Hotel in works for long-empty lot
A long-vacant downtown lot may yet see a hotel, with a new application working its way through St. John’s City Hall.
Coun. Tom Hann, chairman of the city’s planning committee, told The Telegram after Monday’s regular city council meeting that an application that meets all of the zoning requirements to build the hotel at the corner of Prescott and Water streets was received by the city last week.
“It’s just a matter of letting it go ahead,” said Hann, adding that the hotel being applied for has five storeys, 148 rooms and two underground levels of parking. “So that big hole is going to be filled up finally.”
A previous application from a Halifax developer was turned down by council in 2009 because it exceeded the 15-metre height restriction.
The current application is from the Montreal-based Germain group, which plans to operate the hotel under its Alt brand, which has six hotels in Canada, including one at the Halifax airport.
“The hole has been there for quite a long time, so we were pleased last week (when the application arrived),” he said. “Negotiations had been going on for probably a month, month and a half with the Montreal firm to build on the site. The land transaction has taken place, and the application came in last week.”
Hann said the design looks good.
“It’s an opportunity to put something there with a wonderful view of the harbour,” he said.
The councillor said he’s not sure about the construction timeline.
“All I can tell you is the proponent wants to get started as soon as possible,” he said. “So however long it takes to build a five-storey hotel with 148 rooms and two storeys of parking. I would imagine it’s a long project, but my understanding is they’re willing to get started as soon as possible.”