Victoria looks to tear down James Bay hotel to build new residential project

This week, as Victoria’s city council goes back into session, City staff are recommending a motion to replace an existing hotel with a new residential building. 

The Admiral Inn on Belleville Street in James Bay is where city council will be setting their sights in order to increase the city’s housing capacity in the coming years.

The site was first approved to be demolished and replaced with a residential project back in 2011, but since then, the approved permit and subsequent renewals have now lapsed. 

According to the development permit city council will be looking at this Thursday, the project planned for the Admiral Inn site will contain 35 residential units, 78 underground parking stalls and accommodations for 71 bicycles. 

Additionally, the developers will be responsible for paying the City of Victoria $74,000 in order to revitalize the Harbour Pathway which cuts through the property, along with $121,000 to build a public plaza on the property and $312,000 which will go towards the Harbour Pathway’s upkeep. 

This project is solely meant to be for the purposes of building residences and there will be no commercial component to the building. 

Additionally, it is specified in the application that this building will include no residences deemed as “affordable housing.”

In terms of community consultation on this project, some of the most common concerns that have been voiced are: 

• The units will not be affordable
• Existing long-term tenants of the Admiral Inn will be displaced
• Congestion and safety concerns have been raised for traffic along Cross Street during and after construction
• The building’s appearance, height and number of storeys is inappropriate
• Shadowing of the Laurel Point green space

In conclusion, City of Victoria staff are recommending that this project be given another stamp of approval. 

City councillors will discuss this application and its merits this Thursday, January 8th. 

No timeline for construction was given for this project in the City’s report.