This is beyond ridiculous. Finally the shopping center is looking very nice and does not make the neighborhood cringe. If the City Council would just get out of the way, things would be even a lot better and completed much sooner. Surely it has other things to do besides getting involved in a "civic game of trivial pursuit'!! This city council is off-the-planet! and like sandpaper in the shoe.

Bricks at Lucie Stern? If the penalty is for destroying a piece of Eichler history, how about keeping restoration close to the project in terms of restoring or preserving something from the mid-century modern time period? We are losing these extremely livable houses to deterioration AND to bulldozers and nothing modern is going in their place. Take a drive along Ross Road and see the stucco and tile roof monstrosities crammed onto their lots.

How about a fine for destroying all the wonderful old houses to build huge modern monstrosities? Take a drive down Lowell, Tennyson, Seale, Cowper etc. if you're stuck for examples.

And feel free to join our Name Game where we name these ugly buildings: Containership Modern, Stables of Versailles, Casa Magnificaca....

"How about a fine for destroying all the wonderful old houses to build huge modern monstrosities? Take a drive down Lowell, Tennyson, Seale, Cowper etc. if you're stuck for examples.""
Silly--do people have the right to do with their property as they wish--including building a new, modern home? Or do you decide what people can do with their homes? What you call a "huge modern monstrosity" is the home of their dreams for the owner. But that does not matter--it is all about you and what you desire.

"And feel free to join our Name Game where we name these ugly buildings: Containership Modern, Stables of Versailles, Casa Magnificaca...."
Very intelligent. I assume you are talking about all the Eichlers in town and all the abominations that line the streets of Professorville and Old Palo Alto.

People like silly think that the homes in Palo Alto are something special--in fact most of the old ones are hideous, disgusting, revolting, vomit-inducing buildings that would be best be scraped and replaced

"Who is" wonders:
do people have the right to do with their property as they wish-
Of course they do!
And the rest of us have the right to express an opinion about their overblown poor taste.
Yes, Containership Modern, Stables of Versailles, Casa Magnificaca and add McMansion.

""Who is" wonders:
do people have the right to do with their property as they wish-
Of course they do!"
Not according to silly-- he/she wants to fine them!!!!!

I thought palo Altoans discouraged name calling-- not civil they say. But denigrating people's homes is okay?

Back to my point which was meant to suggest keeping with the historical style that is being mitigated in this case. The quote from Liz Kniss says as much:

"...But given that it's a mitigation for historic demolition, it should be given for historic restoration," Kniss said

I didn't see that reflected in the suggested restorations.

If you build 100 ready made homes in the style Containership Modern, Stables of Versailles, Casa Magnificaca and add McMansion. You would have buyers flocking, instead of you want in Palo Alto and own one of the above. Remodel city is the rule of the day, little outdated tract homes that were built when people owned less.

Watching any home improvement or real estate show on HGTV, you will know what I am talking about.

I never suggested fining anyone and reserve the right to my opinion.

I own a Birge Clark and if you think that's vomit-inducing, have I got some sparkly cottage cheese ceilings and fake balconies for you. I still giggle at the new 2-story house on a 1/4 acre lot with an entire stairway wall with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the neighbors' rooftops. Better get dressed before you go downstairs to get your coffee or walk down the hall or give your neighbors a thrill.

It might have been great in the woods somewhere but not on our dense little lots. Even the realtor laughed at it!

You may recall our discussion about the influx of Asian buyers who only want "the newer and bigger the better." Well, big isn't always better no matter what HGTV or your realtor says,

Silly says:
"I never suggested fining anyone and reserve the right to my opinion. "

Silly previously said:
""How about a fine for destroying all the wonderful old houses to build huge modern monstrosities? "
So who were you wanting to fine, Silly??

"I own a Birge Clark and if you think that's vomit-inducing"
I do and reserve the right to my opinion.

"I still giggle at the new 2-story house on a 1/4 acre lot with an entire stairway wall with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the neighbors' rooftops."
You must be easily amused. Of course that is the house that the owner wanted--too bad you could not have final say.

"Even the realtor laughed at it!"
Which realtor? Please provide a name.

"You may recall our discussion about the influx of Asian buyers who only want "the newer and bigger the better.""
All the asians do? Only Asians? Please provide some evidence for that claim

Do you and your fellow lovers of vomit-inducing that passes for architecture in Palo Alto sit around playing you rname game?

I guess I did say "how about fining" but I was being sarcastic.

The house with the 2-story window wall is on either Seale or Tennyson a block or 2 closer to Alma than Middlefield on the north side of the street.

Don't remember the realtors' name and I forget whether it was the same realtor who handled the McDonald's Golden Arches stucco house where they finally got the spec developer to take down the huge arches in the front yard when it failed to sell in an otherwise hot market. The floor-to-ceiling windows in the teeny tiny "bedrooms" facing the street was a real nice touch on that one,

Do we sit around playing the Name Game? Nope, but when we drive around or check out open houses, sometimes the temptation is irresistible.

That's not to say there isn't SOME nice new construction.