Council Oks Rittenhouse building

SANTA CRUZ — The Zoning Board didn’t like it.

But the City Council did.

After 4½ hours of discussion, the council approved plans early Wednesday to develop the largest piece of downtown property left vacant after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

For developer and property owner Louis Rittenhouse, the 7-0 decision essentially ends 2½ years of returning to the drawing board for a retail and office complex at Church Street and Pacific Avenue.

"It was a fortunate event last night that I found the seven additional people who liked the building — and they were members of the City Council," said Rittenhouse, who said he spent Wednesday afternoon engaged in "garden therapy."

He likened the protracted planning process to passing a kidney stone.

Earlier this month, the Zoning Board shot down Rittenhouse’s proposal largely because the project exceeded the downtown earthquake-recovery plan’s 50-foot height limit, and because it lacked vehicle and bicycle parking. They also objected to using stucco rather than masonry.

"The zoning board really missed the mark when they criticized the materials," said Councilman Mark Primack, an architect and former Zoning Board member. "This (building) is going to be a real gift to the street."

The four-story, 90,510-square-foot building will be 60 feet tall, with a 75-foot tower on the Commerce Lane — or alley — side of the building. The project also includes a sidewalk along Commerce Lane between the building and the parking garage behind it.

Retail tenants will occupy the first three floors, including the basement. The third and fourth floors will be leased as office space.

Rittenhouse has yet to sign any tenants, but said the design could accommodate one small department store or a variety of retailers.

"All of the businesses around the property are excited," said Peter Eberle, executive director of the Downtown Association. "I thought the council made a very logical choice and a good decision."

Much of Tuesday’s discussion centered on car and bicycle parking, and the lack of housing.

"Certainly we thought about (housing)," Rittenhouse said Wednesday. "But when council indicated ... they do not want to change any of the parking garages, it became very clear that it wasn’t going to be possible to have parking for the apartments." He added that it was nearly impossible to manage retail, office and residential tenants in a single building.

Mayor Tim Fitzmaurice said he felt the plans fell short of the city’s requirement to encourage use of alternative transportation, and criticized the lack of bicycle parking.

The council’s decision mutes the public outcry for a downtown plaza on the lot, which Rittenhouse had repeatedly said was not for sale.

"It is important that we have gotten past this pie-in-the-sky notion of the city acquiring the property for a plaza," Primack said, adding that he would support a plaza proposed for Pacific Avenue between Cooper and Locust streets.

Bruce Bratton, a local columnist who led the charge for the plaza on the Rittenhouse property, was angered by the council’s action.

"The downtown plaza committee looked at that corner as the heart of Santa Cruz," Bratton said. "By putting up a Styrofoam and stucco building, they have stabbed us in the heart of Santa Cruz."

Rittenhouse has named the building after his deceased grandfather, E.C. Rittenhouse. Construction could begin by September, Rittenhouse said.

Contact Marina Malikoff at mmalikoff@santa-cruz.com.