Developer Ocean Gate, backed by the Downtown Victoria Business Association, Chamber of Commerce, and Destination Greater Victoria, is pitching a 12-storey hotel, well above the five-storey maximum the City of Victoria allows in Old Town.
That’s the height and density they require to make the project financially viable, Ocean Gate reps told CHEK News Monday.
Coun. Matt Dell thinks council has their work cut out for them.
“This is a really tough thing to balance, honestly, the economic development of our downtown versus heritage preservation,” said Dell.
Another city councillor, Jeremy Caradonna, finds the application problematic.
“My preference would be for it to come down in density and for the applicants to work with staff,” said Caradonna.
Recently, city council green-lit an extra two levels for the Ducks Building on Broad Street in Old Town, to a height of eight storeys after the developer faced rising construction costs.
If the Plaza Hotel lot becomes another exception, Madoff worries about the precedent the decision would set.
“Old Town, which is internationally renowned and brings visitors from around the world, why would we want to tamper with it in a way that could really damage it?” said Madoff. “How do you turn down the next developer?”
With the future of Old Town potentially hanging in the balance, council will debate Thursday.
https://cheknews.ca/...vocate-1253618/
Edited by Victoria Watcher, 06 May 2025 - 11:53 PM.