Fortis Properties has withdrawn a proposal that would have resembled this artist's conception. (Fortis Properties)

The property division of St. John's-based Fortis Inc. has withdrawn a controversial application to put a 15-storey tower on Water Street.

"Our assessment was a judgment call on the overall likelihood of success with this application, to be quite honest," Nora Duke, president of Fortis Properties, told CBC News.

Fortis had drawn fire from some St. John's residents — including some members of city council — for a proposal that would not only add one tower, but add several floors to its existing tower at the corner of Water and Prescott streets.

Residents complained the twin towers would overwhelm the skyline of downtown St. John's.

Duke said the company took stock of the reaction and came to a conclusion that it would instead retrofit the existing Fortis Building.

"In terms of looking at council and the decision-making process, we felt the application would not be successful, and so we just decided it was probably time to move on and to look to other opportunities," she said.

Formerly known as the Royal Trust Building, the Fortis Building is more than four decades old, and was the first office tower built in St. John's.

St. John's city council has a set of heritage bylaws that restrict the size and scale of development in the downtown core. Council, though, can pass exemptions on a case-by-case basis.