The Los Gatos Planning Commission has recommended approval for a new townhouse development to replace the Los Gatos Lodge at 50 Los Gatos-Saratoga Road on the western edge of Santa Clara County city. The proposal would demolish the 1958-built complex with 155 new townhomes. Summerhill Homes is the project developer.
50 Los Gatos-Saratoga Road view along the main road, rendering by SDG Architects
According to reporting by Annalise Freimarck for the San Jose Spotlight, the plans have received support from the community and commissioners, noting that a traffic study concluded that the townhomes would not generate much more traffic than the hotel does currently.
The application was first submitted in late 2023, invoking Senate Bill 330 to streamline the approval process alongside the State Density Bonus program to increase the residential capacity. Zoning waivers have been used to increase the project height and reduce required open space, bicycle parking, setbacks, and more. Additionally, the planning documents state that “the applicant has invoked their right to Builder’s Remedy, but it has not been implemented.”
50 Los Gatos-Saratoga Road site map, illustration by SDG Architects
The proposal will yield a combined 367,300 square feet across 28 three-story structures containing 155 homes and 310 parking spaces. Unit types will vary, with 19 two-bedrooms, 66 three-bedrooms, and 70 four-bedrooms. The project will feature 26 affordable units, with 16 units for low-income households and ten units for moderate-income households.
SDG Architects is responsible for the design. Illustrations show each of the structures rising three floors with Spanish revival architectural features. The facade will be clad with concrete tiling, stucco, and clay tile gable accents.
50 Los Gatos-Saratoga Road area context map, illustration by SDG Architects
The 8.8-acre property is located along Saragota-Los Gatos Road between Bella Vista Avenue and Highway 17 in southern Los Gatos, near the foothills of the Santa Cruz mountain range. The southern edge of the property borders the Los Gatos High School campus. Future residents will be less than twenty minutes away from the city’s retail thoroughfare by bus, or five minutes by bicycle.
The plans have received a recommendation for approval from the city’s Planning Commission. Now, the project needs final approval from Los Gatos Town Council.
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