Condo project forces temporary restaurant closure
A downtown business will be closing its doors until the Park House condominium project has been completed, but will still be doing business by other means.
Ohh Chocolat Café will make the move at the end of this month.
“Although the walk-in side of the café will be temporarily closed, we plan on having our chocolates distributed through some of our favourite local merchants – including Serengeti and Northern Lights Estate Winery,” general manager Wendy Giannisis said in an email.
The space at 565 George St. will remain available to book for gatherings of up to 50 people. And Giannisis and partners Rodney Mansbridge and Caroline and John Longhurst will also continue to run Sweet Sassy Savoury Catering Company out of the location.
“It is with sadness that we have come to this decision based on circumstance beyond our control, but at the same time are excited about restructuring and moving forward,” Giannisis said.
Downtown Prince George executive director Colleen Van Mook had a mixed reaction.
“We’re sorry that the business needs to temporarily close but we’re thrilled that they’re saying that during the time they’re going to close they’re planning an exciting relaunch,” Van Mook said.
As for the project, she said it will make a positive contribution once completed.
“Having a condominium complex and people living downtown is always what this organization has been excited about,” Van Mook said.
Shoppers and diners should continue to patronize the downtown, she added.
“For any construction project comes some inconveniences and this one is a big one,” Van Mook said. “People might have to look a little bit harder for parking spots but we’ve still got great downtown businesses that we need to continue to support so that they thrive through the changes.”
To be made up of 153 units of one- and two-bedroom housing in four separate buildings, developers behind Park House expect to see the first residents move in during the summer of 2020.
But some parts of the area have been closed to traffic for the time being, notably Seventh Avenue in front of the cenotaph at city hall, and Patricia Boulevard from the intersection with Queensway to the entrance of city hall.
And George Street between Seventh and Patricia has been closed permanently.