The entire contents of the 13-storey Harbour Towers Hotel and Conference Centre are on the auction block Nov. 22.
A vast array of items will be auctioned starting at 10 a.m. at 345 Quebec St. They are being sold because the James Bay hotel is being renovated to convert it into a rental property.
Jeremy Dodd, owner of Able Auctions, which is staging the sale, estimates there will be up to 2,000 lots, with no reserves.
“It is really a good opportunity for small businesses to buy quality products that they would not necessarily be able to afford,” Dodd said from Vancouver on Tuesday.
Dodd has handled similar sales of hotel furnishings and equipment in the past, saying buyers will likely be commercial operators, although individuals can snap up some items such as gym equipment.
“I would imagine it is going to be mainly [Vancouver] Island and Gulf Islands people. We’ve got a lot of interest from the different Gulf Islands, from small lodges.”
Restaurants and pubs will likely pick up kitchen equipment, furnishings will go to fishing and hunting lodges, motels and other types of accommodations, he said.
Commercial kitchen equipment, appliances, treadmills, strength-training machines, banquet tables, chairs, storage racks, cutlery, a commercial popcorn machine, tools, paint sprayer, table saw, fire extinguishers, televisions and more will on the auction block.
Also for sale are commercial washing machines and dryers, clothing steamers and vacuum cleaners.
“There is a beautiful fish tank in the restaurant,” Dodd said.
A preview is set for Nov. 21 from noon to 6 p.m.
About 75 per cent of bidders will take part online with the rest showing up in person, Dodd said.
First-time online bidders must sign up by 4 p.m. Nov. 21.
Victoria council voted in September to allow the hotel to be converted into a 219-unit rental building.
Extensive renovations expected to take two years will be carried out on the building, managed by Vancouver’s Omicron.
It will be called simply Harbour Towers. The city required an agreement that it will be a rental property for at least 20 years.
Once renovations are finished, the building will have studio and one- and two-bedroom units, plus parking for vehicles and bicycles.
The Harbour Towers joins other properties being converted for rental use as demand rises in Greater Victoria, which has a rental vacancy rate estimated at 0.5 per cent. The Dominion Hotel, Queen Victoria Inn and several Traveller’s Inn locations have were converted to rental in recent years.
Last week, Victoria councillors recommended an application to turn another property, at 3025 Douglas St., into 48 rental units go to public hearing.
To view items, go to ableauctions.ca
