the specific park elements that are most wanted and least wanted,” she said. Ms. Plummer described Stove Grove Park as a historic treasure in Goleta and noted many residents voiced their passion for the park. “Some residents remember activities taking place long ago,” Ms. Plummer said. “They recalled and shared information about grassroot efforts for improvements, reminisced about programs and shared frustrations with park users that do not follow the rules,” she said. “Many workshop attendees were interested in some of the proposed amenities and/or improvements, while others living near the park have expressed interest to keep the park exactly as it is today.” Ms. Reyes-Martin noted people expressed diverse opinions about the various elements. “Generally speaking, I heard support for refurbishing existing park elements and concerns about adding too many new elements Please see PARK on A4
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