Immediate plans to redevelop the Tudor House Pub property in Esquimalt are neither Tudoresque, nor do they include a pub.
But they do include a sleek, modern building with a liquor store, temporary community garden and parking lot.
“As much as the community wants the pub to come back, this is a great first step,” Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins said.
“What [the owners have] done has been really sensitive to the fact that they want the property to be of value to the community.”
On Monday night, Esquimalt council approved the owners’ development permit application.
The 109-year-old Tudor House Pub, at 533 Admirals Rd., was destroyed in a fire in July 2013.
The assessed value of the 46,000-square-foot property was $2.51 million.
The owners have said they may add a pub, hotel or housing units to the property, which has potential to expand to 12 storeys, Desjardins said.
In the meantime, they plan to host wine tastings and food pairing classes at the liquor store.
The design of the building incoporates green features, including a “living wall,” two pocket parks and a 5,000-square-foot temporary community garden, in a space that could be used for future development.
A parking lot will alleviate parking pressure on residential streets, Desjardins said.
Architecture plans prepared by GBL Architects feature board-formed concrete, structural glazing and a cedar soffit.
“There’s a strong community connection to the property and to the former pub that was there, so this is the beginning of that kind of return. The owners have brought forward an amazing project with many green features,” Desjardins said.
The proposal did not go to public consultation, because the property already had proper zoning.
Manager Tim Dumas, who has spoken on behalf of the owners in the past, could not be reached for comment.
