The building housing the Steveston Hotel and Buck & Ear pub is one of 17 protected heritage sites in Steveston.
But this protection only applies to the exterior of the building, and a plan to replace the pub area with five hotel suites isn’t something that city council can stop given it fits in with the property’s zoning.
This was the message from city staff to council while they deliberated a heritage alteration permit from the owner who wants to convert the pub area into hotel suites under the name “Steveston Suites.”
Coun. Chak Au said he’d like to see a broader discussion about the “cultural value” of the interior and exterior of the building. He noted other heritage buildings that have been changed significantly on the inside are “dead.”
But Coun. Kash Heed reiterated the message from city staff that council has no control over the inside.
“I’m wondering why this discussion is carried on down that particular road,” he said.
In the end, the heritage alteration permit was sent back to staff so they can talk to the applicant about signage and the name as well as having a discussion with the Steveston Heritage Society about the significance of the building.
The pub is currently under creditor protection.
The tenant that operates the pub, the Joseph Richard Group, filed for creditor protection following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The group owed about $34.4 million to Canadian Western Bank and $2.3 million to the Bank of Montreal around the time of filing.
According to the June 4 report by court-appointed monitor MNP Ltd., which replaced Ernst & Young Inc. in May, Joseph Richard Group's creditor protection was extended to Aug. 30.
All 19 of Joseph Richard Group's B.C. businesses are currently up for sale and the group has a bid to buy them back.
- with files from Vikki Hui
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