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The National Capital Commission’s latest plan for replacing a heritage building on Clarence Street appears to have won over critics who loudly opposed the initial design.

CEO Mark Kristmanson and architect Anthony Leaning met Monday with about two dozen people to unveil three new proposals for 7 Clarence, which housed Memories restaurant until it was forced to vacate the building last year.

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The NCC subsequently concluded the building has reached the end of its life cycle and asked the city’s permission to tear it down.

That request was approved in April, but the city sent the NCC back to the drawing board after its original design — described as a glass box — was widely panned.

Kristmanson says the new proposals all bring down the size of the building, remove a side patio and incorporate more stone and wood — construction materials far more common in the ByWard Market than opaque glass.

“We’ve moved from a glass box with a very modern feel and a high degree of transparency and light emission to a building that’s much more respectful of the original stone building of 7 Clarence,” he said.

Many of the changes are the result of three public meetings the NCC held to seek the public’s input and have enriched the design, Kristmanson said.

“This design process is leading to a really fine new building.”