Investor Tippy Mah revealed himself as the man behind a recently announced downtown parkade.
Mah, who owns the 202 building, the Royal Centre and the Old Pioneer, came forward as the main backer of the project at Monday’s council meeting.
There are other investors involved in the project, but those groups are still shrouded in mystery.
“Tippy Mah works with a group of investors, that’s all I can say,” said Carel Alexander, who represented Mah at council Monday.
Alexander also wouldn’t comment on which businesses are being courted to fill out the first floor of the proposed four-level parkade.
She did say a restaurant won’t be one of those businesses. That’s even though the city recommended the parkade, at the corner of Steele Street and Third, would be a perfect location for one.
Neither will the parking garage be home to top-floor condominiums, another idea the city pitched at last week’s council meeting.
“Our purpose for the investment is to address downtown parking for the business community and to provide street level parking space,” said Carel.
It’s not to become condominium developers, she added.
The group is looking to provide 120 parking spaces, 62 more than currently exist at the city-owned parking lot at Steele and Third.
Mah was at city hall, but didn’t address council.
All he would say is that his group of investors, “Has been trying to build (the parking garage) for years.”