A dilapidated building on Cedar Avenue could be converted into a series of suites to be managed by the Bermuda Housing Corporation.

A planning application, submitted on behalf of the BHC, proposed major renovations to The Plaza at 17 Cedar Avenue to create a series of studio suites.

While the planning notice said the project would create 13 units, drawings included with the application showed a total of 14 units on the site, including three in the basement, five on the ground floor and six on the first floor.

Each of the units has its own kitchen and bathroom, while the building’s ground floor would host laundry facilities and a lounge area for residents.

The project also includes the installation of an elevator, a veranda and an external set of fire stairs leading to the upper floor.

Plans were announced by the Government last September to construct affordable housing units at the property as part of a $4.8 million renovation.

The project promised to breathe new life into the former Plaza Hotel, one of the first Black-owned guesthouses in Bermuda.

The property has been owned by the Leopards Club since 1955, but the building was gutted by a fire on January 27, 2009.

The three-storey, 7,643-square-foot structure has been vacant ever since.

Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch, who was then the Minister of Public Works, said at the announcement of the project: “At that time, the BHC assisted those displaced by the fire, so this return is like coming back home.

“Even though 17 years has passed since the fire, the building remains structurally sound and can be renovated.

“By repurposing this unused structure, we are not only preserving an important piece of Hamilton’s heritage, but also creating much needed homes for Bermuda.”

The project was branded as part of the Private Sector Refurbishment Programme, where private units are renovated by the corporation then temporarily added to its stock, to be managed through a specific time frame agreement to repay the funds and ultimately returned to the owner.

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