Ottawa Construction News staff writer
The City of Ottawa’s planning and housing committee has approved an Official Plan and zoning bylaw amendment, paving the way for a 17-storey expansion of the Andaz Hotel in the ByWard Market.
The project, spearheaded by developer Claridge Homes, will add 154 hotel rooms on York Street, immediately east of the existing Andaz Hotel on Dalhousie Street, according to municipal planning documents and a report from CTV News Ottawa.
Claridge Homes initially pitched a 16-storey addition in 2023 but later submitted a revised development application to add an extra storey after acquiring the adjacent property at 116 York St.
The expansion will replace a surface parking lot and a former two-storey red-brick building constructed around 1950 by the Union Saint-Joseph du Canada organization. Because the site sits within the ByWard Market Heritage Conservation District, the city’s built heritage committee was required to approve heritage permits to alter the property under the Ontario Heritage Act, which it cleared last week.
According to the developer’s submissions, the construction will feature a three-storey podium base topped by a 14-storey hotel tower, which will be set back nine metres from the York Street property line. The podium will house the hotel’s expanded entrance and lobby, along with a restaurant, ballroom and assembly rooms.
The new building will connect to the existing hotel via a three-storey section clad in grey spandrel glass and translucent glazing.
The project also involves significant excavation and subterranean construction. The expansion will feature four levels of underground parking, which will be shared with a new 22-storey residential building planned for nearby George Street.
In a report to the committee, municipal staff endorsed the project, noting the economic and aesthetic benefits of developing the site.
“The proposal results in the removal of a vacant lot in the ByWard Market Heritage Conservation District and building design that will make a positive contribution to the York streetscape,” city staff wrote. “This addition will facilitate the construction of new hotel accommodations, which, in turn, will help support the economic development and tourism goals in the ByWard Market.”
The committee’s approval sends the development application to Ottawa city council for final ratification.
