By Anne Gelhaus
The Los Gatos Planning Commission last week gave kudos and unanimous approval to revised plans to turn the former Fiorillo's restaurant into a sports bar.
Darin and Dean Devincenzi modified their plans after the Planning Commission turned down their initial design in December on the grounds that the Fiorillo's building is a gateway to the downtown and should, therefore, reflect Los Gatos' small-town charm. Commissioners also asked that the Devincenzi brothers incorporate the gables that were exposed when a portion of Fiorillo's roof blew off in last month's storms. The restaurant closed down shortly thereafter.
Joseph Bellomo, the Palo Alto-based architect who designed the Devincenzis' plans, made these modifications, and he also changed the proposed signage on the building from a large placard on the roof to a smaller sign that will hang between the two gables to either side of the front door.
"There is no longer a billboard look," Darin Devincenzi told the commission at a Jan. 10 meeting.
Several commissioners praised the redesign but added that they'd like to see the landscaping plan for the building enhanced. Commissioner Leonard Pacheco made landscaping improvements a condition of his motion to approve the plans.
After the meeting, Dean Devincenzi said he and his brother should begin renovation work on the building in spring. Darin Devincenzi refused to comment on the status of negotiations with Fiorillo's owners. As of last month, the Devincenzis had not yet purchased the property. But Dee Morrisey, manager of the Santa Clara Fiorillo's, said last week that the sale of the Los Gatos building was finalized.
This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, January 17, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved