A rendering of the proposed addition to the Waverley Inn. The Inn is a pinkish Italianate building of 3 stories plus a dormer on top, and the addition is a massive modern building with large expanses of glass.
A rendering of the proposed addition to the Waverley Inn. — Screenshot/HRM/Zzap Consulting Credit: Screenshot/HRM/Zzap Consulting

Halifax’s Design Review Committee is all in favour of a proposed addition to the Waverley Inn on Barrington Street.

Zzap Consulting submitted the proposal on behalf of Nassim Ghosn’s Grafton Developments Inc. The developer wants to redevelop the hotel at 1266 Barrington St. The plan includes the restoration of the inn, the removal of an addition in the back of the building, and a new 10-storey addition increasing the number of rooms from 14 to 118.

Dating back to 1866, the building is part of the Old South Suburb Heritage Conservation District and requires multiple steps of approval.

As the Halifax Examiner reported in March, regional council signed off on the heritage aspect of the proposal based on a recommendation from its Heritage Advisory Committee.

Council’s Design Review Committee was tasked with approval of the addition itself, and met virtually on Wednesday to debate the proposal.

Planner Meaghan Maund wrote the report to the committee and made a presentation, recommending in favour of three variances to the Downtown Halifax Land-use Bylaw.

Those variances include slightly shorter than permitted streetwall height and groundfloor height, both designed to match the existing inn.

The committee voted unanimously in favour of a motion approving the development, including the variances.

Zane Woodford is the Halifax Examiner’s municipal reporter. He covers Halifax City Hall and contributes to our ongoing PRICED OUT housing series. Twitter @zwoodford

Join the Conversation

1 Comment

Only subscribers to the Halifax Examiner may comment on articles. We moderate all comments. Be respectful; whenever possible, provide links to credible documentary evidence to back up your factual claims. Please read our Commenting Policy.

  1. So we get the keep a 150+ year old heritage building, but have to be prepared to stick a new not-in-keeping-with-the-old building onto it? Great !!