After delays upon delays, Westcorp is once again ready to go ahead with its 33-storey waterfront hotel in the city centre. The Edmonton-based developer will be before council later this month to seek new development and development permits for the project that includes much of the former Willow Inn property around Mill Street and Queensway Avenue. Westcorp was forced to re-submit its applications after previous licences, which expire after two years of inactivity, expired in February. This will be the fourth time the developer has gone before the city council seeking development permission for a long-delayed project. Initial permits issued in 2014 were for a 24-story hotel, however, those plans changed, requiring a second application, which was approved in February 2018. They returned to the council in 2020 after those licenses also expired. A staff report says the latest application includes some “minor” revisions to the one council approved in 2020. These include an increase in the floor area ratio, the removal of combined parking spaces, a reduction in the number of hotel rooms from 187 to 175, a new variation in podium height and an increase in the length of the loading area. Differences in height, setbacks and floor slab size are also sought. Staff recommends advice to support license applications. In its report, staff said if Westcorp did not proceed with its previous permits, it would recommend closing the file entirely and processing any new application and limiting the height of the podium to 16 meters high. However, since the file was postponed due to the circumstances surrounding COVID-19, the applicant is requesting the new approvals. The overall project includes 175 hotel rooms, 65 residences, restaurant, meeting rooms, spa and wellness center and retail shops. Photo: Contributed
