The Minister of the Environment has approved a new eight storey building for Hamilton, putting yet another nail in the coffin of the City of Hamilton 2001 Plan which sets the maximum height guideline at seven storeys.

Bonus floors are sometimes granted for developers to build above the seventh storey if a residential component is added.

However this new building, given ‘in principle’ approval on appeal, does not have a residential component and still won the Minister’s signature.

It will be eleven storeys — eight of them above ground — on Wesley Street near the corner of Park Road.

About 25 percent of the building will be commercial office space and the rest will be home to the new Athletic Club.

The architect behind the proposal argued the multiple level wellness centre meets the spirit of the ‘residential bonus’ even though people won’t be living inside. Architect Simon Hodgson said: “The bonus floor in the plan was intended to ‘incentivise’ new residential construction in the city, in part because it is recognised any urban environment made entirely of office space makes for sterile and dreary built spaces — it is hoped more residents will bring more life to the city.

“After five o’clock the city goes to sleep if office use predominates.

“Everyone wishes, I think, a vibrant capital city so we need to properly focus on how we are to achieve this.

“A wellness facility of this scope will obviously contribute to this vitality. This building will generate significant activity for the immediate area.”

Wesley Street is a short city block between Park Road and Church Street in the vicinity of City Hall.

The new building is planned for 4 Wesley Street. Sub-floor three to floor four will house the spa and gym while floors five to seven will be commercial office space.

The eight floor structure was given the green light on appeal only days after the ten story Seon Place project was similarly approved — both had been previously turned down by the Development Applications Board.

Interestingly, the same inspector, Brian Field, was assigned to both cases.

He recommended Seon Place be rejected and the Wesley Street proposal be approved.

Mr. Field said of the wellness centre in his report: “Although the proposed residential component fails to meet the 50 percent threshold to qualify for consideration for a floor space bonus, the proposed mix of uses other than for commercial office space is considerably in excess of the 50 percent level.”

The flexibility of the residential rule in this way seems to open the door on a new precedent for Planning in the city of Hamilton.

But Mr. Hodgson is quick to point out that if the office space to wellness space ratio was flipped, the appeal probably would not have met the inspector’s satisfaction.

He said: “It’s 75/25, that’s a better ratio than the residential bonus, so it really was a no brainer.”

Now that it has been approved, after about a year of wrangling, Athletic Club co-owner Richard Burns is thinking optimistically about the future.

His bold plan will move his 6,500 square foot gym near the bus terminal on Washington Street about two blocks away to a brand new edifice on Wesley Street, where there will be 24,000 square feet of space specifically for the gym and spa.

Mr. Burns said: It’s a very expensive undertaking, but we didn’t just pull this out of thin air. We did a very extensive survey through our membership and in the general public.

“We collated all that information and came out with a great product and now we’re ready to go.”

According to drawings from S.H.Y Architecture the highlights include an entire floor devoted to spa services, a 4,000 square foot free weight room and a 25 meter indoor lap pool. Mr. Burns says it will be the first pool of its kind in Bermuda’s health and fitness market.

“Bermuda really needs a facility like this,” he said.

The Athletic Club, which has been in operation for 20 years, is at capacity now with about 1,200 members, but can expect its membership cap number to double if this new dream wellness centre becomes a reality.

Mr. Burns agreed with his architect that the city desperately needs buildings which encourage life after 5 p.m. It’s an argument that seemed also to catch the attention of the inspector assigned to investigate the appeal.

Mr. Field said: “The applicant’s case is well argued and persuasive.

“The proposed mix of uses is certainly in keeping with the objectives of the City Plan and indeed is more likely to bring the kind of vitality to the street so desirous of the Corporation.

“I recommend that the appeal be granted.”

Minister approves eight storey building