1300 McWatters Rd | 79m | 25f | U/C

[rocketphish]

Homestead Land Holdings Ltd. is proposing to construct a high-rise residential tower along the northwest corner of the property at 1300 McWatters Road, that is 25 storeys tall on a three-storey podium along the north face transitioning to a two-storey podium along the south face of the development. The 25th floor is strictly attributed to indoor and outdoor amenity spaces, as well as mechanical services. A total of 235 residential units are proposed with 289 parking spaces accessed from the improved vehicular entrance along Lisa Avenue that currently serves as a secondary vehicular access.

The proposal provides for the redevelopment of the existing recreational facility with new recreational facilities proposed to be enclosed within the first two levels of the building with direct outdoor access from the existing internal road. The proposal also provides for the extension of the existing internal road in a north-south direction, strengthening the connection between vehicular access along Lisa Avenue, McWatters Road and throughout the site.

Architect: rla architecture


Development application:
https://devapps.ottawa.ca/en/applica...1-0070/details


Location:




Siteplan:




Renderings:

[Marshsparrow]

Well if anymore of these generic 2020 inspired buildings need to go anywhere, next to 1980s blah is just as good as any...

[J.OT13]

Generic, but not a carbon copy of RLA "classics". Again with more parking then units though.

[McKellarDweller]

They really *really* need to flip that common roof terrace to the north side of the building.
Downtown views to the east, and a scenic view of the bay / river to the northwest.
(had a friend with a NE/NW/W corner unit in that old high rise next door with said views)

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Again with more parking then units though.

With 235 residential units, 260 underground parking spaces (in 2 levels) and 29 surface parking spaces, that is a ratio of 1.23. I know that seems high, but the thing is, even though it will be technically close to Pinecrest Station (about 800m), it is a pretty nasty walk along a 4 lane highway, so I expect most tenants will have at least one car. I expect the surface parking is for visitors.

According to Schedule 1A of Ottawa's Parking, Queuing and Loading Provisions, it is on the outer edge of Area B: Outer Urban/Inner Suburban (aka Inner City Area), which can have between 0.5 and 1.75 spaces per dwelling unit (combined total of resident and visitor parking) for a mid-high rise apartment, according to tables 101 and 103, so it could certainly be worse.

Given that most (about 90%) of the parking will be underground, I really don't have a problem with this.

[GeoNerd]

Originally Posted by McKellarDweller

They really *really* need to flip that common roof terrace to the north side of the building.
Downtown views to the east, and a scenic view of the bay / river to the northwest.
(had a friend with a NE/NW/W corner unit in that old high rise next door with said views)

They also need to get rid of one of the wings completely. The floor plate is absolutely massive. Probably well over 10,000 ft2.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by roger1818

With 235 residential units, 260 underground parking spaces (in 2 levels) and 29 surface parking spaces, that is a ratio of 1.23. I know that seems high, but the thing is, even though it will be technically close to Pinecrest Station (about 800m), it is a pretty nasty walk along a 4 lane highway, so I expect most tenants will have at least one car. I expect the surface parking is for visitors.

But it's also right on the proposed Baseline BRT-Lite (though I have my doubts it will ever be built at this point).

Originally Posted by GeoNerd

They also need to get rid of one of the wings completely. The floor plate is absolutely massive. Probably well over 10,000 ft2.

Reminds me of a cheaper version of the Bowery (also designed by RLA).

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by GeoNerd

They also need to get rid of one of the wings completely. The floor plate is absolutely massive. Probably well over 10,000 ft2.

I don't understand. Are they violating some sort of floor plate size restriction?

[rocketphish]

Kingston property management firm eyes third apartment tower at site near Baseline Road

By: OBJ staff
Published: Jul 26, 2021 4:35pm EDT

A major Kingston-based real estate developer is looking to boost its inventory in the National Capital Region by building another residential highrise at a west-end site where it already owns and operates a rental apartment complex.

Homestead Land Holdings recently filed an application with the city to construct a 25-storey tower with 235 apartment units at 1300 McWatters Rd., near the corner of Baseline and Greenbank roads.

The company currently owns and manages 17- and 20-storey apartment buildings at the seven-acre site. The new highrise would be located just west of the 20-storey tower at the southeast corner of Greenbank Road and Lisa Avenue.

The proposal calls for 260 underground parking spaces as well as a surface parking lot with 29 spots.

Under the plan, a two-storey recreation complex located between the two existing highrises would be redeveloped and new recreation facilities would be installed in the proposed 25-storey tower.

A small park would be built at the northwest corner of the site. The top floor of the building would feature two outdoor amenity spaces, while its three-storey podium would include an indoor pool, sauna and yoga space.

Homestead is seeking zoning amendments to raise the maximum height limit at the property from 18 to 79 metres and permit reduced setbacks.

The proposal would add to Homestead’s growing stable of Ottawa properties. The company now owns and operates more than two dozen buildings in the capital among its inventory of more than 27,000 apartment units across the province.

https://www.obj.ca/article/real-esta...ent-tower-site

[Dzingle Bells]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

I don't understand. Are they violating some sort of floor plate size restriction?

The Ottawa High Rise Building Design Guidelines specify a maximum of 750m² floor plate size for the tower of a high rise building.

The floor plans say this one is 952m². The 750 is just a guideline but this is a lot higher...

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by Dzingle Bells

The Ottawa High Rise Building Design Guidelines specify a maximum of 750m² floor plate size for the tower of a high rise building.

The floor plans say this one is 952m². The 750 is just a guideline but this is a lot higher...

Thank you! I wasn't aware of that. So they're asking for 27% over the limit then. That's not a small variance.

[gjhall]

Originally Posted by Dzingle Bells

The Ottawa High Rise Building Design Guidelines specify a maximum of 750m² floor plate size for the tower of a high rise building.

The floor plans say this one is 952m². The 750 is just a guideline but this is a lot higher...

I'd normally agree but in this existing built environment that will largely stay the same for the medium to long term, and on a site this scale sitting as it does, I think it fits at this larger plate.

[movebyleap]

Is every single apartment building in this city being designed by the same architect these days?

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by movebyleap

Is every single apartment building in this city being designed by the same architect these days?

I would guesstimate 45% RLA, 35% Hobin, 10% NEUF and 10% other.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

But it's also right on the proposed Baseline BRT-Lite (though I have my doubts it will ever be built at this point).

True, but as you say, the Baseline BRT is far from a done deal, and this building would be near the western stage (Baseline to Bayshore), which is even further from being a done deal. Even if it does happen, the building would likely be complete well before the BRT.

Regardless, looking closer at Section 103 - Maximum Limit on Number of Parking Spaces Near Rapid Transit Stations, the table 103 that I referenced only applies to lots located close to a rapid transit station shown on Schedule 2A or Schedule 2B (which includes Baseline BRT eastern stage, but not the western Stage). Since they are under the parking maximum on the table, it is irrelevant anyway.

[rocketphish]

New imagery (August 2022)

No major design changes, but the building has been shifted to the south and the internal road network has been updated.

[ponyboycurtis]

Has anyone noticed the are re-cladding the existing red brick buildings with some god awful beige/grey stucco? Sweet lord mother Mary and Joseph ... what a travesty. As if this city already didn't look like a Russian mining town. I rather liked those existing buildings. You'll never catch me saying a foul word about red brick buildings. They had those nifty angled balconies ALA the tower @ 1025 Richmond road from my favorite buildings thread. As far as the precast highrise building era goes, these were definitely a cut above. Note my use of the word WERE.

I spotted this the other day. I was driving in the car with my auntie from BC. I literally launched into an expletive filled tirade when I saw what was happening to these once decent buildings. I went completely unhinged for about 20 seconds. Then we went for lunch.

The bar is never to low in this town.

Also.. RIP to the red brick twin 20 something story towers across from Elmvale. They are now painted light grey and top 1/3 charcoal. GOOD JOB MORONS.

How is it that the renovation ends up looking immeasurably worse?

[J.OT13]

Slight improvement. A little less dead space between the new building and turning circle.

[Harley613]

The parking garage has just been removed where the tower base is planned.

[Marcus CLS]

Originally Posted by Harley613

The parking garage has just been removed where the tower base is planned.

Exciting news. I have a balcony with a western Exposure and have been looking forward to various projects changing my skyline. This is one of them.