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Proposal for Santa Barbara hotel calls for tearing down The Press Room pub, Restoration Hardware KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOSThe Press Room pub on Ortega Street would be torn down under a proposal for a four-story Santa Barbara hotel in the 700 block of State Street.
A proposal to build a four-story, 66-room hotel at 710 State St. would mean the demolition of two buildings that now house The Press Room pub and Restoration Hardware, the project’s case planner said Thursday.
Associate Planner Kelly Brodison confirmed to the News-Press that 710 State St,, which houses Restoration Hardware, would be demolished, as would the building at 15 E. Ortega St., where The Press Room pub is located.
A third building at 19 E. Ortega, which sits at the rear of 710 State St., would be torn down as well, she said.
“The building at 15 E. Ortega is proposed to be demolished as part of the project,” Ms. Brodison said, adding that the project’s floor plan shows that hotel rooms are proposed for 15 E. Ortega St.
When the News-Press visited The Press Room on Thursday, customers reacted to the hotel proposal with dismay and annoyance.
“I haven’t heard of (the proposed hotel) yet, but it would be a real shame to get rid of this place,” said one patron who wished to go unnamed.
The building housing Restoration Hardware would be demolished if a hotel is built as proposed in downtown Santa Barbara.“I’ve been coming here for years, especially for the World Cup … It will be hard to replace (The Press Room) if it ends up going (away),” the customer told the News-Press.
“Great! Another hotel,” another patron added sarcastically. “Pretty soon this city will have more (hotels) than houses.”
James Rafferty, who owns The Press Room and signed a new 10-year lease in May, could not be reached for comment Thursday. Neither could the project’s architect, Kevin Moore.
The person who answered the phone at Restoration Hardware on Thursday declined to comment. “I cannot speak on any of that,” she said, referring questions to corporate officials, whose spokeswoman also declined comment.
“Thank you for reaching out to RH,” Kristen Miller-Weil, senior communications director at Carfrae Consulting, told the News-Press. “We are unable to provide further details for your story.”
The proposed 13,799-square-foot hotel would include a restaurant/bar and conference rooms on six lots totalling 30,004 square feet. The project also includes 16 parking spaces on the ground floor.
Ms. Brodison noted that the properties affected by the project are located in the Commercial General Zone, “and hotels are an allowed use.”
COURTESY IMAGEThis is the architectural rendering of a hotel proposed for the 700 block of State Street.“New nonresidential square footage must comply with the city’s Nonresidential Growth Management Program (GMP),” Ms. Brodison said. “Since no new square footage has been added to any of the properties, they each qualify for 3,000 square feet of new nonresidential. By merging the lots, the owner can build the 3,000 square feet of new floor area for each lot. They are also permitted to replace all the nonresidential square footage that is to be demolished.
“The project will have a demolition credit of 15,455 square feet for the demolition of three existing buildings,and 3,000 square feet for each of the other legal lots. Therefore, a total of 33,455 square feet is available for this project once the lots are merged.”
The buildings at 714-720 State St. are proposed to remain as is, she said, while.the project does not involve the parcels on the corner of State and Ortega (700, 706 and 708 State St.).
She declined to comment on the lease situation regarding The Press Room or Restoration Hardware, noting “the city cannot regulate leases between private parties.”
Chair Anthony Grumbine of the Santa Barbara Historic Landmarks Commission asks architect Kevin Moore questions during a meeting Wednesday. The panel sounded pleased with plans for the hotel.Ms. Brodison also could not say how long it would take developer Jim Knell to win city approval for the project.
“There is no way to predict the time frame as there are so many varying factors,” she said. “It could be years, or it could be months, or it could never happen.”
The Santa Barbara Historic Landmarks Commission reviewed the proposal Wednesday and aside from some recommended changes, generally lauded its design, especially the fact that the hotel would be located within an outdoor paseo setting.
Mr. Moore told commission members the project came before them previously but at the time was envisioned for housing. Developers withdrew their plans and reworked them, reducing the overall size by 3,500 square feet and making changes so the hotel would sit further away from the street.
Mr. Rafferty of The Press Room celebrated in May after his landlord, Mr. Knell, doing business as SIMA Management, withdrew his application to build housing on the site, giving the pub a reprieve from possible demolition. Mr. Rafferty noted then that he had signed a new 10-year lease.
News-Press staff writer Jared Daniels contributed to this story.
email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail.com
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