••• According to the agenda for Wednesday’s meeting of the Historic Landmarks Commission, a 39-unit apartment complex is in the works for 630 Chapala Street (Ortega/Cota), where the Volkswagen dealership used to be. “The project includes demolition of the existing structures with the exception of one building to be repurposed, and construction of a new attached three- and four-story mixed-use complex. The complex would include 5,119 square feet (net) of commercial space and 32,429 square feet (net) of residential space consisting of 39 Average Unit-Size Density Incentive Program rental units. […] The project requires a Community Benefit Height Exception by the Planning Commission to allow the project to exceed 45 ft. in height (52 ft. 11 in. proposed) and an Open Yard Modification to allow open yard area that does not conform to ordinance standards.” Below are renderings by Tom Meaney. The project looks nice enough, if inevitably a tad vanilla compared to Jeff Shelton’s El Andaluz building a block away.
••• On the same agenda: having paid $7.89 million for the property last October, the owner of 3030 Sea Cliff, a cool 2000 house that looks down over Hendry’s Beach and the Boathouse, wants to tear it down in order to build “a new 5,249 square foot, 2-story single family residence within the existing development and structural envelope.” If the project gets approved, the house behind it can kiss that ocean view goodbye.
••• The listing agent for the trio of units at 101 Mesa Lane clarified that only 5/7ths of the property was sold, for $10.375 million, and the rest did not change hands.
••• Jan and Dean play the Lobero on September 10.
••• If you’d like to learn more about how the Montecito Club didn’t get the necessary approvals for its sporting facilities, you can join the Santa Barbara Planning Commission on a site visit tomorrow (Tuesday) at 8 a.m. Keep an eye out for former Countrywide Financial CEO Angelo Mozilo, who is suing the club, glowering in the corner.
••• To go with its new spa and its forthcoming botanical garden, San Ysidro Ranch has added a “putting course,” which appears to be miniature golf without the windmills.
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Sea Cliff is really nice. I can understand wanting more bedrooms. But tearing down a perfectly good house is gauche. Once upon a time, Santa Barbara wasn’t like this. And I miss that.