Slow down. Not so fast.
The proposed Maserati and Alfa Romeo luxury car dealership on Hitchcock Way is turning heads, but giving members of Santa Barbara’s Architectural Board of Review a bit of design sticker shock.
A four-person squad representing the auto dealership pulled up to the ABR on Monday looking for design approval, and instead was told to hit the road and come back with something better.
The building still needs work, the ABR said, suggesting more landscaping and palm trees to soften the hard, rectangle-on-stilts look of the building.
The ABR also wants the developers to consider varying the elevations of the one- and two-story rooms, “keeping them industrial, but making them more interesting.”
ABR member Howard Wittausch suggested that the second story of the building be set back by about 15 feet to create an arcade look.
“What really bothers me is this whole building is just piling up at the front of the street.” Wittausch said. “If you could step it back, the perspective of the building would nestle in more with the site.”
The good news is that the development team is on the right track.
“I like the composition of this building,” said ABR member Scott Hopkins. “I like the materials. I think it is very elegant.”
New Century Automotive Group wants to build a two-story, 33-foot-tall building, with glass panels allowing buyers to peer inside.
The dealership with feature Maserati and Alfa Romeo cars, and offer storage spots on the second floor for car owners, who make Santa Barbara their “third or fourth home.”
The dealership would also include a showroom, enclosed service bays, and an office and parts department.
Although Ferrari was depicted in an early architectural rendering of the project, it currently is not part of the proposal.
It doesn’t matter which brands occupy the dealership, say some nearby homeowners. They believe the project is too close to their homes.
“It concerns me that this building is still huge,” said Joel Orr, a nearby resident, who said there’s already existing light pollution from the proliferation of car dealerships nearby. “I am expecting I will see a huge building.
“I can’t see how that won’t be the case, even with some bushes to try and hide it. This is a really a big footprint and tall building. I am not sure it is compatible with the neighborhood.”
The developers did reduce the height of the building by two feet and the width by six feet, between the first and second meeting. They also agreed to keep a row of eucalyptus trees, rather then cutting them down as originally proposed.
It’s not enough, however, says nearby resident Christine Fancher.
“I am concerned that this is 40,000 square feet minus 1,000 square feet of concrete,” Fancher said. “It is about the size of four monstrous mansions.”
Fancher said there’s already light pollution and car alarms going off regularly from the dealerships. She worries about employees parking on residential streets and walking to work to the dealership, rather than on site. She’s not impressed with the luxury lines targeting Santa Barbara.
“I moved out of L.A. to get rid of that big-ego stuff,” Fancher said. “This is so sad to me that this is coming.”
Maruja Clensay, associate planner with Suzanne Elledge Planning Services, which is representing the project, said the proposal is a great fit for Santa Barbara.
“The applicant has vast experience with this process in other cities, and they feel confident that working together with the ABR board, the city of Santa Barbara and the great community they serve will yield a premium facility and location that we may all be proud of,” Clensay said.
— Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina can be reached at jmolina@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
