[J.OT13]

UDRP report from September:

1209 ST. LAURENT BOULEVARD AND 1200 LEMIEUX STREET | Formal Review | Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Control Application | 1209 St. Laurent Limited Partnership; Canderel; Fengate Asset Management; rla / architecture; Fotenn Planning + Design

Summary

• The Panel recognizes the importance of the site and its potential to be a precedent-setting and is cognizant of the challenges, including access, due to the site being on a transportation island.
• The Panel appreciates the improvements made to the project, including the expansion of the pedestrian network and completion of the sidewalks.
• The Panel believes the elegant design will transform the corner, as this area has high pedestrian movement given its proximity to St. Laurent Shopping Mall.
• The Panel supports the site's overall composition and the towers' disposition. However, the Panel questions whether the podium should wrap around the highway portion and believes improvements could be made to allow more sunlight to enter the courtyard and open up the sky views.

Massing and Articulation

• Given the precedent-setting nature of the project, the Panel believes the façade facing St; Laurent Boulevard should be studied further as the towers are very similar in expression. The Panel also believes the podium is one floor too tall.
• The Panel is concerned that the height of the podium facing south casts shadows onto the courtyard. Further analysis of the space is needed and the proponent should consider reducing the podium height to provide more natural light into the courtyard.
• Consideration should be given to the views of the towers from the highway. The Panel recommends providing more separation distance between the towers to increase the step back on St. Laurent to improve the public realm. The proponent should also consider moving the east tower further east, to take advantage of the curved roadway.
• The proponent should consider a different tower-podium expression on St. Laurent Boulevard to strengthen its relationship with the surrounding context; for example, the podium could have a similar expression to the building across from Lemieux Street.
• The Panel believes the proponent should study how the podium's base meets the ground on St. Laurent Boulevard, as it has an unnatural appearance. There was a suggestion to introduce exposed columns, ground floor programming and amenities at the base of the tower to address the site's dynamism and to improve the tower's relationship to with the street.
• The proponent should consider tapering down the eastmost tower to differentiate the massing and to have the tallest tower on St. Laurent.
• The project floor plates should be no more than 750 square metres.
• The proponent should consider introducing at-grade units.

Site's Circulation

• The Panel recommends the proponent emphasize the pedestrian strategy and minimize vehicular movement by relocating the drop-off area below grade, tucking the ramp under Tower B and providing additional amenity areas for residents, making the courtyard more pedestrian friendly.
• The Panel appreciates the lobby at the upper level and the step down to St. Laurent Boulevard and notes there is an opportunity to create a strong sense of arrival at the intersection. The proponent should consider integrating Labelle Street and creating a feature at the crosswalk on St. Laurent Boulevard.

Materiality

• The deep cuts in the fabric of the white podium are appreciated, but the Panel is concerned that some of the details might be lost during the construction stage, resulting in the façade appearing less dynamic. The proponent should consider using warm materials as they might be more forgiving. The Panel considers that a combination of warm tones in the podium with a lighter colour in the tower might be more appropriate as surrounding buildings are red and orange brick.
• The Panel appreciates the light precast material but cautions that a dark precast panel might not be appropriate in a climate with long grey winters.

https://ottawa.ca/en/planning-develo...1-c874d7b56f56