General Update/Rumour thread

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

For comparison, here is The Tannery in Kitchener, home of the Communitech Hub. Right downtown, fortunately, and a block from the planned multi-modal transportation hub:

These I think have much more potential IMO. Not that are building isn't usable; I just don't think it has any historical value.

[Buggys]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

http://www.obj.ca/Local/City%20Hall/...-design-firm/1

Step 1: tear down that piece of shit building at Bayview. These people at City Hall have no idea what a historic building is.

Step 2: if you want a publicly funded innovation centre in Vanier, build a subway to serve it.

Step 3: Build the innovation centre along with a new Science and Tech museum at Bayview since we can't afford a Rideau-Montreal subway at this point.

It was built with brick and concrete back in the day. It may look like a boring box, but was probably built sturdy and made to last. I like it. Add some grafitti art on the outside, and we can have the start of a beautiful, cultured hub.

[S-Man]

Another option could be the old, vacant Energy, Mines and Resources brick buildings in the Booth Street complex. Similar size, with open layouts, close to bars, restaurants and decent transit.They're under ownership of Canlands awaiting selling at some point.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

WTF! They want to protect the O-Train and people using the recreational pathways from idiots throwing shit off the Somerset over pass so the City is thinking about installing this;



According to Darwin.

http://www.westsideaction.com/

I guess the bunker planters weren't enough of an uglifying effort. Keep up the tackiness City Hall!

If they're determined enough, nothing will stop them. Trust me on this.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by S-Man

Another option could be the old, vacant Energy, Mines and Resources brick buildings in the Booth Street complex. Similar size, with open layouts, close to bars, restaurants and decent transit.They're under ownership of Canlands awaiting selling at some point.

For sure, it would be another great example of a factory complex converted to mixed use.

Originally Posted by Buggys

It was built with brick and concrete back in the day. It may look like a boring box, but was probably built sturdy and made to last. I like it. Add some grafitti art on the outside, and we can have the start of a beautiful, cultured hub.

The Ogilvy Building was built with steel and a concrete foundation, not only was it built to last, but it was an architectural masterpiece. Yet the city had no problem letting Cadillac Fairview tear that one down. I don't care who you are, no one can say that the Bayview Building deserves more protection than the Ogilvy. NO ONE!

If the Bayview building is still solid and not to expensive to fix up, then fine, keep it. If renovations cost as much as re-building, then tear it down.

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Well, at least it's better than this:
https://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&ll...16.37,,0,10.81

I like that thing. It's one of my favourite bits of architecture it Ottawa, it's functional and looks nice and gritty urban.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Beedok

I like that thing. It's one of my favourite bits of architecture it Ottawa, it's functional and looks nice and gritty urban.

It is pretty awesome. Looks solid.

[Buggys]

Lol, that bridge fence looks like cage! You do not want to be trapped in there!

I just went to take a look at the old Ogilvy building on the web. Wow, the original one looks great (http://www.ottawacitizen.com/demolit...922/story.html)! Is this one the "new" building <http://spacing.ca/ottawa/2013/03/23/a-brief-update-ogilvys-building-collapses/>, or is it the one with green glass at the bottom <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogilvy_(department_store)>?

Anyhow, my point was, if it's still in good shape, and *somebody* doesn't like the architecture the way it is... just pass it up with the worn out inner city look. Let the rent be cheap, the artists move in, and it'll turn into a hip neighbourhood in a few years : - P.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Buggys

Lol, that bridge fence looks like cage! You do not want to be trapped in there!

I just went to take a look at the old Ogilvy building on the web. Wow, the original one looks great (http://www.ottawacitizen.com/demolit...922/story.html)! Is this one the "new" building <http://spacing.ca/ottawa/2013/03/23/a-brief-update-ogilvys-building-collapses/>, or is it the one with green glass at the bottom <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogilvy_(department_store)>?

Anyhow, my point was, if it's still in good shape, and *somebody* doesn't like the architecture the way it is... just pass it up with the worn out inner city look. Let the rent be cheap, the artists move in, and it'll turn into a hip neighbourhood in a few years : - P.

The Citizen article was the original Rideau/Nicholas façade (built in 1907) designed by W.E. Noffke,



The second link is what the Besserer façade looked like recently (built in 1916 by Noffke, 4th (1931) and 5th (1934) by Hazelgrove;



The Wikipedia link is actually the Montreal Ogilvy on St-Catherine, no relation to the Ottawa Ogilvy,



The Rideau/Nicholas front of the Ottawa Ogilvy looked like this in the end,



It had been neglected since the last renovations of the 1980s. The Rideau Centre applied for demolition in 2000 and the City said "no, you have to keep the whole building". After an OMB appeal, it was decided it could be completely demolished as long as the 1907 façade was remounted on the Rideau Centre expansion. Finally totally abandoned by the Rideau Centre in 2005 and after seven years of total neglect, it was torn down. The 1907 windows and detailing along with 1916 bricks have been stored to eventually be remounted as a "hanging piece of art" on the Rideau Centre expansion.



Other than some exterior damage and a rough looking interior, the building was no doubt structurally solid. If not, they would have used structural problems as reason for demolition. Their was 0 attempt at City Hall or anywhere else to save the building. City Council voted unanimously in favor of the demolition.

Meanwhile, these buildings have been saved from the wrecking ball;

The Loeb house in Rocliffe Park

[IMG]187 Lansdowne Road[/IMG]

These two residential buildings on Sussex, the red brick one was the home of Adrian Clarkson decades ago. The City is ready to pay two million dollars to move them for a road widening;



Lansdowne Park, architect was a student of Frank Loyd Wright. We spent 6 million to move it and whatever else to renovate;



This one used to be a school house. Today, only the brick shell is left and City Hall refuses to let the developer (known for neglecting historic properties) demolish it.



And people in the ByWard market are fighting tooth and nail to prevent this one to be converted into a hotel, get a facelift and add a few floors;

[rocketphish]

Like me, you may have spotted that new crane on the Rockcliffe horizon this week and wondered what's going on. Turns out it's a new three-storey, 18,500 square foot building at Ashbury College, designed to house expanded library, music and arts facilities.

Photo by me (August 24, 2013):


http://mcrobie.com/2013/06/schools-o...structions-on/
http://mcrobie.com/single-project/?project_id=157

Rendering:

[Buggys]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

The Citizen article was the original Rideau/Nicholas façade (built in 1907) designed by W.E. Noffke,



The second link is what the Besserer façade looked like recently (built in 1916 by Noffke, 4th (1931) and 5th (1934) by Hazelgrove;



The Wikipedia link is actually the Montreal Ogilvy on St-Catherine, no relation to the Ottawa Ogilvy,



The Rideau/Nicholas front of the Ottawa Ogilvy looked like this in the end,



It had been neglected since the last renovations of the 1980s. The Rideau Centre applied for demolition in 2000 and the City said "no, you have to keep the whole building". After an OMB appeal, it was decided it could be completely demolished as long as the 1907 façade was remounted on the Rideau Centre expansion. Finally totally abandoned by the Rideau Centre in 2005 and after seven years of total neglect, it was torn down. The 1907 windows and detailing along with 1916 bricks have been stored to eventually be remounted as a "hanging piece of art" on the Rideau Centre expansion.



Other than some exterior damage and a rough looking interior, the building was no doubt structurally solid. If not, they would have used structural problems as reason for demolition. Their was 0 attempt at City Hall or anywhere else to save the building. City Council voted unanimously in favor of the demolition.

Meanwhile, these buildings have been saved from the wrecking ball;

The Loeb house in Rocliffe Park

[IMG]187 Lansdowne Road[/IMG]

These two residential buildings on Sussex, the red brick one was the home of Adrian Clarkson decades ago. The City is ready to pay two million dollars to move them for a road widening;



Lansdowne Park, architect was a student of Frank Loyd Wright. We spent 6 million to move it and whatever else to renovate;



This one used to be a school house. Today, only the brick shell is left and City Hall refuses to let the developer (known for neglecting historic properties) demolish it.



And people in the ByWard market are fighting tooth and nail to prevent this one to be converted into a hotel, get a facelift and add a few floors;

Wow, what where they thinking (NOT)!

Actually, I think the developers do think. The decision-makers managing those companies could probably care less about how well the old building was designed/built. They're value engineering for as high a benefit for them as possible, with little care as to what the cost to society is. The gatekeepers (council) are just another hinderance in the cost-benefit analysis. Well, can you really blame them? This is what those managers get paid the big bucks for.

I'm not sure why council made the decisions that they did.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Well, at least it's better than this:
https://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&ll...16.37,,0,10.81

Hey! Don't speak ill of the bridge I and maybe a hundred others use.

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Like me, you may have spotted that new crane on the Rockcliffe horizon this week and wondered what's going on. Turns out it's a new three-storey, 18,500 square foot building at Ashbury College, designed to house expanded library, music and arts facilities.

Photo by me (August 24, 2013): -snipped photos-

Ah, Ashbury College. That brings back memories.

[rocketphish]

Rumour has it that the Desjardins bank on Beechwood Ave. was sold to a developer recently, though I didn't hear who bought it nor whether there are any immediate development plans. This is a substantial site, similar in size to Domicile's Kavanaugh site just up the street. It is also immediately across the street from St. Charles church, also a likely redevelopment site. Beechwood is finally growing up!

https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=+141+B..._rMtP_HxpKlzDA

[kwoldtimer]

[QUOTE=rocketphish;6243770]Rumour has it that the Desjardins bank on Beechwood Ave. was sold to a developer recently, though I didn't hear who bought it nor whether there are any immediate development plans. This is a substantial site, similar in size to Domicile's Kavanaugh site just up the street. It is also immediately across the street from St. Charles church, also a likely redevelopment site. Beechwood is finally growing up!


Moving in the right direction, but Beechwood still has a long, long way to go. Even with the right mix of commercial/retail in the new developments, the strip is going to remain very patchy.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Rumour has it that the Desjardins bank on Beechwood Ave. was sold to a developer recently, though I didn't hear who bought it nor whether there are any immediate development plans. This is a substantial site, similar in size to Domicile's Kavanaugh site just up the street. It is also immediately across the street from St. Charles church, also a likely redevelopment site. Beechwood is finally growing up!

https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=+141+B..._rMtP_HxpKlzDA

I can pretty much confirm that this Caisse populaire branch is closing. Desjardins has or had branches all over inner areas of Ottawa like Wellington West, Somerset West in Chinatown, Main St. near St Paul University, etc., but many of them have either closed or are closing as the francophone population of inner Ottawa dwindles.

So they close several branches but retain one location (or open a new one) to serve the smaller francophone population dispersed over a wider area.

[J.OT13]

No surprise here;

World Exchange Plaza could replace movie theatre with offices

By Jon Willing ,Ottawa Sun

First posted: Tuesday, August 27, 2013 06:08 PM EDT | Updated: Tuesday, August 27, 2013 06:17 PM EDT


The theatre at the World Exchange Plaza could be converted to office space if the owner can’t find another movie company interested in the lease.

Empire Theatres has indicated it won’t renew its lease, which expires Dec. 31. The company, which also has plans for a theatre at Lansdowne Park, is getting out of the movie business.

A development agreement for World Exchange Plaza dating back to March 1988 outlines how the owner, British Columbia Investment Management Corp., can distribute its space.

City staff say as long as the zoning conditions are met, the development agreement shouldn’t have to be altered under council approval every time the owner needs to react to market conditions.

As for Lansdowne, officials maintain there will be a tenant at the new theatre, whether it’s Empire or another company.

http://www.ottawasun.com/2013/08/27/...r-with-offices

[citydwlr]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

No surprise here;

http://www.ottawasun.com/2013/08/27/...r-with-offices

Crap...It's not my favourite theatre in Ottawa, but it is the last one left, that I know of in the downtown core (apart from the the Bytowne) :S

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by citydwlr

Crap...It's not my favourite theatre in Ottawa, but it is the last one left, that I know of in the downtown core (apart from the the Bytowne) :S

And Bytowne shows fringe type movies, not new blockbusters. Worth noting that the Rideau Centre's plans call for an expanded theatre on the roof and the Lansdowne Theatre isn't quite dead yet; Empire signed a contract so they have to find a replacement or pay a major fee.

Regardless, for the first time since movie theatres exist pretty much, downtown Ottawa won't have a main stream facility.

[Beedok]

Did the one in Rideau shut down?

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Beedok

Did the one in Rideau shut down?

Back in October.