The historic Cumberland Hotel will be taken down and replaced with a condo unit that may represent the village’s heritage.
The new building, called the “Eddie”, will feature 15 apartments of varying sizes in the condo. According to the developer, Coastwest Development, the condo will be built with Mass Timber and designed with mountain biking in mind.
Coastwest Development Co-Founder Becki Allen says they’re hoping to keep as many of the materials as possible. She says things like the hardwood floors in the elevator lobby and bricks will be reused, specifically from a fireplace area.
Cumberland Museum and Archives will also work with them to commemorate the site.
“We’re working on creating a commemorative wall that’s going to be open to the public in the new building,” said Allen. “It will tell basically the history of the site and tell some stories from the past.”
Allen says it will tell the transition and growth Cumberland has had over the years.
The hotel has been serving food and drinks to the residents of Cumberland since 1894. The look and feel of the building has been an icon of the area, especially for residents who grew up in the village.
“It’s sad that I’m not going to see it there and I’m going to miss not seeing it,” said Cumberland mayor Leslie Baird. “But I also understand that growth and development come and I know it went to the heritage commission for review.”
Baird says that the changes will allow for more housing in the area. She says housing has become an issue in Cumberland over the years and there’s very little for sale.
“What really concerns me is that these houses are becoming unaffordable for the people and their children, and that’s a really sad statement to have to make,” said Baird. “So I’m looking forward to some of the attainable housing that’s going to be built in the village.”
Allen says they have not done much advertising yet. She says the only advertising they have done has been local as they want to attract local buyers.
“We’re going to be opening it up to Comox Valley residents first for the first week of presales on the development,” said Allen. “We’re hoping to generate as many sales as possible from within the local community.”
Construction along with presales are expected to begin in the next two to three months.
Prices on the home are not available yet.
