Ottawa’s famed Chateau Laurier hotel is getting a makeover, but the initial designs weren’t exactly the toast of the town this week.
The plans were unveiled on Wednesday afternoon at the hotel with much fanfare. They involve replacing the 1960s-era parking structure at the back of the building with a modern addition that will include new hotel suites and a courtyard. The work is set to start in late 2017.
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The architect behind the project called it a “really really extraordinary opportunity.”
“We are spending an inordinate amount of time designing this project and making sure that it’s absolutely extraordinary,” Peter Clewes told reporters.
“Really the challenge for us is how do we do buildings of our time that are complimentary to the buildings that came before us?”
Art Phillips, who represents the investment company that owns the hotel, said the addition will be “far more attractive” than the parking garage that’s currently there. The hotel, built between 1909 and 1912, is just steps from Parliament Hill and dominates the skyline to the right of the Parliamentary precinct.
Here’s a look at how the side of the building will look under the current plan:
And another view:
Ottawans were, to put it mildly, unimpressed. The reaction came fast and furious, with locals taking to social media and talk-radio programs to pan the design.
Local city councillor Mathieu Fleury seemed to acknowledge that the plans needed a revamp, tweeting late Wednesday that he hopes to see design changes “based on today’s feedback” from residents.
Even Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson weighed in, advising the architects to go “back to the drawing board.”
That could represent a big stumbling block for the architectural team, which still needs to seek approval from the city (and by extension, the public) for their plans.
The “initial concepts” unveiled on Wednesday were based on pre-consultation meetings with about 30 stakeholders and presentations to the National Capital Commission (NCC), Phillips said.
A formal submission to the City of Ottawa for a “Site Plan Control” approval is expected to be launched next month, and then the NCC will also need to sign off on the detailed design.
Phillips indicated on Wednesday that the hotels owners, Larco Investments Ltd., are open to hearing from the public as they work to finalize their plans. There will be a website set up to keep people informed and allow them to contact the owners with concerns, he said.
“We want to ensure that the public has ample opportunity (to give feedback),” he said. “Later today we’ll be meeting with stakeholders, which is residents and the business community in the surrounding area.”
If nothing changes, however, the new hotel may end up with at least one unwanted guest.
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