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Victoria council approves rezoning for Harbour Towers Hotel

Victoria council has unanimously approved a rezoning proposal to have the 189-room Harbour Towers Hotel developed into a 219-unit residential apartment building. Construction on the 13-storey building at 345 Quebec St.
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Harbour Towers Hotel at 345 Quebec St. has 189 rooms, which Omicron wants turn into 219 rental units.

Victoria council has unanimously approved a rezoning proposal to have the 189-room Harbour Towers Hotel developed into a 219-unit residential apartment building.

Construction on the 13-storey building at 345 Quebec St., which is being managed by Vancouver company Omicron, is expected to begin later this year. The longtime hotel in James Bay will not be demolished but extensively renovated and renamed Harbour Towers. The project is expected to be completed in just under two years.

Harbour Towers will boast studio apartments, in addition to one and two-bedroom units, with 179 parking stalls for vehicles and 219 bike stalls for residents. A rental-housing agreement is to remain in place for a period of 20 years.

Repurposing an established hotel for residential use is a growing trend in Victoria, and is seen by many as one way to alleviate the housing crunch. The Dominion Hotel, Queen Victoria Inn, and several Traveller’s Inn locations have all been converted in recent years. Victoria council has also amended rezoning applications so that homeowners no longer have to go through a public hearing to build stand-alone garden suites on their property.