A luxury hotel could transform this California town. Some residents are fighting back
On paper, the Appellation Hotel proffers one vision of the future for downtown Petaluma: A hefty cube of ceramic tile, anchored by a farm-to-table restaurant and crowned with an airy rooftop bar.
Rising 72 feet from what's now a weed-choked lot, the building would dwarf its neighbors, a scattering of feed stores, Victorians and plazas with old-timey architecture. To some, the hotel concept appears too big and modern for that rustic setting. To others, it represents prime in-fill development that the North Bay town would be foolish to squander.
These two competing mindsets have stoked a battle among Petaluma leaders and residents, one that has led to scurrilous attacks online and shouting matches at City Council meetings. In the Bay Area, the story is familiar. Every community, at one point or another, confronts the vexing politics of change.
But emotions are particularly charged in Petaluma, where a landscape of grain silos and backyard chicken coops sprawls along the border of Wine Country. Neighboring cities like Healdsburg have already converted into tourist destinations, trading their scruffy charm for Michelin-starred restaurants and luxury hotels — including another Appellation, set to open this summer.
'Petaluma is like Healdsburg was 20 years ago,' said Charlie Palmer, a celebrity chef who co-founded the Appellation brand. He watched Healdsburg residents evolve from skepticism, to acceptance, to a point where the former outpost for prunes and lumber now has 22 tasting rooms ringing its main square. Such economic prosperity bouys everyone, said former Healdsburg Mayor Gary Plass.
'A town of 11,000 can't survive and have good schools just by taxing the people who sleep there,' Plass said. 'You have to find ways to support it. You have to pick the right projects.'
While Petaluma has a different culture and mentality, it sits right at that crossroads and could easily become the next wine and foodie mecca.
So far residents and merchants have resisted the transition. The downtown has a trapped-in-amber quality, with seemingly every business opening inside a factory from the early 1900s. A river cuts past the train station and warehouse district, and chain retail gets hidden behind corniced masonry. Plaques commemorate birth dates of the saloon and fire department; T-shirts celebrate the 'egg capital of the world.'
Locals who fiercely protect this sense of tradition and independent spirit cast a wary eye toward new real estate.
'Petalumans do not want to become Healdsburg,' said Jane Hamilton, a former city councilmember and volunteer for the group Petaluma Historic Advocates, which is pressing for a ballot measure — possibly for a special election or the 2026 June primary — that would undo a recent zoning ordinance to enable construction of the hotel.
'We already have tourists,' Hamilton continued. 'We draw people in because we're a unique, quaint town that everybody can walk around in, and visit all of our small businesses. The hotel will serve people who don't live here, and make life for people who do live here very difficult.'
Proponents of the hotel argue, to the contrary, that it would inject tax money and vitality into a sleepy town beset by retail vacancies.
'This is the gateway to Sonoma County,' said Ebbie Khan Nakhjavani, CEO of EKN Development, the Southern California firm that partnered with Palmer for the Petaluma venture (EKN is not involved in other Appellation hotels). Nakhjavani views the small North Bay city as ripe with potential, and uniquely positioned to define its next phase.
'And we want to be on the ground floor,' Nakhjavani said. 'We want to capitalize on Petaluma's incredible history, on its DNA.'
That pitch appealed to Petaluma City Councilmembers who in February approved a zoning overlay to allow dense structures of up to 75 feet in three sections of downtown. Following a backlash, the council reduced the scope of its new zoning rule in March, limiting it to one subarea that encompassed the lot at B Street and Petaluma Boulevard, where the six-story Appellation would open in 2028.
'We've listened to everybody, and we were really careful to preserve and protect this historical district,' said Petaluma Mayor Kevin McDonnell, who counts himself among the hotel's supporters. He touts the jobs, tax revenue and tourism it would bring, and the ripple benefits for surrounding businesses. And the height would be relatively innocuous, McDonnell said, with a recessed fifth floor below the breezy rooftop terrace. The edifice would feel 'more like four stories' to anyone looking up from the street.
Unsatisfied, opponents of the hotel and the upzoning began gathering signatures for a voter referendum. They expect to have 5,000 by next week, exceeding the 4,100 needed to qualify for the ballot. With the deadline looming, Hamilton spent part of Wednesday morning outside Umpqua Bank, clipboard in hand, making her case to anyone who would listen. She and others plan to hoist a giant weather balloon near the site at B Street and Petaluma Blvd. this weekend, to show how big 72 feet can be.
Joggers, shoppers and dogwalkers who passed by the lot on Wednesday appraised it with bemused expressions. Most people were familiar with the hotel proposal and had strong feelings about it, though opinions were sharply divided.
'Well, I'm definitely against it,' said Mandy Podesta, owner of The Hunter & the Bird, a baby clothes boutique where the shelves teem with tiny floral print dresses and gingham onesies. Tucked into an old grain mill that's been repurposed for shops and restaurants, Hunter & the Bird is located half a block from the hotel site, within what critics would consider its blast radius. Hunter & the Bird might not stay there long according to the store's Instagram page, which announced a relocation in June.
Even so, Podesta worries about potential traffic and parking impacts for other businesses, as well as the hotel's sheer bulk.
'It's just too big to fit in that little space,' she said.
Others expressed undiluted enthusiasm for the project.
'I think it's going to be great,' said longtime resident Jessica Scerri. She and her brother, Seth Nonmann, were walking down B Street to grab lunch at Ayawaska RestoBar, a Peruvian restaurant inside a former brick manufacturing plant.
Like McDonnell, she hoped the new commercial development would help energize a downtown that's surviving, but not thriving.
'We've had so many vacancies,' Scerri said, gesturing at the row of shops in the grain mill and at a similar strip mall across the street, also in a salvaged building fronted by a dusty brick facade.
Amid this hodge-podge of retail sits the lot, a third acre of dead space with signs advertising The Appellation. Previously it housed a Chevron gas station which closed more than a decade ago. Now, the parcel is fenced off and strewn with grass and hay.
Preservationists insist they would accept a hotel there if it were four stories instead of six, and more in keeping with Petaluma's bohemian small-town vibe. Nakhjavani scoffed at this, saying the detractors would find something wrong with any proposed development.
'They've been all over the place: 'It's too tall, it's too big, we don't need it,'' Nakhjavani said, barely suppressing his frustration. 'I've addressed every allegation, every potential concern. I can't really hit a moving target.'
Still, even those who want the hotel say they understand why it's provoked conflict.
Reflecting on the situation, Scerri and Nonmann looked at each other and shrugged. Change, they said, 'is just really hard for this town.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
Are Auto-Tires-Trucks Stocks Lagging Aisin Seiki (ASEKY) This Year?
Investors interested in Auto-Tires-Trucks stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd. Unsponsored ADR (ASEKY) is a stock that can certainly grab the attention of many investors, but do its recent returns compare favorably to the sector as a whole? Let's take a closer look at the stock's year-to-date performance to find out. Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd. Unsponsored ADR is one of 102 companies in the Auto-Tires-Trucks group. The Auto-Tires-Trucks group currently sits at #13 within the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank considers 16 different sector groups. The average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups is measured, and the sectors are listed from best to worst. The Zacks Rank is a proven model that highlights a variety of stocks with the right characteristics to outperform the market over the next one to three months. The system emphasizes earnings estimate revisions and favors companies with improving earnings outlooks. Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd. Unsponsored ADR is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ASEKY's full-year earnings has moved 30.4% higher within the past quarter. This signals that analyst sentiment is improving and the stock's earnings outlook is more positive. Based on the latest available data, ASEKY has gained about 24.3% so far this year. At the same time, Auto-Tires-Trucks stocks have lost an average of 14.7%. This means that Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd. Unsponsored ADR is performing better than its sector in terms of year-to-date returns. One other Auto-Tires-Trucks stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year is Michelin (MGDDY). The stock is up 11.4% year-to-date. Over the past three months, Michelin's consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 1.5%. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Looking more specifically, Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd. Unsponsored ADR belongs to the Automotive - Original Equipment industry, a group that includes 52 individual stocks and currently sits at #97 in the Zacks Industry Rank. Stocks in this group have lost about 0.4% so far this year, so ASEKY is performing better this group in terms of year-to-date returns. In contrast, Michelin falls under the Rubber - Tires industry. Currently, this industry has 2 stocks and is ranked #4. Since the beginning of the year, the industry has moved +16.8%. Investors with an interest in Auto-Tires-Trucks stocks should continue to track Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd. Unsponsored ADR and Michelin. These stocks will be looking to continue their solid performance. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd. Unsponsored ADR (ASEKY) : Free Stock Analysis Report Legacy Education Inc. (LGCY) : Free Stock Analysis Report Benitec Biopharma Limited (BNTC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Michelin (MGDDY) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
New York Post
14 hours ago
- New York Post
Bryant Park Grill boss claims age discrimination over ouster for new eatery run by Jean-Georges Vongerichten
Booted Bryant Park Grill operator Michael Weinstein accused the nonprofit that manages the New York City park of age discrimination for dumping him in favor of famed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, according to a new court filing. Weinstein's Ark Restaurants has leased the handsome, glass-enclosed grill for 30 years from the Bryant Park Corporation. With $25 million in annual revenue, it's one of the nation's highest-grossing eateries. But Daniel Biederman, who heads the Bryant Park Corporation, didn't renew Weinstein and his Ark Restaurants' lease, which expired in April. Advertisement 5 Booted Bryant Park Grill operator Michael Weinstein accused the nonprofit that manages the New York City park of age discrimination for dumping him in favor of famed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Steve Cuozzo He tapped Seaport Entertainment Group, a hospitality company in which multi-Michelin star holder, Vongerichten is a partner, to replace Ark. Weinstein is 81 years old, while Vongerichten is 68. 'By Dan Biederman's own admission, he used Mr. Weinstein's age against him from the beginning of this process,' said Ark's lawyer, Anthony Genovesi, in an amended version of a complaint Ark filed in Manhattan Supreme Court in April. 'What BPC did is discrimination plain and simple.' Advertisement The expanded complaint in the bitter legal feud also states, 'From the beginning of the [request for proposals] process, Biederman suggested that Mr. Weinstein's age, and 'succession' issues are reasons not to renew Ark Restaurants' leases.' Biederman, 71, countered to The Post: 'I never said he was too old to keep the Grill running. 'It's an 18-year lease,' he added. 'We asked all four applicants, how would the restaurant continue if they got hit by a bus?' Advertisement 5 Weinstein, 81, has leased the grill for 30 years from the Bryant Park Corporation enCourageKids Foundation 5 Daniel Biederman, head of the Bryant Park Corporation, countered to The Post: 'I never said he was too old to keep the Grill running. Bryant Park Corporation In an April letter to Judge Anar Rathod Patel, Biederman's lawyer, Gil Feder, wrote: 'Michael Weinstein is more than 80 years old, and his successor, Mr. Weinstein's 31-year-old son, lacks sufficient experience to inspire confidence that Ark can sustain its operations in the long term.' Weinstein sued the Parks Department, the BPC, the Seaport Group, and even the New York Public Library which abuts the restaurant and has an advisory say, over what Weinstein called an 'improper' and 'defective' bidding process. Advertisement Patel rejected Ark's request for an injunction to block its ouster, writing in April, 'Mere dissatisfaction with a competitive outcome does not constitute bad faith.' 5 Biederman tapped Seaport Entertainment Group, a hospitality company in which multi-Michelin star holder Vongerichten (above) is a partner, to replace Weinstein's Ark Restaurants. Tamara Beckwith Meanwhile, in one of the most curious battles the city's restaurant world has seen, Weinstein continues to run the Grill and an alfresco cafe despite the lease expiration. Biederman might move to evict Ark 'very soon,' his lawyer, Gil Feder, told The Post on Thursday. He added, though, that it might take several more months. 5 Weinstein continues to run the Grill and an alfresco cafe despite the lease expiration. Steve Cuozzo 'We must go through a legal process,' Feder said, which includes responding to Weinstein's latest court filing. The holdup means the Grill will remain open through the busy summer season. It will likely have to close for up to a year for renovations when Vongerichten's company takes the keys, The Post previously reported.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Yahoo
Making NYC affordable: Where the mayoral primary candidates stand on the housing crisis
NEW YORK — New York City is facing intertwined housing and affordability crises, with record rents and historically low apartment vacancy rates. About half of households struggle to pay for the basics while a quarter live in poverty. Within the debate over affordability, finding ways to create more affordable housing has become a major concern for voters. With the Democratic primary for mayor approaching on Tuesday, the Daily News is breaking down some of the key issues for voters and where each candidate stands on them. Here is how the contenders have proposed tackling the housing crisis on social media, in interviews, during debates and as part of their formal policy plans. We have included the top seven candidates who met the fundraising thresholds to qualify for the second debate. Adams has touted her housing record as Speaker, saying she is 'doing the work' with large-scale rezonings like City of Yes, Innovation QNS and the Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan. As mayor she pledged to 'use every tool available' to address the housing crisis by cutting red tape and using emergency powers to get affordable housing built. She and the broader City Council also passed an expansion of the CityFHEPS rental assistance program as part of a protracted legal battle with Mayor Eric Adams. She has indicated she supports a rent freeze at least this year for tenants in rent-stabilized apartments. Cuomo has said he would use 'every option available' to develop 500,000 new apartments over a 10-year period. During the first debate, the former HUD secretary vowed to 'blow up' the city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development to minimize bureaucracy, a proposal that was warmly received by real estate players but balked at by tenant advocates. Cuomo has not supported a rent freeze for rent-stabilized tenants, dismissing it as a 'politically convenient posture.' Opponents of a freeze have argued that the cost of operating and maintaining buildings would continue to rise while rents remained flat, potentially putting property owners in a precarious financial position. Lander has said he would be 'the best-prepared housing mayor,' citing his years in urban planning and work passing the Gowanus rezoning while on the Council. His lengthy housing plan involves declaring a housing emergency to expedite the development of 500,000 new units of housing over a decade, including on city-owned golf courses. It also calls for coming down harder on 'irresponsible' landlords and increasing funding for NYCHA and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Lander has called for a one-year rent freeze in his capacity as comptroller and expressed an openness to doing so again as mayor. Mamdani has made freezing rents for rent-stabilized tenants a centerpiece of his campaign, saying he would do so for all four years if elected mayor. His housing plan would triple the City's production of affordable housing with the aim of producing 200,000 new homes over ten years. Mamdani would also fast-track 100% affordable projects, double the money being spent to preserve public housing and beef up municipal housing agencies. Mamdani proposes funding many of his ambitious plans by increasing taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers. Myrie has pitched himself as the 'YIMBY' candidate, with a plan to build and preserve one million homes over a decade. It includes revitalizing NYCHA, building more in Midtown, reallocating shelter financing for housing and expanding the Right to Counsel program. Myrie has called for a one-year rent freeze for tenants in rent-stabilized apartments and said he would consider it in the future. Stringer's housing plan — dubbed 'Mitchell-Lama 2.0' — includes developing affordable homes by building on underutilized city-owned lots and reclaiming derelict properties from neglectful landlords. He further hopes to bolster public housing by securing $40 billion for NYCHA improvements. The former hedge fund manager summarized his housing mantra as 'unleash the private sector.' Tilson says he would cut red tape in order to create more affordable housing by streamlining zoning and approval processes, and said the city should be constructing at least 100,000 new units annually. Tilson indicated at the second debate that he does not support a rent freeze for rent-stabilized tenants this year.
