The Andaz Hotel in Ottawa's ByWard Market could soon have a twin tower attached to it. Claridge Homes is hoping to build a 19-storey addition to the luxury boutique hotel.
The Andaz is at 325 Dalhousie Street between York and George.
The Andaz has been welcoming guests to its ByWard Market boutique hotel since it opened a couple years ago . It's in a coveted location with a stunning view of the market and the capital from its rooftop lounge.
And clearly there's been success in that. Claridge Homes, which owns the Andaz, is looking to build a 19-storey addition to its existing hotel to add about 5-thousand more square feet of meeting space and about 140 more rooms.
Neil Malhotra is Vice-President of Claridge, “We definitely need more hotel rooms in the Market,” he says, “The Market is still the crown jewel in the city for tourists; demand is very strong for hotel rooms and for food and retail and everything else.”
Just a couple blocks away, construction has already begun on another hotel at King Edward and St. Patrick; this one is a Holiday Inn that will include 167 rooms over nine floors. The Andaz expansion comes at a cost; the two-storey brick building beside it would have to go. The plan is to tear down the building, which was built about 70 years ago. But Claridge is going to need an exemption from the city for that because the building falls in an area designated a heritage conservation district. The city’s heritage staff will review the value of the heritage building before deciding whether to grant a demolition permit.
“That particular building is in a district that has heritage significance,” says Lee Ann Snedden, the Director of Planning Services for the city of Ottawa, “so they will have to evaluate whether the building itself has heritage significance.”
Claridge is also going to need an amendment to exceed the 50-meter height limit for the site. Its application calls for a tower that is just shy of 60 metres, which is something Heritage Ottawa will be watching closely.
“Every time we see an application for a new high-rise in a Heritage Conservation District,” says David Jeanes, the President of Heritage Ottawa, “we worry about what it's going to do to the character of that district. And the ByWard Market is one of our most important heritage districts.”
Claridge would agree and believes that's all the more reason to make sure the tourists who visit the Market have somewhere to stay.
“The more the better for the neighborhood,” says Neil Malhotra.
Claridge’s proposal is still in the application process. Right now the city is looking for public comments on it. Claridge hopes, if all goes well, it could start building by next year.
