By Linda Taaffe

Developer Roxy Rapp said he doesn’t intend to update designs for his boutique hotel planned for the city-owned property at First and Main streets until he has a signed agreement from Los Altos city officials and a clear understanding of when the property will be available.

The city site is currently tied to leases with Nielsen’s Martinizing Dry Cleaning and The Home Consignment Center through 2006.

“Let me assure you, we remain excited about the prospect of building our hotel in (the) Los Altos Village,” Rapp told the council last month. “With our plans for joint design and construction of our hotel with an improved Safeway and parking, we will need a clear understanding of when the property will be available.

“Although we are ready to go, we do not feel that we can invest in more design until we have confirmation of when the land will be available. We all agreed that the city is responsible for tenant negotiations.

“There’s no way I would spend another nickel on this until I have a signed agreement,” he added.

The Los Altos City Council last May chose Rapp’s hotel plans over proposals from three other developers for the .78-acre property.

Council members last month said they wanted an immediate commitment from Rapp, indicating that both the city and Rapp entered into the deal with the understanding that the property could be tied up in a lease for another five years.

The council told Rapp that he would have to come back to the city by Oct. 1 with updated hotel plans and a $25,000 non-refundable deposit, or the city would look at other options for the site.

Rapp said he plans to meet with the city today to finalize the Exclusive Rights Negotiation agreement needed to proceed with the project.

Rapp said he has been in contact with Los Altos city officials since the council chose his proposal last May.

He had been waiting for the city to finish the draft agreement, which city officials completed last week.

Planning Director James Walgren said after the negotiation agreement is finalized, both parties will begin working on the project’s details.

Rapp was optimistic that the city would be able to work out a deal with the current property tenants that would be favorable to all parties.