General Update/Rumour thread

[rocketphish]

Bayview Yards innovation complex project gets council approval

OBJ Staff, Published on December 11, 2013

City council has given the green light to a $30-million plan to construct a hub for Ottawa’s entrepreneurs at the Bayview Yards site west of downtown.

The approval, given at a Wednesday meeting of city council, is the latest hurdle the city has cleared in getting the proposal off the ground.

The city first unveiled plans for the project at 7 Bayview Rd. last January. The site would be the new home to Invest Ottawa while also housing a business incubation centre and support agencies for entrepreneurs.

Wednesday’s vote also approved the appointments to the board of directors for the non-profit corporation that will oversee the project.

Included among the initial board members are Nordion CEO Steve West and Windmill Development Group founding partner Jeff Westeinde. The city’s mayor and director of economic development and innovation will also be included on the board.

Funding for the project, which the city hopes to open by 2016, will consist of equal contributions of $15 million from the city and province.

Staff will now start working on a lease agreement for the proposed site.

http://www.obj.ca/Local/City-Hall/2013-12-11/article-3539629/Bayview-Yards-innovation-complex-project-gets-council-approval/1

[AuxTown]

Has anyone heard about a possible large-scale exterior reno to the NAC for the 150th? I heard 4th hand of a large architecture firm visiting Ottawa recently to do some preliminary testing. Would be great to see an updated facade on such an important facility though they should try to maintain some of the original 1960's style that makes it so unique.

[citydwlr]

Has anyone heard about a possible large-scale exterior reno to the NAC for the 150th? I heard 4th hand of a large architecture firm visiting Ottawa recently to do some preliminary testing. Would be great to see an updated facade on such an important facility though they should try to maintain some of the original 1960's style that makes it so unique.

I recall something being mentioned way back when the NCC was complaining about the removal of confederation square from the list of LRT stations. At that point, they suggested that they were planning to update the Elgin Street entrance, among other interior upgrades. I don't think they mentioned anything at that time about exterior upgrades, unfortunately. BUT, that all could have changed over the last year...

EDIT: Found the OBJ Article that mentions this: http://www.obj.ca/Local/2011-11-30/article-2821125/Light-rail-plans-prompt-NAC-redesign-proposal/1

[Uhuniau]

Has anyone heard about a possible large-scale exterior reno to the NAC for the 150th? I heard 4th hand of a large architecture firm visiting Ottawa recently to do some preliminary testing. Would be great to see an updated facade on such an important facility though they should try to maintain some of the original 1960's style that makes it so unique.

There was some noise, but I suspect it's been put on the way back burner.

[bartlebooth]

Has anyone heard about a possible large-scale exterior reno to the NAC for the 150th? I heard 4th hand of a large architecture firm visiting Ottawa recently to do some preliminary testing. Would be great to see an updated facade on such an important facility though they should try to maintain some of the original 1960's style that makes it so unique.

http://www2.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/archives/story.html?id=0de49e28-ca3a-40bb-ba67-88b3d56a71f9

An older article but from what I have heard, Diamond + Schmitt Architects out of Toronto is still involved in the NAC renovation. Like Uhuniau mentioned though, it probably will not be happening for some time. Money seems to be tight at a lot of institutions here in Ottawa.

[teej1984]

Some of you may have seen this in the Canada forum, but I'm currently doing a research project for my Masters in Disaster and Emergency Management on high-rise emergency preparedness. My hypothesis is that people need to prepare for emergencies differently in high-rise buildings compared to homes with ground level access.

If you live in a high-rise building, please consider helping me out and doing this survey. It only takes about 5 minutes! Thanks!! http://fluidsurveys.com/s/preparedness/

[J.OT13]

Instead of spending 30+ million on renaming the NCR's most successful museum, Harper could have handed the NAC that money to build its glassy new Elgin Street entrance. Not as big as twisting a Trudeau Legacy, but still putting his "stamp" on a Liberal (Pearson) built cultural institution.

That said, I think that new entrance would be a great complement to the 60s brutalist architecture, but I would not want any other exterior alterations. I know I'm one of the few who likes the design.

BTW, we can all count ourselves lucky that they didn't built the NAC with plain/flat gray concrete. The brown colour and groves make the building much more interesting than the alternative.

[Harley613]

I couldn't find a thread for the new/renovated Loblaws on Isabella. I stopped by and I was BLOWN AWAY. I have been a patron of this Loblaws for 14 years due to it's location and I was so disappointed when I learned the reno was only adding a small amount of new space but now that I've seen it...it's amazing. It's very well used space and has a real 'urban market' feel to it. I think it's actually the coolest grocery store I've ever been in outside of Italy.

http://i.imgur.com/lDyyKAG.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/gT81CKO.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/S8QghHE.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/1Xq2Aid.jpg

[J.OT13]

That is nice! Love the darker, warmer look of it.

[kevinbottawa]

Looks like the Loblaws at the old Maple Leaf Gardens in T.O. I went to that Loblaws in August and thought to myself it's sad we don't get stores like that in Ottawa. Glad to see I was wrong.

[S-Man]

Fancy schmancy. Cheese wheels...

I heard the price here matched the upscale looks. Can anyone vouch for that?

[Harley613]

The prices looked normal at a glance...this isn't Hartman's after all... :p

[nredding]

I heard the price here matched the upscale looks. Can anyone vouch for that?
Reply With Quote
According to my mother, the prices are high.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Oh wow, that's gorgeous for a Loblaws.

[kevinbottawa]

Here's an article from the Centretown News about the Chapel Street synogogue.

Oldest synagogue faces demolition

Friday, 13 December 2013
By Luke Bradley

Many Jews in downtown Ottawa will be finding a new place to light the Hannukah menorah next year, as this was the last celebration in Ottawa’s oldest and largest synagogue structure before it closes its doors permanently.

The building housing Congregation Beth Shalom, located at the corner of Rideau and Chapel streets in Sandy Hill, has been operating for more than 50 years. However, two years ago it was announced that the synagogue would be sold due to financial difficulties.

The initial buyer, Claridge Homes, walked away from its offer to buy the property in early 2013. A few months later, Trinity Properties Investments Inc. struck a deal with the congregation. At the end of March 2014, the synagogue will be permanently closed and Trinity will begin a condo development.

However, no location has been found to replace the current synagogue, leading to concerns about where many Jews living in downtown Ottawa will be able to worship. David Kardish, congregation member and owner of the nearby Rideau Bakery, says that the future is uncertain for Beth Shalom.

“I have no idea where they’re heading, neither do they,” says Kardish. “Everything is in flux right now, but you’ve got to keep looking forward to the future.”

Scott Goldstein, director of the Jewish student organization Hillel, says that this sale leaves few options available to those looking to worship in downtown Ottawa.

“It being the only Conservative synagogue in the area is going to have an impact,” says Goldstein.

“Someone downtown who lives walking distance to that synagogue now has to find a new location, and there’s only one other conservative synagogue in town, Agudath Israel.”

There had been ongoing merger talks with Agudath Israel, located on Coldrey Avenue in Carlington.

However, in a joint statement released to members of the two congregations earlier this month, the task force announced that due to issues such as “current needs, existing clergy and issues related to governance,” an agreement could not be reached.

There is also a much smaller Orthodox synagogue, Ohev Yisroel, located just a few blocks down from Beth Shalom, on Rideau Street. However, Goldstein says that it is unlikely many members of Beth Shalom will be willing to make the switch to an Orthodox congregation.

“I can’t speak for everyone, but I have a feeling that there won’t be too many people moving from a Conservative to Orthodox synagogue,” says Goldstein.

“They want something they’re used to, with a similar outlook to their religious practices.”

While the future is still uncertain for the congregation, there have been some steps secured to assure that members of Beth Shalom will continue to worship together. Centrepointe Theatre, located on Centrepointe Drive in Ottawa’s west end, has been booked as a venue for celebrations of the the High Holy Days, in the event that a location cannot be secured by then.

However, the pain of losing an historic venue such as the location on Chapel Street, and the uncertainty of the congregation’s future, has left many members discouraged.

Addressing the congregation, Beth Shalom president Ian Sherman said that the relocation process has been a long and difficult one.

“I feel as though I am in the midst of a new exodus – the exodus of Congregation Beth Shalom from Chapel Street,” wrote Sherman.

“Moreover, it will not be any dictator such as Pharaoh who tries to decide the plight of the Beth Shalom people; rather it will be the people of the Beth Shalom family who determine whether we want to carve out our future together.”

http://www.centretownnews.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4270&Itemid=127

[c_speed3108]

Looks like the Loblaws at the old Maple Leaf Gardens in T.O. I went to that Loblaws in August and thought to myself it's sad we don't get stores like that in Ottawa. Glad to see I was wrong.

it was based on the design of the Maple Leaf gardens one...

[ThaLoveDocta]

it was based on the design of the Maple Leaf gardens one...

The one near my place on Queen West is very similar - This seems to be their new urban standard.:cheers:

[Rob64]

The Desjardins bank on Beechwood Ave has been purchased by Claridge and they are planning on building condos.

[JM1]

That will be a win. That building is ugly and totally not in keeping with the nature of the street. Of course, another eight story condo along the street may not be in line with the old two storey gabled houses along that stretch.

I will be interested to see how this develops.

Is the purchase absolutely confirmed?

The Desjardins bank on Beechwood Ave has been purchased by Claridge and they are planning on building condos.

[JM1]

There is starting to be development along Beechwood which has long been an underappreciated street (with wealthy neighbourhoods on one side of the street and less wealthy ones on the other, maybe it could never decide what it wanted to be). But that may be changing.

I have often wondered about the huge amount of land at the corner of St. Laurent and Hemlock that is currently home to the Manor Park Estates. This land just seems ripe for redevelopment. It could have a combination of store fronts (that could serve Manor Park residents), condos (along Hemlock) and single family detached homes (further into Manor Park). With schools and parkland nearby, it could be a great place for families. At the same time, its relative proximity to downtown might also make it attractive to young professionals.

I just wonder why we are looking at redeveloping the Rockcliffe airbase when there is so much development potential elsewhere.

[c_speed3108]

There is starting to be development along Beechwood which has long been an underappreciated street (with wealthy neighbourhoods on one side of the street and less wealthy ones on the other, maybe it could never decide what it wanted to be). But that may be changing.

I have often wondered about the huge amount of land at the corner of St. Laurent and Hemlock that is currently home to the Manor Park Estates. This land just seems ripe for redevelopment. It could have a combination of store fronts (that could serve Manor Park residents), condos (along Hemlock) and single family detached homes (further into Manor Park). With schools and parkland nearby, it could be a great place for families. At the same time, its relative proximity to downtown might also make it attractive to young professionals.

I just wonder why we are looking at redeveloping the Rockcliffe airbase when there is so much development potential elsewhere.

There has been a redevelopment going on there for about 20+ years. It started on the Alvin heights side. There is now terrace homes and fancy expensive townhomes. It basically boils down to how quickly things sell. There are two blocks left to do east of St Laurent (surrounded by Mart, Blasdell and St Laurent). Those are next on the hit list.

[JM1]

Wow. I had no idea that the Manor Park Estates used to be so big. I have only known about those along Brittany and those on the NW corner of Hemlock and St Laurent. I had no idea there was much more to it.

There has been a redevelopment going on there for about 12 years. It started on the Alvin heights side. There is now terrace homes and fancy expensive townhomes. It basically boils down to how quickly things sell. There are two blocks left to do east of St Laurent (surrounded by Mart, Blasdell and St Laurent). Those are next on the hit list.

[kevinbottawa]

The Desjardins bank on Beechwood Ave has been purchased by Claridge and they are planning on building condos.

As far as I know Claridge hasn't done many midrises on a main street (175 Richmond is the only one that comes to mind and it's far from being built). Should be interesting.

[Rob64]

That will be a win. That building is ugly and totally not in keeping with the nature of the street. Of course, another eight story condo along the street may not be in line with the old two storey gabled houses along that stretch.

I will be interested to see how this develops.

Is the purchase absolutely confirmed?

Confirmed: http://www.lapresse.ca/le-droit/economie/201312/17/01-4722012-la-caisse-saint-charles-vendue-a-claridge-pour-42-millions-.php

[JM1]

Confirmed: http://www.lapresse.ca/le-droit/economie/201312/17/01-4722012-la-caisse-saint-charles-vendue-a-claridge-pour-42-millions-.php

I wonder if they bought the tea house on the corner as well?

[rocketphish]

City mulls streamlined development approval process

By David Reevely, OTTAWA CITIZEN December 22, 2013 5:20 PM

OTTAWA - A simpler way of saying yes or no to contentious development projects is catching on across Ontario, and Ottawa’s chief planning official in charge of reviewing them wants to take a look at it here.

Ontario has allowed "development permits" since 2007 as a complete alternative to the urban-planning system we have now. So far they’ve only been picked up by small towns, but it’s making urban planners buzz - and Toronto is on the verge of trying them out as an experiment.

The way urban planning works now, more or less, is that the city has a big land-use plan it updates once every five years. It has a zoning code that’s supposed to follow the land-use plan but put in a lot more details. And it has standards for site plans, which spell out things like where driveways can go and what direction a building’s ventilation fans point. If you want to build something, you have to meet all three sets of standards.

Or you can ask to have the standard amended in your favour. That is where the fighting happens, with the yelling in community-centre auditoriums and angry remonstrations to city council’s planning committee. That is where the city is so often criticized for not enforcing its own rules, agreeing constantly to changes in developers’ favour.

"The city is not entertaining amendments. The city is OBLIGATED to process applications for amendments," says Michael Mizzi, the city’s chief of development review, whom Ottawa hired away from Toronto early in 2013. Under the system Ottawa uses, spelled out in provincial law, rezonings are an integral part of urban planning and anybody is entitled to seek one. "The system we have now has the consultation and review in the middle or really at the end of the process. It pushes everything right to the end, and you have arguments about specific plans and the policies that allow them as a result."

Ottawa has been trying to push a lid down on these fights, investing heavily in things called "community design plans." They’re supposed to get out ahead of development pressures and involve residents, local merchants, and would-be developers in deciding the futures of neighbourhoods. A quick one takes about a year. When it’s done, it’s supposed to take a long view of where a neighbourhood is headed and, because of all the consultations that go into them - pushed to an earlier stage, the thinking goes - they’re supposed to represent a community consensus.

The problem: A community-design plan doesn’t solve everything. It can still be appealed or amended. Some are written more firmly than others. Some have built-in flexibility that leaves a lot of judgments up to the city’s planning department, such as one for Wellington Village that the city decided in December allows a nine-storey building on a lot residents thought could only have six. After five years or so, developers and their lawyers start arguing that they’re obsolete. They often argue that the zoning doesn’t match the plan - figuring out how land-use plans, zoning and site plans fit together, and where there’s a mismatch that might be exploited, is a small industry.

People who are just trying to get a grip on what’s happening down the block from their homes are easily stymied. Often neighbours argue against rezonings because they’re worried about things like where garbage will be stored, only to be told that that’s a site-plan question, not a zoning issue. Those get dealt with later, behind closed doors.

That’s where a development-permit system looks interesting. It wraps all the approvals into one application instead of three. One application, one set of rules, dealt with all at once.

It takes an enormous amount of work up front, far more than even a full community design plan needs. "You’ve got to know exactly what you’re looking for, almost on a lot-by-lot basis," Mizzi says. But if you do, you can spell it out in great detail, and then tell a developer pretty easily whether a proposal meets the standard. "If not, you can’t do it. You can’t do it. There is not an option to apply for a rezoning or a minor variance."

On the flip side, there’s also not an option for a neighbour to appeal an approval. If it meets the standards, it can be built, period.

The Ontario Association of Architects suggested development permits last fall as a possible solution to slow planning approvals in many cities and towns. Vice-president Toon Dreessen, who works in Ottawa, said having just one approval would avoid a lot of conflicts that can frustrate even projects nobody much objects to.

"It streamlines the process. It’s not about making it faster, it’s about making it clearer," he said. Currently, one proposal can be circulated to the same people and institutions for comments three times, once at each approval stage, and people are constantly checking each other’s work. Hydro Ottawa, for instance, might have different people signing off on the same plans and they won’t always agree on what’s OK. Something that was fine at the zoning stage becomes a problem in the site plan, and then fixing it means going back and changing the zoning to allow the fix.

"You go through the whole planning approval process and they do another zoning check, and then you have to argue about stuff," he said. "You get into, oh, gee, I have to change the site design, and it spirals, and you get this whole mess ... [A development permit system] puts all those circulation processes into one circulation."

For residents and community associations, it means one chance to comment on a project instead of two or three, but nobody will get scolded for bringing up a concern at the wrong stage in the process.

After a slow start in Ontario - a test in three Ontario municipalities starting in 2000 led only Lake of Bays, a township of 3,500 people in Muskoka, to stick with it - the development-permit idea is getting more traction. Near Ottawa, Carleton Place and Gananoque have adopted it; Mizzi points out it’s in use only in pretty small municipalities so far. Few big-city planners have practical experience with it.

But the big deal is that Toronto is interested: its chief planner, Jennifer Keesmaat, is a fan of the idea and its city council’s planning committee told her this month to report back in April with both a policy proposal and a plan to test-drive it in a downtown neighbourhood around King Street and Spadina Avenue.

Mizzi’s idea is that in Ottawa, we’d try it out in a well-established area that isn’t in the middle of a building boom. He shies away from naming one.

"I don’t think it’s something you want to pilot in an area undergoing great change," he says. "Possibly in a heritage conservation district ... somewhere where it’s a little more known what the built form is."

But even such a neighbourhood would have enough renovations and teardowns to tell us useful things about how development permits would work, Mizzi says.

He emphasizes that he isn’t championing a development-permit system. He’s saying it’s interesting enough to look at. With a major review of the city’s official land-use plan and policies just completed, something Ottawa does once every five years, the soonest anything could likely be in place is 2018, though Mizzi intends to bring it up after the city election next fall as a subject for his department to study.

dreevely@ottawacitizen.com

ottawacitizen.com/greaterottawa
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/ottawa/City+mulls+streamlined+development+approval+process/9316100/story.html

[bartlebooth]

Looks like a redevelopment of the Beer Store site on Bank in the Glebe (just north of Holmwood, beside Kettlemen's Bagels) is in the works. Definitely an underused block on Bank that could use some intensification.

http://canderel.com/node/851

[phil235]

Looks like a redevelopment of the Beer Store site on Bank in the Glebe (just north of Holmwood, beside Kettlemen's Bagels) is in the works. Definitely an underused block on Bank that could use some intensification.

http://canderel.com/node/851

Interesting. The word we got was that things had fallen through.

Glad to see that it's another developer, although Canderel would suggest something big. Hopefully they do something that fits the context (i.e. transitions from the Lord Lansdowne to neighbourhood scale).

In any event, that site is a 60s era mistake that is perfect for redevelopment.

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

Interesting. The word we got was that things had fallen through.

Glad to see that it's another developer, although Canderel would suggest something big. Hopefully they do something that fits the context (i.e. transitions from the Lord Lansdowne to neighbourhood scale).

In any event, that site is a 60s era mistake that is perfect for redevelopment.

Down the street a little , McKales Service Ctr.--852 Bank St at 5th Av. has had a for sale sign on it for a while. I wonder if there has been any interest in it yet, and what might go there?

[phil235]

Down the street a little , McKales Service Ctr.--852 Bank St at 5th Av. has had a for sale sign on it for a while. I wonder if there has been any interest in it yet, and what might go there?

That site has some constraints as it isn't huge, nor is it appropriate for something really tall. I think they are trying to package it with the lot behind it where the house burned down. Ideally it would be a small-scale mixed use building - maybe 4-5 stories stepped back from the street.

That said, you'd have enough space for reasonably big retail on the ground floor. The neighbourhood doesn't lack much on the retail front, but a destination store might work. Maybe something complementary to Lansdowne?

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

That site has some constraints as it isn't huge, nor is it appropriate for something really tall. I think they are trying to package it with the lot behind it where the house burned down. Ideally it would be a small-scale mixed use building - maybe 4-5 stories stepped back from the street.

That said, you'd have enough space for reasonably big retail on the ground floor. The neighbourhood doesn't lack much on the retail front, but a destination store might work. Maybe something complementary to Lansdowne?

What would the Glebe residents and business community think if a private investor would put up a four or five story parking structure on the site? Something to complement the City of Ottawa parking structure going up on 2nd avenue near Bank

[phil235]

What would the Glebe residents and business community think if a private investor would put up a four or five story parking structure on the site? Something to complement the City of Ottawa parking structure going up on 2nd avenue near Bank

I would not be so presumptuous as to purport to speak for Glebe residents generally ;), but my view is that it is a relatively important corner to waste on parking, and the City's studies say that there isn't a big demand for parking over and above the 2nd Ave garage. A garage there would probably only be busy when big events are on at Lansdowne.

I expect that the business community would be happy with that idea, as businesses always tend to be keen on extra parking. I don't think it would do much for the shopping strip though, no matter how much it is prettied up, but I wouldn't be keen on a parking structure there.

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

I would not be so presumptuous as to purport to speak for Glebe residents generally ;), but my view is that it is a relatively important corner to waste on parking, and the City's studies say that there isn't a big demand for parking over and above the 2nd Ave garage. A garage there would probably only be busy when big events are on at Lansdowne.

I expect that the business community would be happy with that idea, as businesses always tend to be keen on extra parking. I don't think it would do much for the shopping strip though, no matter how much it is prettied up, but I wouldn't be keen on a parking structure there.

Thanks for the input Phil.

I can see that this corner is important due to its location.

However, with the retail and office space coming on board at Lansdowne, plus the development of the Beer Store site, there may not be much demand/need for more such space in this area for many years to come.

If the business community should be keen on another parking garage , perhaps the GBA should arrange financing for one, with any future profits from operating the garage going to fund the GBA.

It is just an idea I had, without knowing if it could be financially viable.

[phil235]

Thanks for the input Phil.

I can see that this corner is important due to its location.

However, with the retail and office space coming on board at Lansdowne, plus the development of the Beer Store site, there may not be much demand/need for more such space in this area for many years to come.

If the business community should be keen on another parking garage , perhaps the GBA should arrange financing for one, with any future profits from operating the garage going to fund the GBA.

It is just an idea I had, without knowing if it could be financially viable.

I can't say much about the financial viability of a garage. I expect that would depend on occupancy rates, and there is much debate on whether or not it will be well-used at the moment. In fact, the GCA had a debate on whether to oppose the 2nd Ave garage as recently as November, based on the City staff report that says it exceeds current needs. Ultimately the BIA's position carried the day, but it wasn't unanimous.

In terms of the Beer Store site, I had heard that the original concept included significant underground parking, and would include public parking. Not sure if it will show up in the final plan, but my preference would be for any extra parking to be underground and on that site rather than the 5th Ave corner.

[Kitchissippi]

Found this rendering from the folks proposing the Junction (http://junctionottawa.com) on Facebook:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1482924_710671028945650_806439889_n.jpg

looks like an 8-plex to me. I'm not sure if I want public bike parking that close to my window

[Urbanarchit]

Found this rendering from the folks proposing the Junction (http://junctionottawa.com) on Facebook:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1482924_710671028945650_806439889_n.jpg

looks like an 8-plex to me. I'm not sure if I want public bike parking that close to my window

Taken from their website:

Award winning design meets unbeatable pricing in this first of its kind opportunity to own your dream home while getting a brand new car for free. Surface Developments is giving away 18 new cars with its innovative new urban townhome development, Junction, located just minutes from downtown and at the junction of Westboro, Little Italy and the Experimental Farm. Large 1 bedroom units start at $189,900 and every single home comes with a brand new car or the choice of $15,000 in free upgrades. Luxurious 2 and 3 bedroom units will also be available. This is a strictly limited time offer and available only to VIP registrants.

That's a really broad area, so... Hintonburg/Civic Hospital? Could this be going on on Ladouceur? It says occupancy Fall 2014.

I kind of like the design, especially the wood. It seems like it isn't too expensive, too, if some units will be $189,000.

[citydwlr]

...
However, with the retail and office space coming on board at Lansdowne, plus the development of the Beer Store site, ...



...In terms of the Beer Store site, I had heard that the original concept included significant underground parking, and would include public parking. Not sure if it will show up in the final plan, but my preference would be for any extra parking to be underground and on that site rather than the 5th Ave corner.

Did a quick google search and discovered that Canderel has both properties listed on their site (http://www.canderel.com/category/city/ottawa) for redevelopment, along with PDF fact sheets:

852 Bank Street (http://www.canderel.com/sites/default/files/852_bank_street_flyer_2013_09_13.pdf) (PDF) - retail development

890-900 Bank Street (http://www.canderel.com/sites/default/files/890-900_bank_street_flyer_2013_09_14.pdf) (PDF) - 5-story mixed use condo development

[gjhall]

Where am I supposed to get a used car now? ;)

I'm sure lrt's friend used to buy used cars in the area all the time before, but now can't find vast and free parking, so has not returned in 8 years. Perhaps he can give you a tip. :tup:

[phil235]

Did a quick google search and discovered that Canderel has both properties listed on their site (http://www.canderel.com/category/city/ottawa) for redevelopment, along with PDF fact sheets:

852 Bank Street (http://www.canderel.com/sites/default/files/852_bank_street_flyer_2013_09_13.pdf) (PDF) - retail development

890-900 Bank Street (http://www.canderel.com/sites/default/files/890-900_bank_street_flyer_2013_09_14.pdf) (PDF) - 5-story mixed use condo development

Thanks for the info. Five stories would be quite reasonable for the Beer Store site, if that is what ends up happening.

[lenderonabender]

Found this rendering from the folks proposing the Junction (http://junctionottawa.com) on Facebook:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1482924_710671028945650_806439889_n.jpg

looks like an 8-plex to me. I'm not sure if I want public bike parking that close to my window

believe they are "stacked townhomes", ie. condominiumized units. they are marketing 18 units.

the project is located acrosss from Westgate Shopping Centre (ie. Merivale/Carling) on Thames Street.

[gatt]

I'm doing the plastering at the mariott.we are on the 15th floor right now.

[citydwlr]

Thanks for the info. Five stories would be quite reasonable for the Beer Store site, if that is what ends up happening.

Actually, looking at the Canderel site (and PDFs) again, I'm not exactly sure where I came up with the 5-story part (neither the site or the PDF states 5-stories) ... So, that might have been my own wishful-thinking ;)

Regardless, it'll be interesting to see a Beer Store in the base of a condo. That said, LCBO opened recently in the Hideaway 2, I believe (first time one's been located in a Condo according to the Centretown News (http://www.centretownnews.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4231&Itemid=98)).

[citydwlr]

Another Ottawa Beer Store article...This one for the location at 515 Somerset Street (https://www.google.ca/maps/preview#!data=!1m4!1m3!1d3527!2d-75.701289!3d45.4134707!4m34!2m11!1m10!1s0x0%3A0xaaab0579b4ee631a!3m8!1m3!1d359537!2d-75.800257!3d45.2501565!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!5m21!1m20!1sBeer+Store+Ottawa+Somerset+Street!4m8!1m3!1d359537!2d-75.800257!3d45.2501565!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!10b1!17b1!26m3!1e12!1e13!1e3!27m3!1sBeer+Store!2sSomerset+St+W%2C+Ottawa%2C+ON!3s0x4cce044d77cf0f9b%3A0x3f506c5aae2c741b) across from Dundonald Park.

Ottawa Community News (http://www.ottawacommunitynews.com/news-story/4311043-centretown-beer-store-staying-in-one-storey-redevelopment/) is reporting that...the Beer Store on Somerset West will likely remain in its 1-story form. Though it will occupy some (if not all) of the current parking lot that is currently there now.


The developer, Starbank Developments, needs relief from some of the setback and landscaping requirements to reconstruct a one-storey building that will still contain the Beer Store, but will also expand westward into the underutilized parking lot in order to add two more stores.


Thomas McVeigh, president of the Centretown Citizens Community Association, thinks that location is not being used to its full potential, and should ideally be a mixed use residential building around 4-stories.


The association hasn't viewed the minor variance application or formed an opinion on it, but McVeigh said personally he'd rather see a larger building of around four storeys, which is what the zoning allows. Adding residences on top of the retail units would not only be desirable because they would look out onto one of the area's few urban green spaces, Dundonald Park, but it would also help put more "eyes on the street" to help reduce any perceptions of safety or crime issues in the area, McVeigh said.

[IntoTheCore]

Another Ottawa Beer Store article...

Charles Darwin posted a takedown of the proposed development:

http://www.westsideaction.com/more-height-please-mr-hume-and-more-density-too/

[Proof Sheet]

Thomas McVeigh, president of the Centretown Citizens Community Association, thinks that location is not being used to its full potential, and should ideally be a mixed use residential building around 4-stories.

If it is only a Minor Variance application that is required that has any public comment component, then the Committee of Adjustment can only review the application in light of the variances that are being requested and if they are 'minor' in nature and meet the general nature and intent of the OP and Zoning By-law. Without viewing the application in detail, it is highly likely that the application would be approved on that basis.

It is all fine and good to suggest that they build to a greater density etc, but when the application is only for a Minor Variance, I'm not sure what legal mandate the public, community association or anyone else can have to demand a mixed use/multi storey development.

The last time I checked, The Beer Store was not in the land development/real estate business..their mandate, whether you like it or not, is to sell beer to the public via their monopolistic delivery method.

[Radster]

Wellington West is getting their own LCBO, finally! No need to drive anymore, now I will be able to walk 3 blocks to get my booze, yay! It is going into the old carpet store space, where Somerset turns into Wellington Street West (corner of Garland St).

[gjhall]

If it is only a Minor Variance application that is required that has any public comment component, then the Committee of Adjustment can only review the application in light of the variances that are being requested and if they are 'minor' in nature and meet the general nature and intent of the OP and Zoning By-law. Without viewing the application in detail, it is highly likely that the application would be approved on that basis.

It is all fine and good to suggest that they build to a greater density etc, but when the application is only for a Minor Variance, I'm not sure what legal mandate the public, community association or anyone else can have to demand a mixed use/multi storey development.

The last time I checked, The Beer Store was not in the land development/real estate business..their mandate, whether you like it or not, is to sell beer to the public via their monopolistic delivery method.

Still, it's a lever, and if the community (and us for that matter) voice our objections to the application's variances, and the committee turns them down, they can either consult and redesign or fight at the OMB. Approval is not a foregone conclusion.

It probably will also need a site plan? If that's the case, it can indeed be delayed or rejected, like Darwin says. Where is Councillor Holmes on this?

[Ottawan]

If it is only a Minor Variance application that is required that has any public comment component, then the Committee of Adjustment can only review the application in light of the variances that are being requested and if they are 'minor' in nature and meet the general nature and intent of the OP and Zoning By-law. Without viewing the application in detail, it is highly likely that the application would be approved on that basis.

It is all fine and good to suggest that they build to a greater density etc, but when the application is only for a Minor Variance, I'm not sure what legal mandate the public, community association or anyone else can have to demand a mixed use/multi storey development.

The last time I checked, The Beer Store was not in the land development/real estate business..their mandate, whether you like it or not, is to sell beer to the public via their monopolistic delivery method.

I don't think Thom was suggesting there was any basis to "demand" a four story mixed-use building, just stating that such would be the appropriate use of the site. And he is right.

LCBO has started to move into podiums of mixed-use buildings (if I recall correctly, Central was actually the first such location in the province. Now the LCBO is a proponent of a tower on their site at King & Spadina in Toronto). If the LCBO can see the logic in leveraging real estate, why couldn't the Beer Store, which is a private (albeit monopolized) corporation?

BTW, congratulations to you Thom on the Centretown Presidency and good job on deciding to challenge Diane Holmes. I think you're the right man for the job.

[lenderonabender]

The last time I checked, The Beer Store was not in the land development/real estate business..their mandate, whether you like it or not, is to sell beer to the public via their monopolistic delivery method.

Agreed - if their project generally adheres to the Official Plan and Zoning By-Laws, who is anyone to tell them to increase the density and alter their designs, ugly or not? Is there even a precedent for rejecting a minor variance or site plan approval on this basis?

The Beer Store is simply a tenant in this case, but ultimately the property is owned by a developer (Starbank) who should be able to dictate what they build (again, provided their project adheres to guidelines).

I am just as passionate about design and architecture as the next forum reader, however, I find SSP can forget that their are other factors at play in real estate development (ie. expertise, risk factors, financial aspects).

[rocketphish]

Charles Darwin posted a takedown of the proposed development:

http://www.westsideaction.com/more-height-please-mr-hume-and-more-density-too/

The evolution of the Beer Store, so to speak ;-)

[kwoldtimer]

I don't think Thom was suggesting there was any basis to "demand" a four story mixed-use building, just stating that such would be the appropriate use of the site. And he is right.

LCBO has started to move into podiums of mixed-use buildings (if I recall correctly, Central was actually the first such location in the province. Now the LCBO is a proponent of a tower on their site at King & Spadina in Toronto). If the LCBO can see the logic in leveraging real estate, why couldn't the Beer Store, which is a private (albeit monopolized) corporation?

BTW, congratulations to you Thom on the Centretown Presidency and good job on deciding to challenge Diane Holmes. I think you're the right man for the job.

Hope they do a better job with others than they did with the LCBO in the Central apartment. I was in it last week and thought it was crappy.

[McC]

Hope they do a better job with others than they did with the LCBO in the Central apartment. I was in it last week and thought it was crappy.

Ha, there's no accounting for taste! I've actually been quite pleased with that LCBO on my 2 or 3 visits (found some nice <$20 French wines in Vintages); especially compared to the pitiful (but convenient) 240 Sparks outlet that it replaces.

[gjhall]

Hope they do a better job with others than they did with the LCBO in the Central apartment. I was in it last week and thought it was crappy.

Agree with McC, I haven't been yet, but friends who live nearby rave about it.

[teej1984]

I was in Toronto this weekend doing some research on high-rise buildings and stumbled on the Burano (Bay/Grosvenor)... oh my god, what a podium/lobby! Check it out: http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2012/11/how-create-fresco-sandro-martini-talks-about-his-monumental-work-burano-condominiums

Oh how I would love to see something like that here :(

[phil235]

Agree with McC, I haven't been yet, but friends who live nearby rave about it.

The beer selection isn't great, but it's wine you are after, I think it's a good store.

[waterloowarrior]

99 Greenfield Ave staff report
http://app05.ottawa.ca/sirepub/agdocs.aspx?doctype=agenda&itemid=313083

[Urbanarchit]

I was in Toronto this weekend doing some research on high-rise buildings and stumbled on the Burano (Bay/Grosvenor)... oh my god, what a podium/lobby! Check it out: http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2012/11/how-create-fresco-sandro-martini-talks-about-his-monumental-work-burano-condominiums

Oh how I would love to see something like that here :(

I liked that building when I went down to visit last. I have a few more photos (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheldef/sets/72157634333028928) I took.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5445/9135739069_8d34bdf799_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheldef/9135739069/in/set-72157634333028928)
Burano (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheldef/9135739069/in/set-72157634333028928) by ShelDeF (http://www.flickr.com/sheldef) on Flickr

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5480/9136126707_88b206b0c8_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheldef/9136126707/in/set-72157634333028928)
Burano (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheldef/9136126707/in/set-72157634333028928) by ShelDeF (http://www.flickr.com/sheldef) on Flickr

[rocketphish]

Critics lament ‘bland, Soviet’ coverings

Could some creative hoardings spruce up parliamentary precinct during construction?

By Don Butler, OTTAWA CITIZEN January 23, 2014 7:01 PM

OTTAWA — Kay Stanley was walking on Parliament Hill just before Christmas when she spotted a large group of Chinese tourists snapping pictures of the Centre Block.

“I almost spoke up and pleaded with them to stay focused to the north,” Stanley, a member of the National Capital Commission’s board of directors, said this week. “Don’t turn to the south or in any other direction, because it wouldn’t be a very attractive picture.”

Parliament Hill and Wellington Street resemble a vast construction zone these days, as Public Works and Government Services Canada proceeds with an ambitious program to preserve and restore the Parliament Buildings and other prominent structures in the parliamentary precinct.

On the block of Wellington Street between Bank and O’Connor streets alone, work is underway at the National Press Building, the Sir John A. Macdonald Building and the Wellington Building, in some cases for years. On the Hill, rehabilitation work is proceeding at Parliament’s West Block.

As well, work began this month on a major renovation of the Bank of Canada headquarters at 234 Wellington St. and repairs to the National War Memorial.

The work is certainly necessary. But what dismays Stanley was what prominent Ottawa architect Barry Padolsky calls the “bland, Soviet” appearance of the wooden hoardings surrounding the structures.

While the hoardings are temporary, they’re with us for years, Padolsky pointed out. “We need to always pay attention to the quality of our public realm at all times.”

Stanley, who raised her concerns at this week’s public meeting of the NCC board of directors, said many people are impressed by the eye-catching “iceberg” enveloping the National Gallery of Canada’s Great Hall as part of its window replacement project.

The monumental art work by Greenlandic artist Inuk Silis Høegh has a surface area of more than 4,600 metres. It was part of the gallery’s summer exhibition of indigenous art, so there was no additional cost to deploy it as an eye-catching cover for the work in the Great Hall.

After admiring the gallery’s solution, Stanley said she “looked longingly at Wellington Street and thought, ‘Why can’t we do something other than green canvas or whatever to ensure that there’s a more attractive façade for all of this construction?’”

Experts say plenty of creative things are done in cities around the world. When buildings in London and Paris are renovated, Padolsky said, “You see some great artwork or great marketing ideas. We certainly deserve to do the same thing here.

“It’s an opportunity for public art, for doing something daring, because it’s temporary,” said Padolsky, whose firm designed hoardings adorned with prehistoric animals and giant bugs when it restored exterior stonework at the Canadian Museum of Nature in the 1990s.

Cost shouldn’t be a deterrent, he said. “The cost of temporary graphics is not significant at all. It’s lack of will, really.”

David Leinster, a Toronto landscape architect who serves on Ottawa’s urban design review panel, said he saw an “amazing” treatment of a hoarding around a historic building in Havana last year.

“The hoarding was designed to exactly align with a part of the building you couldn’t see,” he said. “When you stood back and looked at the building, you could see the whole thing, right down to the ground. It was a pretty creative way of dealing with an important public space.”

The NCC has standards for hoardings along Confederation Boulevard, which includes Wellington Street. The minimum standard calls for grey and green wood panelling cut to mimic the Gothic architecture of the Parliament Buildings.

Fred Gaspar, the NCC’s acting vice-president, said the commission works with Public Works and other proponents to encourage them to do as much as possible to make hoardings attractive, though “We always try to be mindful of the project realities” such as budgets and time frames.

As a result of concerns raised by Stanley and others, Gaspar said the NCC is reviewing its hoarding guidelines, last updated in 2005. “We’re going to be working with our partners to see what they can do to kick it up a notch,” he said.

NCC chair Russ Mills pointed out that the next big Public Works project is the $190-million makeover of the Government Conference Centre on Confederation Square into a temporary home for the Senate during the Centre Block renovations. “Perhaps that could be used as a model for how to do this,” he suggested.

In an email, Public Works said its primary focus when erecting hoardings “is to ensure a safe and secure environment for construction workers and the public.”

The use of printed tarpaulins to enclose scaffolding would have increased costs, it said. “A case-by-case analysis is always done on the choice of hoarding, with safety and security being the key considerations, and will be done on future construction sites.”

dbutler@ottawacitizen.com">dbutler@ottawacitizen.com

twitter.com/ButlerDon
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health/Critics+lament+bland+Soviet+coverings/9423089/story.html

[kevinbottawa]

In an email, Public Works said its primary focus when erecting hoardings “is to ensure a safe and secure environment for construction workers and the public.”

The use of printed tarpaulins to enclose scaffolding would have increased costs, it said. “A case-by-case analysis is always done on the choice of hoarding, with safety and security being the key considerations, and will be done on future construction sites.”

dbutler@ottawacitizen.com">dbutler@ottawacitizen.com

twitter.com/ButlerDon
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health/Critics+lament+bland+Soviet+coverings/9423089/story.html

Good old Public Works. No sense of vision, pride and excellence whatsoever.

[S-Man]

No sense of vision, pride and excellence whatsoever.


Sounds a lot like the NCC, only public works actually does work - of the hands-on, repairing stuff variety.

[Capital Shaun]

Sounds a lot like the NCC, only public works actually does work - of the hands-on, repairing stuff variety.

Work will get done... painfully slowly... but eventually, it'll get done.

But first PWGSC had to source the work to as many government friendly firms as possible. It takes time to rig contracts and to cover them up.

[rocketphish]

Developers seek millions in remediation grants

By Carys Mills, Ottawa Citizen January 29, 2014 5:01 PM

OTTAWA — Taxpayers are being asked to hand over millions of dollars to help companies build at the Rideau Centre and ByWard Market.

The grant applications, which go to the city’s finance committee next Tuesday, are for “brownfield” developments. By helping fund cleanups of these contaminated or deteriorated properties, the city says it ends up getting a boost in property taxes.

One of three applications is for Claridge Homes’ controversial hotel development on Dalhousie Street.

Claridge has applied for a grant that wouldn’t exceed about $1.85 million over a decade.

“The city gets so far ahead on these programs,” Claridge vice-president Neil Malhotra said. “They’re big wins, as far as I can tell, from a city property tax standpoint.”

The report going to committee states the money would be recovered within a year, since new annual tax growth from the glassy hotel would amount to more than $2 million.

Malhotra said the company anticipated some contamination on the site, and city grant money would deal with residue from petroleum-based products, asbestos and heavy metals. There was formerly a gas station there, he said.

“It’s sort of an accumulation of mid-sized problems and it adds up to a large number in the end,” Malhotra said. “But it’s the difference between making the project work and not work.”

The actual cleanup-associated costs eligible for the grant are $3.7 million, according to the report. But the city’s policy is to cap the grant, paid through tax rebates and exemption from some development charges, at half the cost.

A second grant application is from Cadillac Fairview, the owner of the Rideau Centre, which did not reply to requests for comment.

Cadillac Fairview is asking for a grant that wouldn’t exceed about $3.2 million over 10 years for dealing with environmental impacts as it expands the mall and parking, where there’s now a lot and the remains of the demolished Ogilvie Building.

The cost would be recovered within two years with new annual tax growth of more than $2.8 million, according to the city report.

Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, the type of emissions left from wood heating and aluminum smelters, were found at that site. So was petroleum residue, metals and volatile organic compounds, the report states.

The last grant application, for $445,776 or less over a decade, is for 199 Slater St.

Heavy metals and polynuclear hydrocarbons were found on the site, a parking lot being turned into a 22-storey boutique hotel and residential building. The report states taxes would cover the grant within a year.

cmills@ottawacitizen.com

twitter.com/CarysMills
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health/Developers+seek+millions+remediation+grants/9445668/story.html

[citydwlr]

From Old Ottawa South Community Association (http://www.oldottawasouth.ca/index.php/the-oscar/oscar-features/2703-td-ditches-old-ottawa-south-for-lansdowne) website:



TD Ditches Old Ottawa South for Lansdowne

http://www.oldottawasouth.ca/images/stories/photos/TD_Bank_TTA_5437.jpg

The TD Bank has bought into the Lansdowne project big time and will close its Old Ottawa South branch in the process.

“Changes to the Bank St. branch are likely to be very late this year or in 2015,” a TD manager of corporate and public affairs told the OSCAR. “When firm details are available we will inform our customers directly.”

Many bank clients were stunned by the news. “The very reason I moved from my credit union was because of the location and hours at this branch,” said Sandy Stone on her way out of the bank. “It's close to me and I really like the staff.”

Resident Doug Small put it this way: “I've had 42 1/2 years of neighbourhood banking and now it's been swallowed up by a corporate monolith.”

Bad for Business

All businesses in Old Ottawa South will be affected because of the change in foot traffic, says Sami Abikhalil, whose Modern Hair Styling has been near the bank for 30 years.

“This community supported that bank for 50 years and I'm surprised that no one in OOS is willing to show concern and try to stop them.”

Besides a TD Bank at Lansdowne, The Ottawa Citizen reported the bank paid a seven-figure sum for naming rights and partnership in the stadium, arena and concert venues. They are to be re-named “TD Place”. A huge bank logo will be featured on the back of the stadium, facing the Canal. The Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group put it this way: “TD will have significant branding throughout the complex.”

Where to Go?

The manager of the Quickie store, John Stencill, says he'll miss the branch “because that's where we get our coins.”

“A lot of my customers are not happy, but I understand the bank's perspective, they can't keep both branches.”

John can't imagine OOS TD clients going further downtown to use a Lansdowne branch. Nor does Sami Abikhalil see the locals going to Lansdowne. “We had a community bank, and Billings Bridge TD isn't that, but people are more likely to go to Billings for accessibility and free parking.”



The TD Bank location in question is here:
https://www.google.ca/maps/preview/@45.39276,-75.682417,3a,75y,254.84h,82.24t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sArv7L_EoBWVCaXQBH2PM_g!2e0

[Urbanarchit]

From Old Ottawa South Community Association (http://www.oldottawasouth.ca/index.php/the-oscar/oscar-features/2703-td-ditches-old-ottawa-south-for-lansdowne) website:



The TD Bank location in question is here:
https://www.google.ca/maps/preview/@45.39276,-75.682417,3a,75y,254.84h,82.24t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sArv7L_EoBWVCaXQBH2PM_g!2e0

I can understand the inconvenience. It's not that close to walk for many people, so they'll either be forced to walk a distance, drive or take the bus.

At the same time, this should open up more room for a store or restaurant to come onto this strip and bring something else to the area. Banks are "dead space" on main commercial strips, and are better being on side streets or above the street. I don't remember where I read this, but there was an actual explanation why banks aren't good to have there.

It makes me think about the waste of space the RBC on Wellington (https://www.google.ca/maps?ll=45.401719,-75.722966&spn=0.008181,0.005729&cbll=45.401714,-75.727065&layer=c&panoid=-WLLYGfmvSoT4YY4pR5M-g&cbp=12,285.54,,0,5.56&t=h&z=16) or TD Bank on Holland (https://www.google.ca/maps?ll=45.399753,-75.730911&spn=0.002045,0.001432&cbll=45.399713,-75.73206&layer=c&panoid=GaDjJok6fEQ1NwxxwHlN-Q&cbp=12,197.72,,0,0.28&t=h&z=18)

[citydwlr]

I can understand the inconvenience. It's not that close to walk for many people, so they'll either be forced to walk a distance, drive or take the bus.

At the same time, this should open up more room for a store or restaurant to come onto this strip and bring something else to the area. Banks are "dead space" on main commercial strips, and are better being on side streets or above the street. I don't remember where I read this, but there was an actual explanation why banks aren't good to have there.

It makes me think about the waste of space the RBC on Wellington (https://www.google.ca/maps?ll=45.401719,-75.722966&spn=0.008181,0.005729&cbll=45.401714,-75.727065&layer=c&panoid=-WLLYGfmvSoT4YY4pR5M-g&cbp=12,285.54,,0,5.56&t=h&z=16) or TD Bank on Holland (https://www.google.ca/maps?ll=45.399753,-75.730911&spn=0.002045,0.001432&cbll=45.399713,-75.73206&layer=c&panoid=GaDjJok6fEQ1NwxxwHlN-Q&cbp=12,197.72,,0,0.28&t=h&z=18)

Agreed. If that was my local bank, I'd likely side with these people as well. It is a shame, but like that one individual said, I understand why the bank is closing - you really can't have two banks that close in proximity. It's still a bit of a hike though, especially in cold winters.

A restaurant could be good there, as you mentioned (I wonder if Bekta is eyeing this joint? Gezillig #2, maybe? ;) )

* On a side note, I drove by this area a couple of weeks ago and I think the futon store next to it may have been empty...

[Urbanarchit]

Agreed. If that was my local bank, I'd likely side with these people as well. It is a shame, but like that one individual said, I understand why the bank is closing - you really can't have two banks that close in proximity. It's still a bit of a hike though, especially in cold winters.

A restaurant could be good there, as you mentioned (I wonder if Bekta is eyeing this joint? Gezillig #2, maybe? ;) )

* On a side note, I drove by this area a couple of weeks ago and I think the futon store next to it may have been empty...

Speaking of banks, is there a TD on Bank Street at all? I know there's a ScotiaBank on Gloucester, but are there any others?

Haha, I'd hope for something more gastronomic like Atelier (I haven't heard positive things about Bekta's food).

Uh-oh! I hope that doesn't mean that Old Ottawa South isn't doing so well for itself. Just looking at this area on Google maps makes me want to explore it a bit.

[phil235]

Speaking of banks, is there a TD on Bank Street at all? I know there's a ScotiaBank on Gloucester, but are there any others?

Haha, I'd hope for something more gastronomic like Atelier (I haven't heard positive things about Bekta's food).

Uh-oh! I hope that doesn't mean that Old Ottawa South isn't doing so well for itself. Just looking at this area on Google maps makes me want to explore it a bit.

I understand the concern, losing a neighbourhood bank in the heart of the neighbourhood, but this isn't exactly a tragedy. The new branch will be what, seven blocks away?

OOS is a bit of an odd retail strip. It never seemed to have all of the essentials like the Glebe, and lots of the stores that do come don't seem to last very long. In particular, that building that had the video store being boarded up for five years has left a huge hole in the shopping strip.

At least Lansdowne should be a boon for the restaurants and businesses at the north end of the strip.

I just wish that TD would do something with their Pretoria Branch. It's in such a prime location, and they are content to go with a suburban strip mall bank.

[S-Man]

Resident Doug Small put it this way: “I've had 42 1/2 years of neighbourhood banking and now it's been swallowed up by a corporate monolith.”

Hmm. When his TD Bank was close by, it was a quiet neighbourhood institution.

Now that it's several more blocks away at (gasp!) Lansdowne, his money is now going into a corporate monolith.

Why do so many people think like this? My CIBC branch is tiny, but I'm under no delusion that it isn't anything other than a corporate giant that makes huge profits off of giving me shitty service and high fees.

Must be my reality-tinted glasses.

[Harley613]

Barrier's have gone up around the Murray/Cumberland montrosity! I can't remember what the plan is here, do we know?

http://i.imgur.com/Sy4XP9p.jpg

[Capital Shaun]

Barrier's have gone up around the Murray/Cumberland montrosity! I can't remember what the plan is here, do we know?

I believe the barriers are there for safety reason because the building has been deemed structurally unsound and is prone to a possible collapse.

[S-Man]

This is true. The barriers have been up for months.

[teej1984]

That building could totally be repurposed into a great small condo space... dunno what this landlord's problem is... he could probably even add a few more floors to make it better!

[Capital Shaun]

That building could totally be repurposed into a great small condo space... dunno what this landlord's problem is... he could probably even add a few more floors to make it better!

There's a story behind this property and others like it. The landlord (Claude Lauzon Group in this case) just sits on the property for years hoping to sell them at a huge profit later down the road. They don't even bother renting them out to recover carrying costs either.

[S-Man]

I would hazard a guess that this building's days as an easy convert to condo living are long behind it.
Maybe in the 90s, but not after so many years spent open to the elements.

[J.OT13]

In the City's infinite wisdom, they've approved the demolition as long as 2 walls are saved and incorporated into a new development. They're looking at the same idea for the building that suffered a fire last September in Stittsville.

[citizen j]

In the City's infinite wisdom, they've approved the demolition as long as 2 walls are saved and incorporated into a new development. They're looking at the same idea for the building that suffered a fire last September in Stittsville.

Did they specify which two walls?

[J.OT13]

Must have been south and west walls, but I can't say for sure. I heard that about 2 months ago.

[Marcus CLS]

There's a story behind this property and others like it. The landlord (Claude Lauzon Group in this case) just sits on the property for years hoping to sell them at a huge profit later down the road. They don't even bother renting them out to recover carrying costs either.

Not knowing the history behind this property, I remember seeing this property 5 or more years ago on a walking stroll and I thought being on the edge of the By-Ward market it could be renovated for a new night club with the architecture intact. Call me Crazy but I was thinking, Dan Akroyde's House of Blues franchise.

So much for my visionary thinking when you are just Joe Blow on the street. Now that it is beyond saving what a shame!

[Urbanarchit]

I was walking by taking pictures of stuff, and noticed this lot on Cambridge across from the Falunggong meeting place thing (https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=ottawa+somerset&ll=45.410638,-75.702281&spn=0.008119,0.01929&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&channel=fflb&fb=1&gl=ca&hq=somerset&hnear=Ottawa,+Ottawa+Division,+Ontario&t=h&fll=45.414419,-75.699019&fspn=0.008119,0.027466&z=16&layer=c&cbll=45.410674,-75.706409&panoid=HXdyPvkq-POIfpyTSbN18A&cbp=12,227.26,,0,-3.87) was up for sale (by John Phan for Remax). They would never put a high-rise here, would they?

[Capital Shaun]

I was walking by taking pictures of stuff, and noticed this lot on Cambridge across from the Falunggong meeting place thing (https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=ottawa+somerset&ll=45.410638,-75.702281&spn=0.008119,0.01929&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&channel=fflb&fb=1&gl=ca&hq=somerset&hnear=Ottawa,+Ottawa+Division,+Ontario&t=h&fll=45.414419,-75.699019&fspn=0.008119,0.027466&z=16&layer=c&cbll=45.410674,-75.706409&panoid=HXdyPvkq-POIfpyTSbN18A&cbp=12,227.26,,0,-3.87) was up for sale (by John Phan for Remax). They would never put a high-rise here, would they?

Depends how you define high rise. I can see a devellopper wanting to build a 10-12 storey building. There's already some nearby on Bronson, Arthur and Empress.

[OTSkyline]

Heard from some sources that "The National", the large hotel complex that just closed down in DT should be renovating and changing.

It will apparently become a Hilton or Starwood-brand Hotel.

[citydwlr]

Heard from some sources that "The National", the large hotel complex that just closed down in DT should be renovating and changing.

It will apparently become a Hilton or Starwood-brand Hotel.

That'd be good! We could use one of those chains in Ottawa (not including the Garden Inn or four-points). Even though I haven't heard anything regarding exterior changes, I hope there will be some in an effort to modernize the exterior a bit, so it has some "curb appeal".

[citydwlr]

Does anyone have any info on the closing of the Bank Street Roots store? I was just informed it is no longer in business. Has it left Bank Street for good? Is it moving to a larger space at Lansdowne? What's going in it's place?

[McC]

That'd be good! We could use one of those chains in Ottawa... There already are two hotels from the Starwood chain in Ottawa, a Westin and Sheraton. Not that that excludes another one from the chain, but it would be "another one", not "one".

(you defined out the Four Points and Hilton in Hull by saying "Ottawa", but I think that the should region still get partial credit for them)

[citydwlr]

There already are two hotels from the Starwood chain in Ottawa, a Westin and Sheraton. Not that that excludes another one from the chain, but it would be "another one", not "one".

(you defined out the Four Points and Hilton in Hull by saying "Ottawa", but I think that the should region still get partial credit for them)

Good call! That's very true. Actually, I completely forgot about the Sheraton on Albert :S Not sure how the Westin didn't come to mind either as being a Starwood hotel...Figured they wouldn't open another (or a W for that matter) in the Ottawa region, I guess; unless they open one of their "element" hotels. Aloft is another solid choice, I think. I've mentioned them in the "Architecture for Ottawa" thread before, and I generally like their current offerings.

I don't venture over to Hull as often as I should, though I do know of the Hilton Lac Leamy. I can't remember there being a Hilton (apart from a Garden Inn) located on the Ontario side of the Ottawa region in recent years. So, it would be nice to get one.

Regardless, I'm looking forward to seeing what moves in.

[Urbanarchit]

I don't know what this is called and I don't think we even have a thread for these, but below is the progress on the homes on Booth, by Somerset. They went up quickly! I could see them being built from the Civic Hospital (they had green... wrapping? on them, so they stuck out like a sore thumb from a distance).

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7306/12314857035_a27dd19bf0_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheldef/12314857035/)
Booth Street infill (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheldef/12314857035/) by Shel DeF (http://www.flickr.com/sheldef) on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7405/12315002253_9de0fd5fb4_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheldef/12315002253/)
Booth Street infill (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheldef/12315002253/) by Shel DeF (http://www.flickr.com/sheldef) on Flickr

[Luker]

Pretty interesting....

PHOTOS: What Snow Tells Us About Creating Better Public Spaces

http://www.thisoldcity.com/advocacy/photos-what-snow-tells-us-about-creating-better-public-spaces-e-passyunk-avenue#.UvLtSrTPW9S

[rocketphish]

Aga Khan Foundation applies to rent out part of former war museum as office space

By Michael Woods, OTTAWA CITIZEN February 10, 2014 6:02 PM

OTTAWA — The Aga Khan Foundation has officially applied for permission to rent out office space in the former Canadian War Museum on Sussex Drive, where it’s planning to house its Global Centre for Pluralism.

The building at 330 Sussex Drive has been vacant since the war museum moved its exhibits to LeBreton Flats in 2005. The plan is for the Aga Khan Foundation — whose national headquarters are down the street — to open a not-for-profit international research and education centre in the building.

The centre is expected to expand over time, but “will not need the full space of the building in the short and medium terms,” said the application prepared by Lloyd Phillips & Associates, a planning consulting firm.

The application to the city asks that the property be rezoned to permit office space as an additional use for the building. The former museum is currently zoned for cultural uses, but not for commercial office space.

The request is to have “additional and compatible tenants” rather than have part of the building sit empty.

The address, 330 Sussex Dr., is designated as a federal heritage building and is located along what the National Capital Commission calls “Confederation Boulevard,” a set of streets with ceremonial importance because of all the national institutions they connect.

Coun. Mathieu Fleury said the proposal contains everything that was presented to him when a lobbyist for the foundation met with him in October. He said the plans got a pretty good reception when presented to the Lowertown Community Association.

Fleury said while there’s no certainty about who the tenant would be, the foundation has “reassured us that they’re looking for a partner that complements what they do.”

“They won’t rent to just anybody,” he said. “They want to bring in a partner that fulfils their mandate and their goals.”

The Aga Khan is the spiritual leader of the world’s 15 million Shia Ismaili Muslims. He is a frequent visitor to Canada, having come in 2008 and 2010, when he was granted honorary Canadian citizenship. Last week, Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s office announced that he will visit Canada again later this month.

mwoods@ottawacitizen.com

twitter.com/michaelrwoods
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/ottawa/Khan+Foundation+applies+rent+part+former+museum+office+space/9491371/story.html

[mac_junkie1]

I'm starting to wonder WHO or WHAT inspects these buildings.... For the past 2 years, this city, in their infinite stupidity has made a HUGE fuss about this building, deeming it unsafe and said IT WILL COLLAPSE.... WELL, here we are 2 years later, and not so much as 1 brick has fallen off the place. I'm starting to wonder. Claude Lauzon is a troll who needs to be HEAVILY fined for what he does, and Ottawa should take shame on how its treated this issue. They've known this troll has owned the place since what, 1974, and it has just been "abandoned" since then... Shame on you City of Ottawa, and out absolutely useless council and to an extent mayor. He makes this big fuss about doing something about derelict buildings, yet this one is still as its sits for the past 40 years. AMAZING. Only in Ottawa. Ya, its up the street from a mission, but still, REVAMP IT. If they were SOOOO worried about this building collapsing for all this time, the city or whoever would've had the 2 "walls" braced up (like the condo far far far down on Sparks that saved a house front), and the rest of the building and the attached town homes (school attached to houses, dumb) would've been demo'ed... The city makes big deals for nothing. Poor ol building. Just like the old Theater on Sparks that is "also unsafe".... Please.... Its sat vacant for years and nothing has changed on it. If efforts from people mattered, shit would get done in this city, but were a city with NO PRIDE in its past (look at the state of west block), a city who's at the mercy of the useless NCC who have NO BUSINESS in buildings... They are also trolls who, at the end of the day ONLY care about MONEY!! It sure shows they don't have any, as they're moving away from the core because they can't afford their own building.... GO AWAY NCC... Turn over ALL BUILDINGS of heritage nature to Ottawa (CITY) and have our council go away and replaced with intelligent people and not money hogs. This doesn't apply to Mathieu Fleury though. For someone his age, he has A LOT on his plate and seems to be orchestrating things in a pretty decent fashion while attempting to keep peace as well. Oh well... Its a shame we loose so much and only get "something" in return most of the time. We need more "compromising", but its not likely to happen.

Barrier's have gone up around the Murray/Cumberland montrosity! I can't remember what the plan is here, do we know?

http://i.imgur.com/Sy4XP9p.jpg

[J.OT13]

It's amazing how straight and solid that building looks. If I had to pick a building that might be "unsafe", this one's my number one candidate. Still occupied no less;

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2839/9338099001_d6e8f6bd8a.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/drummondwilson/9338099001/

Haven't heard a thing about this one, but it sure seems like a historic building going to shit!

[OTSkyline]

^ That corner of Rideau & Dalhousie would be the perfect spot for a tall architecturally-inspiring glass condo tower...

Is the Zesty market and Subway restaurant next to it "heritage" by any chance? :uhh:

[citydwlr]

332 Richmond Road (where the Carbon Computing was -- beside The Savoy) is going to be a Kardish Health Food Store:



http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0286/0214/files/westboro_front_view-no_sign_grande.JPG?4464

Get ready....get set...Westboro here we come!

We have some very exciting expansion news!

Spring 2014 will see the launch of our eighth Ottawa location in the community of Westboro! Arriving at 332 Richmond Rd., (between Savoy Brasserie and The Works near Lululemon) the newest member of the Kardish family will offer this growing community more of what they know and love about Kardish Health Food Centre.
...

Source (http://kardish.com/blogs/news/12082629-get-ready-get-set-westboro-here-we-come)

[J.OT13]

^ That corner of Rideau & Dalhousie would be the perfect spot for a tall architecturally-inspiring glass condo tower...

Is the Zesty market and Subway restaurant next to it "heritage" by any chance? :uhh:

There's a map showing every building and their heritage status. Unfortunately, I can't find it. That said, I believe the Zesty Market was built in the mid-1800s therefore has a high heritage status (category 3 or 4). The Subway however, I doubt has any heritage designation.

[Capital Shaun]

It's amazing how straight and solid that building looks. If I had to pick a building that might be "unsafe", this one's my number one candidate. Still occupied no less;

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2839/9338099001_d6e8f6bd8a.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/drummondwilson/9338099001/

Haven't heard a thing about this one, but it sure seems like a historic building going to shit!

That roof has been needing a redo for years. The owner/landlord is probably being cheap and waiting for it to actually leak before replacing it. It's not like redoing a plain peak roof is expensive either.

[lrt's friend]

That roof has been needing a redo for years. The owner/landlord is probably being cheap and waiting for it to actually leak before replacing it. It's not like redoing a plain peak roof is expensive either.

That looks like a rare Bytown era building that should be fixed up and preserved.

[OTSkyline]

Why is everything old "heritage" or needs to be "preserved"? For some historic buildings that have some special history and amazing architecture (like the Parliament, Chateau Laurier, Union Station, some in the ByWard Market, etc... I totally understand) but what is special about this one?

-No amazing history behind it that I know of
-Definitely not aesthetically pleasing
-Looks no different than any other old house that was in Ottawa or "centretown"...

If that is the case, should we just ban ANYTHING "old" from being demolished? I will come to the point that if someone in the Glebe wants to demolish their fence they will get the following response:
"No, I'm sorry Ma'am, but see, this fence is old and is a heritage fence, we need to keep it". :koko:

Or maybe "heritage" is the new "hip" or "in" thing... Kind of like saying something is "vintage"? :uhh:

[Fraser]

That roof has been needing a redo for years. The owner/landlord is probably being cheap and waiting for it to actually leak before replacing it. It's not like redoing a plain peak roof is expensive either.

It was actually done earlier this winter. The storefront on the left was also re-done.

[Harley613]

The beer selection isn't great, but it's wine you are after, I think it's a good store.

Ironically, they say wine sales have been struggling. They are selling far more beer than an average LCBO. (I work in the wine industry)

[bikegypsy]

Ironically, they say wine sales have been struggling. They are selling far more beer than an average LCBO. (I work in the wine industry)

I also work in the wine industry. There was a slow trend for the past few years in the auction sales of top quality wines such as Romanée-Conti, but the slump is stabilizing. THe average North American, traditionally not a wine drinker and mostly far from being a wine buff, is certainly gaining his or her experience. The selection which is on offer in all the larger canadian markets is 10 times what it was 20 years ago.

[gjhall]

I'm starting to wonder WHO or WHAT inspects these buildings.... For the past 2 years, this city, in their infinite stupidity has made a HUGE fuss about this building, deeming it unsafe and said IT WILL COLLAPSE.... WELL, here we are 2 years later, and not so much as 1 brick has fallen off the place. I'm starting to wonder. Claude Lauzon is a troll who needs to be HEAVILY fined for what he does, and Ottawa should take shame on how its treated this issue. They've known this troll has owned the place since what, 1974, and it has just been "abandoned" since then... Shame on you City of Ottawa, and out absolutely useless council and to an extent mayor. He makes this big fuss about doing something about derelict buildings, yet this one is still as its sits for the past 40 years. AMAZING. Only in Ottawa. Ya, its up the street from a mission, but still, REVAMP IT. If they were SOOOO worried about this building collapsing for all this time, the city or whoever would've had the 2 "walls" braced up (like the condo far far far down on Sparks that saved a house front), and the rest of the building and the attached town homes (school attached to houses, dumb) would've been demo'ed... The city makes big deals for nothing. Poor ol building. Just like the old Theater on Sparks that is "also unsafe".... Please.... Its sat vacant for years and nothing has changed on it. If efforts from people mattered, shit would get done in this city, but were a city with NO PRIDE in its past (look at the state of west block), a city who's at the mercy of the useless NCC who have NO BUSINESS in buildings... They are also trolls who, at the end of the day ONLY care about MONEY!! It sure shows they don't have any, as they're moving away from the core because they can't afford their own building.... GO AWAY NCC... Turn over ALL BUILDINGS of heritage nature to Ottawa (CITY) and have our council go away and replaced with intelligent people and not money hogs. This doesn't apply to Mathieu Fleury though. For someone his age, he has A LOT on his plate and seems to be orchestrating things in a pretty decent fashion while attempting to keep peace as well. Oh well... Its a shame we loose so much and only get "something" in return most of the time. We need more "compromising", but its not likely to happen.

Folks, this wasn't one-off fly by night decision ... it went through court and there is a legal agreement from a settlement between Lauzon and the City. Reevely covered this back in September:

Lowertown schoolhouse has to be torn down, city’s experts say

September 25, 2013. 9:34 pm

Most of the notorious Lowertown schoolhouse that’s pitted the city against an obstinate landlord has to be torn down, city experts say.

The former Our Lady schoolhouse dates from 1904. It and an adjacent row of houses have been deteriorating for years under the ownership of Claude Lauzon, a prominent Lowertown landowner who’s let it go while pursuing various half-hearted redevelopment plans. Last winter, the city declared it a public safety hazard and ordered him to fix it up. Lauzon brandished an engineer’s report saying nobody could safely enter it and argued it could only be demolished. The two sides ended up in court.

There now seems to be a compromise. Next week, the city’s committee on historic buildings is to vote on a plan to allow most of the buildings to be demolished, as long as the owner carefully documents the building first and preserves the south and west walls of the schoolhouse. A report explaining the recommendation says two separate structural engineering examinations have conclude the rowhouses are completely beyond repair.

The buildings themselves aren’t formally designated as heritage structures, even though they’re old by Ottawa standards. But they’re in a “heritage district,” which means they can’t be torn down without the city’s permission because they’re part of the overall fabric of a historic area.

“Two experts in heritage engineering have examined the properties and concluded that because of the cumulative effects of years of neglect, this is the only option for the buildings,” says a report from the city’s planning department. “The department also supports the proposed application because a replacement building on the site will ensure that future development will respect the cultural heritage value of the heritage conservation district.”

There isn’t a specific plan for that new building — that’s why the detailed photos and blueprints, documenting exactly how the structures are before demolition, are so important. Typically an “adaptive reuse” of an existing building preserves its most important features, but in this case an eventual redevelopment would mean replicating them.

“The recommendations of this report are associated with the settlement of a number of legal actions between the owner of the buildings and the City,” the report goes on.

The owner (the report doesn’t specifically name Lauzon, though he’s the only one known to be in a legal fight over the buildings) would also have to pay for braces to keep the remaining walls standing. The city would waive the usual $47,000 fee it would charge for the space the braces will take up on the sidewalks.

The south and west walls of the old school are the most visible, at least. The property is across from St. Brigid’s Centre for the Arts, a former Roman Catholic church that was once associated with the school, both of which served Lowertown’s English-speaking Catholics. When the Catholic Church closed it in 2007, it was put to new use in short order by investors who turned it into a cultural centre.

The built-heritage committee is to debate the proposal Sept. 30.

The fight with Lauzon led to a crackdown on derelict buildings, which culminated in new rules for maintaining them — especially heritage buildings that are sitting empty — that city council passed just on Wednesday."

http://blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2013/09/25/lowertown-schoolhouse-has-to-be-torn-down-citys-experts-say/