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Strip club closure part of larger development plan for Victoria Plaza Hotel

Monty's temporary closure a sign of the inevitable

Developer GMC Projects Inc. has confirmed that the days for Monty's as Victoria's only strip club are numbered.

The Vancouver-based company is anticipating a closing date this summer for their purchase of the Victoria Plaza Hotel, at the corner of Government Street and Pandora Avenue. Monty's Exotic Showroom Pub on Government Street is a tenant, while Cabin 12 Restaurant moved to Saanich last week, leaving the Pandora Street side of the building.

"Realistically, what will be happening is that Monty's will be closing," said GMC president Jordan Milne, who learned of drug charges and liquor licence violations at the strip club, and its related closure, through the media.

Plans were announced by GMC to purchase and redevelop the property last July. The news was received with anticipation and some relief by the Downtown Residents' Association.

Milne has filed a rezoning application to the city and hopes to have a public hearing within eight weeks. Once GMC Projects takes possession, he expects the hotel will continue to operate until the application is approved by city council.

The scope of the project has not changed significantly since the first announcement. The proposed $14-million development would add two storeys to the four-storey building.

"We're trying to keep the character of the area, but make the new portion of the building modern-looking," Milne said. "It's not currently a very nice-looking building from a heritage perspective … But from the historic pictures, it was (at one point). We're planning to return it to its former glory."

The development proposal includes 30 units of below-market rate rental housing.

rholmen@vicnews.com