A major development in the upper half of Centre Square Mall could move forward in the coming years after a development permit for a Holiday Inn Express and hotel expansion was approved by the city last month.
Felix Seiler, chief operating officer of Holloway Lodging, which owns Quality Inn and Suites and the upper half of the mall, said the company has plans to do a major revamp of the hotel and mall area but a finalized direction, including branding, wonSA国际影视传媒檛 be known until later this year when the project is fully costed.
SA国际影视传媒淭he reason we had applied for a development permit was just to sort of get an idea and get input from the city on proposed renovations that we are planning to do,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淥bviously there is no guarantee that this is going to go ahead.SA国际影视传媒�
The city formally approved the permit on May 5 and it went ahead with no appeals as of May 19.
Seiler would not provide diagrams of the location but said the company plans SA国际影视传媒渢otal renovationsSA国际影视传媒� in a much needed area.
Quality Inn and Suites currently has 129 hotel rooms plus conference and meeting rooms.
SA国际影视传媒淭he proposal will be interior and exterior total renovation of all the guest rooms and public spaces and then also refreshing the mall area and the eating space,SA国际影视传媒� Seiler said. SA国际影视传媒淪o a complete renovation so that it would become a jewel in the downtown because the location is great.SA国际影视传媒�
Eateries like Ja-pain Yellowknife, the Main Street Donair and Falafel and the A and W would remain but that the rest of the upper half will be converted into hotel rooms and conference rooms, according to Mayor Rebecca Alty.
However, Seiler said there are a number of major unknowns at the moment, including the overall pricing of the project, especially the costs of shipping materials into North SA国际影视传媒� a common concern he has experienced with other properties the company owns in the North.
SA国际影视传媒淚t is an expensive market to do renovations for freight and labour and everything else,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淵ou also have the (Centre Square Mall) building which is older and we want to renovate but there are a lot of things like mechanical systems that will need to change.SA国际影视传媒�
Based on other projects the company has been working on, Seiler said thereSA国际影视传媒檚 been about a 16 to 24 week backlog when trying to order materials like insulation, siding or furniture fixtures during the pandemic.
SA国际影视传媒淎s everyone knows lumber and plywood costs have exploded and the same goes, for example, with furniture if they are produced in New Brunswick or Quebec,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淓veryone is so busy in manufacturing because of residential projects and people just doing stuff at home.
SA国际影视传媒淲e just donSA国际影视传媒檛 want to make any formal announcement before our ducks are in a row.SA国际影视传媒�
Visitor information centre
The City of Yellowknife has made moves in recent months to attempt to rejuvenate the downtown and draw visitors to the central area by planning to open a visitor information centre in the lower half of Centre Square Mall.
That project isnSA国际影视传媒檛 expected to be completed until later this year, but that work has come with the assistance of lower-mall owners Slate Management and federal and territorial financial assistance.
Seiler said heSA国际影视传媒檚 aware of those efforts and sees the potential for common benefits despite some of the social challenges in the central core.
SA国际影视传媒淚 think itSA国际影视传媒檚 much the same with every downtown, and over the years weSA国际影视传媒檝e also had some discussions about homelessness and related issues,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淏ut I really still think that Yellowknife has a great marketing potential and that it is a great city to do business in. We just have to get through this pandemic.SA国际影视传媒�
In some ways it isnSA国际影视传媒檛 too bad to be planning now because the international tourism market has collapsed since the pandemic, he noted. Ideally he hopes that tourism rebounds over the next year and that interprovincial tourists can also be served.
Alty believes the approval of the companySA国际影视传媒檚 development permit with no appeals is an important hurdle that has been crossed.
SA国际影视传媒淚 think itSA国际影视传媒檚 exciting from the plans that ISA国际影视传媒檝e seen in that theySA国际影视传媒檙e looking to make that upper level into conference rooms and hotel rooms,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淪o any private investment in the downtown core as significant as what theySA国际影视传媒檙e looking to do, I think, is great news.
SA国际影视传媒淗aving the visitor center on the lower level, I think, would be a good little match in really being able to have more tourists right in the downtown core, and it will be great for local businesses.SA国际影视传媒�
Former councillor and real estate businessman Adrian Bell has contended with the impacts of the mallSA国际影视传媒檚 declining condition on the surrounding downtown for much of the past decade. The future of the downtown cannot advance without the city, Slate and Holloway coming together, according to Bell.
He said the potential for private investment would be a SA国际影视传媒済ame changerSA国际影视传媒� and one the city should not miss. Providing incentives like a five-year tax holiday or using downtown development or revitalization reserves for major streetscaping, angle parking or traffic circulation changes might be worth helping the project go forward, he suggested.
SA国际影视传媒淚f the hotel does this, it is the single biggest change that could happen in the area,SA国际影视传媒� Bell said. SA国际影视传媒淲ithout them doing this and getting rid of essentially that interior corridor, the other mall will always be a serious problem because itSA国际影视传媒檚 always more functional as a warm shortcut from Franklin (Avenue) to the liquor store than as a retail mall.
SA国际影视传媒淭he minute the hotel steps forward and does this everything else done around it is money well spent, in my opinionSA国际影视传媒� the fact that itSA国际影视传媒檚 on (HollowaySA国际影视传媒檚) radar now, I would imagine theySA国际影视传媒檙e tired of having this liability holding back their hotel asset. They could instantly go from the least desirable hotel location in town to one of the best.SA国际影视传媒�
