Qualicum Beach town council voted to reduce density for a condo development at 431 College Road and potentially remove the owner’s obligation to replicate the college heritage building last month.
“I am going to leave kind of all options open,” said Paul Jahn, owner and developer of the lot. “Something really should go in its spot to finish it off, so my guess is that it will completed with some type of a replica.”
He said the development is complicated because if there was nothing put where the heritage building is, he would have to deal with the existing foundation. This could create problems for the underground parkade and potentially leave it exposed from the backside of the lot. “That’s why I think the whole thing has to be looked at as a comprehensive development,” Jahn said.
The heritage building will likely be demolished within the next month, according to Jahn.
Town council expressed concerns regarding the fire hazard it posed and voted to have the former college torn down as soon as possible after a public hearing in January.
Jahn also addressed concerns heard at the hearing, including traffic and density in the area. He said there will be less traffic created by the development than when the heritage building was used as an inn.
“I think what people have to realize is what the use was before and the use that is coming, that the traffic is actually going to be quite a bit different. There is going to be quite a bit less,” he said.
He said the 16-unit building already constructed on the lot has not created a lot of traffic and there is plenty of parking available for residents. “I think everybody kind of won — the town won, the neighbourhood won and the developer wins as well.”
