An updated development proposal has been revealed for downtown Victoria’s shuttered Victoria Plaza Hotel and Monty’s Showroom Pub complex at the nexus of Government Street and Pandora Avenue, Citified has learned.

 

The four-storey hotel, built in 1911 as the Westholme, has sat vacant for several years following a failed attempt by now-defunct League Assets Corporation to restore a portion of the building and add a six-storey new-build wing along the northern edge of the property. The early plans called for 106 condominium residences and nearly 7,600 square feet of ground floor commercial space.

 

In the summer of 2016 lower Mainland-based Pacific Gate Investments purchased the hotel property with the intention to improve upon League's plans.

 

The latest vision, designed by Victoria-based architectural firm Eric Barker Architect which also spearheaded the earlier proposal, calls for 100-units of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom condominium residences. And as per the original proposal, a ground floor retail component will front onto Government Street and Pandora Avenue.

 

The updated design does away with the original concept’s arched inner courtyard entranceway off Pandora Avenue and focuses on a solid street wall. Retention of the historic hotel’s Government Street façade remains part of the plan, as does a rooftop component for residents. Courtyard units no longer face each other thanks to a new floor plate design, and east-facing homes in the courtyard will feature private terraces.

 

The developer is seeking a variance before the City of Victoria to reduce the number of required bicycle stalls for residents from the required 100 to 93, and to reduce the required commercial and visitor bicycle stalls from nine to zero. 19 underground vehicle parking stalls will be provided.

 

Pending a successful approvals process, the project is likely to get underway in 2018 with completion by late 2019 or early 2020. C