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Rob Taylor, a spokesman with the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, said Ottawa’s hotel and tourism industries are having a very good year.

Asked about the expansion of the luxury brand hotel, Taylor told the Citizen, “I think they recognize that there’s a niche that they can fulfill there … that right now is not necessarily available in the long-term, luxury, or higher-end accommodation.”

“There are a lot of extended stays but many of them are more in the three-star space and they’re not full-service hotels. Whereas to have a marquee, full-service hotel providing that type of model, it’s a new product.”

Larco Investments Ltd. has retained Architects Alliance from Toronto, PWL Partnerships based in Vancouver and MTBA Associates in Ottawa for the preliminary designs.

Peter Clewes, the principal architect at Architects Alliance, said the renovations will provide a modern look while keeping with the hotel’s historic charm.

Phillips said the owners are open to hearing from the public as well.

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“We want to give the residents of Ottawa and the business community the assurance that we’re very respectful of our neighbours and we’re here for the long term,” he told the Citizen.

Coun. Mathieu Fleury lauded the Fairmont Château Laurier team for their willingness to consult with the community at large.

“It is an exciting project that introduces captivating architectural design to this important site for our capital city while highlighting its important heritage value and location near the Parliament buildings, Major Hill’s Park, as well as the ByWard market,” Fleury said in a written statement provided to the media by the hotel owners.

“In terms of traffic mitigation efforts,” said the city’s John Smit, acting director of economic development, “the City of Ottawa always strives to reduce and minimize traffic impacts.”

He said that Ottawa is currently in the peak of LRT construction and that many construction projects have been accelerated in the downtown core so that they are complete before 2017.