• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

S O R E

  • About
  • Updates
  • Hotel Proposal
  • Subdivision Proposal
  • Benny Marotta Media Archive
  • How You Can Help
You are here: Home / 2018 Hotel Proposal / The Marotta/Solmar proposal for Randwood Estate

The Marotta/Solmar proposal for Randwood Estate

Article posted on March 8, 2018

Six things you need to know about Solmar Development Corporation and Benny Marotta, and their plans for the Randwood Estate and Niagara-on-the-Lake.

1. Solmar/Marotta is a high-density, urban developer.

Based in Vaughan, Solmar Development Corp. and Benny Marotta have developed numerous high-density, urban projects.

Park Avenue Place Solmar Development Corporation
Park Avenue Place, Vaughan
Spring Valley Brampton Solmar Development Corporation
Spring Valley, Brampton
Parkview Heights, Bradford. Solmar Development Corporation
Parkview Heights, Bradford
Edge Towers, Mississauga. Solmar Development Corporation
Edge Towers, Mississauga

Taller, wider and tighter is not the model for Niagara-on-the-Lake.

2. Solmar is one of the largest residential and commercial landholders in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

So far, we have Solmar Development Corporation to thank for:

  • Cannery Park, the densest single-family housing development in Niagara-on-the-Lake
  • The boarding up of Fan’s Court Chinese restaurant, a former heritage building on the main street, for more than three years
  • The Windsor, a townhouse development in an area previously designated as single-family residential

The Windsor

Cannery Row
Cannery Row
Fan's Court
Fan’s Court

3. The Marotta/Solmar hotel proposal for Randwood dwarfs the previously approved Romance Inn proposal (2011).

Almost twice the height, none of the charming roof modulation tying into the existing Rand house nor any attempt to “fit in” to the community.

“Its singular, unbroken and rectangular mass introduces a monolith to the landscape on this property and is more reflective of the designs represented by [a] Holiday Inn Express…” –Clare Cameron, member of Niagara-on-the-Lake Municipal Heritage Committee

The hotel proposal was also described by the acting Chair of the Town’s Urban Design Committee at a recent meeting as a cross between an airport hotel and a Soviet apartment block.

Architect drawing

 4. It’s more than just a hotel — it’s a convention centre and wedding factory.

Solmar’s own Heritage Impact Assessment (Introduction, page 3) refers to the project as a “hotel and restaurant complex.” This sets the stage for fundamental changes from the 2011 approved uses, including:

  • Almost 50 per cent more hotel rooms: from 106 to 145
  • More food and beverage: from one restaurant (200 seats) and one patio to multiple restaurants (300 seats) and multiple patios
  • With the spa increasing fourfold from 1,997 sq. ft. to 18,200 sq. ft. the entire nature and characterisation of the “spa” has changed from the Romance proposal.
  • More parking: from 250 to 415 stalls

Almost 10,000 square feet of convention space (not counting outdoor areas or spaces in other buildings on site). For comparison, the largest ballroom at Queen’s Landing is 4,760 square feet.

5. But the real play is the subdivision.

Marotta’s ultimate goal is to create a new subdivision with more than 150 narrow, “big city-type” lots crammed in between the rear of the Randwood Estate and the Upper Canada Trail (bordering homes along The Promenade). Quietly, Marotta/Solmar has not only assembled the 13.3 acres that are the subject of the current Randwood discussion, but also the 22.85 acres at 200 John Street, 6.22 acres at 588 Charlotte Street and 13.21 acres at 144-176 John Street for a total of  42.28 acres (see diagram below).  These combined lands represent the core of the original Randwood Estate.

Subdivision subject lands
Subdivision subject lands
Solmar subdivision plan for 200 John Street in Niagara on the Lake
Solmar subdivision plan for 200 John Street in Niagara on the Lake

6. Sensitive Environmental Features- Here Today, Gone Tomorrow.

According to an August 2011 letter to the Town from the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, several environmentally sensitive attributes of the Randwood site include:

  • EPA significant habitat of threatened or endangered species
  • ECA significant woodland (species of specific concern)
  • ECA significant habitat of species of concern
  • Fish habitat Type 3

Since acquiring the property,  the Conservation Authority has stood idly by while Solmar has led an assault on this sensitive land, including clear cutting trees and rechannelling water courses.

View all updates from SORE

View 2021 subdivision application documents

Footer

Latest posts by SORE

  • SORE Letter to Council and OLT Update
  • How the Lord Mayor candidates answered SORE
  • NOTL candidates provide responses to SORE survey
  • Richard Mell responses to SORE 2022
  • Maria Mavridis responses to SORE 2022
  • Alistair (AJ) Harlond responses to SORE 2022
  • Allan Bisback responses to SORE 2022

On SORE website

  • Updates
  • 2022 municipal election
  • How You Can Help
  • Benny Marotta the Developer- Media Archive
  • History of Randwood Estate
  • 2021 Rand Subdivision proposal documents
  • 2018 Hotel Proposal Documents
  • 2018 Hotel Proposal Media Coverage
  • 2018 Hotel Proposal Process
  • December 2019 SORE Update

Contact SORE

Email us with questions, interest and support at  [email protected]

Sign up for SORE updates

Sign up to receive email updates from SORE. *Name and email required

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your email signup to SORE.

The Save Our Rand Estate (SORE) website has been developed by SORE Association, a group of concerned local citizens in Niagara on the Lake, with information we believe to be accurate.

Please contact SORE Association with any questions or concerns. | We respect your privacy

Website hosting by Inspiring Media Inc.