ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Roebothan McKay Marshall Accident and Injury Law has applied to the city to rezone 96 and 100 Water St. to accommodate an eight-storey building that would house parking, condos, office and retail space, and a War Memorial museum.
The proposed building would require demolishing most of the historic former Breakwater Books building located next to the War Memorial, but maintain the exterior façade along Water Street “if feasible,” according to city documents.
The former Breakwater Books building is a provincial registered heritage structure and municipal heritage building. According to city documents, it’s “an excellent example” of Victorian Second Empire style commercial architecture.
The building has been virtually unaltered since its construction in 1894.
“This is the first application that proposes to maintain the façade of a building while demolishing the majority of the building. This is done in other cities, but this is a first for us, so that’s why we need to take a really critical look at the proposal as it is and see how the façade would stay should the development application proceed, not if it will stay,” said Coun. Maggie Burton, development lead on council.
City documents indicate planning staff agree with the councillor.
“The city recognizes the importance of creating ways in which historic buildings can be maintained and enjoyed by the public and acknowledges the need (to) allow development surrounding historic buildings; however, there should be no question to whether the façade will be maintained or not,” reads the decision note prepared on Oct. 8 in the committee of the whole agenda.
“Should the development proceed, it is recommended that the applicant ensure that the façade will be protected,” it reads.
Due to the slope of the property, the proposed building would be eight storeys on Water Street and six storeys on Duckworth Street.
The applicant also proposes a floor-area-to-land-area ratio of 5.64, but the decision note says design professionals do not recommend a ratio above 4 in order to avoid “large bulky buildings such as Atlantic Place.”
The decision note says city staff have met with the architect and have raised some concerns.
Included in the decision note to council are some notes from the architectural firm about the design.
“The design concept at its lower floors is a modern translation of the historic forms that once bordered the War Memorial site at its west edge,” it reads.
One historic form picked up on in the proposed design is the "turret" shape at the corner of the building, which the architects recreate in a modern form.
The application is being reviewed by the Built Heritage Experts Panel for their input before council decides the terms of reference for the land use assessment report. Burton called this “a very proactive step” to move the heritage review earlier in the application process.
Asked how the proposal aligns with the draft municipal plan, Burton said that while the building has been vacant for quite some time, it still has an important contribution to the built heritage fabric of the city.
“In Envision St. John’s, we talk about supporting responsible, smart growth while also discussing preserving and enhancing the heritage resources that we already have. So, that’s the vision, I think, for the downtown, and it’s really difficult to strike a balance between new development and existing resources.”
There are several more steps in the application process, including a public meeting that will be scheduled after the applicant submits a land use assessment report.
The Breakwater Books building was formally known as the S.O. Steele Building, owned by Samuel Owen Steele, a dry goods merchant and importer of china from as far away as Japan, according to city documents.
The documents say Steele’s two sons, Owen and James, served in the First World War. Owen was killed at the Somme on July 8, 1916 by a German shell, and had kept a detailed diary of his service. James survived the war, including the battle at Beaumont Hamel.
The Telegram left a message for an interview request with the proponent on Oct. 25.
