Visitors GuideFor the second time in less than a month, St. John's city council has given its blessings to a bid to build a new hotel.
Steele Hotels plans to erect an 85-room hotel on a plot of vacant land on the west end of Water Street, and near the existing Delta Hotel on New Gower Street.
Coun. Shannie Duff said a hotel proposed for Water Street will not impede anyone's views. Council gave tentative approval at its regular meeting on Monday evening to the proposal, even though the 23-metre height is about eight metres taller than the city's regulations normally permit.
Coun. Shannie Duff said council decided to use its discretionary powers on this project for a number of reasons.
"This particular development is in a section of Water Street which has a very wide street and is fronting on the [Newfoundland] Dockyard property," Duff said.
"So … you are not impacting on any view, because directly to the north is the Delta Hotel and the big tall office building [at] 100 New Gower St."
St. John's has tight restrictions on heights for developments and renovations across much of downtown St. John's, to protect the historic character of the city but also to protect views from the downtown area's sloping hills.
The project's proposed height, Duff said, is higher than normal in part because Steele Hotels has incorpoated ground-level parking at the site.
The Newfoundland and Labrador legislature must approve two amendments to the City of St. John's Act before council can vote on final approval.
In late January, council approved a boutique hotel planned for an area of land between Duckworth Street and Henry Street.
Excerpt CBC Radio, Tuesday, February 12, 2008
