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The developers behind a proposed 21-story hotel project at the corner of Canal and Tchoupitoulas streets lost another battle today as the City Planning Commission rejected their plans.
The commission voted unanimously to deny a request for a conditional use permit for property owner Kishore "Mike" Motwani of New Orleans and developers Wischermann Partners of Minneapolis. Their plan calls for the partial demolition of three 19th century historic structures on Tchoupitoulas Street, another on Canal Street and two other existing buildings in the hotel's footprint.
The 250-foot-tall building would also require a height variance to go beyond the 70-foot limit in that part of the Central Business District, among other waivers.
The planning commission upheld a recommendation from its staff, which opposed the project for its height, its adverse effect on the streetscape and its failure to comply with the city's Interim Zoning District for the CBD.
Current designs for the building have the broadest portion of the structure fronting...