Plans for a contentious downtown tower development have collapsed once more.
Lawmakers voted to nix a second attempt to secure a development permit for a 25 floor mixed-use project at 350 Doyle Avenue, the site of the former RCMP detachment.
The 7-2 decision came after a lengthy public hearing Tuesday afternoon, which included impassioned pleas from advocates who have different visions for the public owned land adjacent to the public library.
“I’m having problems with the height next to the shore, the scale of it,” councillor Gordon Lovegrove said. “At this point I can’t support it.”
Community members have raised concerns over the developer’s request for a height variance on the proposed tower. The current zoning for the parcel permits buildings between 6 and 13 floors.
Counicllor Luke Stack supported several aspects of the development, such as the brick facade, desperately needed ArtWalk improvements, and addition of 259 rental units in the city’s core.
It was the second time the high-rise had gone through a public hearing. The first time, the project spurred controversy among lawmakers but ultimately passed.
However, it was later discovered the builder had paid university students $250 to speak in favour of the project at the public hearing.
City hall then voted to rescind the development permit citing concerns about the integrity of the consultation process. The developers have since sued the city and Mayor Tom Dyas, saying the move was politically driven.
The tower would have contained 259 rental units, ground level commercial space, and a 6,000 sq/ft cultural hub for the public. The design featured a single tower atop a five-storey podium with tiered setbacks.
