Vivian [1440 Blair Towers Pl] | 55+67m | 18+22f | Proposed

[SL123]

New proposal on DevApp for 1440 BLAIR TOWERS

https://devapps.ottawa.ca/en/applica...4-0028/details

[OTSkyline]

Great for added density but the design looks ugly and kind of old and dated already. Location is weird... close to an LRT station but not a pleasant walk and sandwiched between a dying mall and a Costco.

[rocketphish]

CR5 Blair Towers Inc. (Le Groupe Maurice) is seeking to develop two (2) residential towers of 22 and 18 storeys connected by a six (6) storey podium at 1440 Blair Towers Place. The proposed development aims to provide a socially and environmentally sustainable place for seniors to age in place in a modern retirement home.

The six (6) storey podium extends between the towers at a unique angle, creating a visually interesting building design. This building shape permits the south 22-storey tower to be placed west of the existing office parking garage. In contrast, responding to the unique lot fabric, the north 18-storey tower may be shifted further east, thus maintaining similar setbacks from Blair Road and the interior side yard for both towers.

398 total units shall be within the building, ranging from bachelor units to three (3) bedroom units. Reflective of the proposed retirement home use, the primary (56%) unit type within the building shall be one (1) bedroom units. Two (2) bedroom units will be the second most common unit typology, with 31.7% of all units. 5% of all units are considered large dwelling units, providing flexibility for future resident’s living choices.

• Bachelor 15 (3.8%)
• 1 Bedroom 223 (56%)
• 1 Bed + Den 14 (3.5%)
• 2 Bedrooms 126 (31.7%)
• 2 Bed + Den 12 (3%)
• 3 Bedrooms 8 (2%)

The primary vehicular access to the site shall be via the Blair Road egress with convenient access to the drop-off loop at the main entrance. The site is also accessible from Blair Towers Place. Six (6) visitor spaces will be incorporated into the drop-off loop in addition to ten parallel visitor spaces south of the drop-off area. Two levels of underground parking, accessed from Blair Towers Place, shall contain 277 parking spaces.

Through consultation with Parks and Facility Planning, the corner of Ogilvie Road and Blair Road was identified as the location for the 1,105.2 square metre public park, which will interact with the MUP along Ogilvie Road.


Architect: Hobin Architecture


Development application:
https://devapps.ottawa.ca/en/applica...4-0028/details

Location:






Siteplan:




Renderings:

[Richard Eade]

This is supposed to be a residential development, including a few 3-bedroom (presumably ‘family’) apartments. So why is the available ‘play area’, the 10% dedicated ‘PARKLAND’, placed beside the Blair-Oglvie intersection? Is that where mothers would want their young kids to kick around a ball? Or even to sit with neighbours to get some air for their babes in prams?

Push the building towards the roads and put the ‘PARKLAND’ next to the ‘CANOPY OF EXISTING MATURE TREES TO BE PRESERVED’ (which might be a bit overstated since most of the indicated area is part of a parking lot). At least that way the ball will be stopped by the fence along the CTC property.

It seems to me that too many buildings are designed without thought of the users. There is a checklist of user amenities that must be present, but there is little consideration for the users of those amenities. The things from the checklist may be present, but if not fully usable, then they are not really there. It makes me wonder what is being emphasized in architecture schools; form or function.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by Richard Eade

This is supposed to be a residential development, including a few 3-bedroom (presumably ‘family’) apartments. So why is the available ‘play area’, the 10% dedicated ‘PARKLAND’, placed beside the Blair-Oglvie intersection? Is that where mothers would want their young kids to kick around a ball? Or even to sit with neighbours to get some air for their babes in prams?

Push the building towards the roads and put the ‘PARKLAND’ next to the ‘CANOPY OF EXISTING MATURE TREES TO BE PRESERVED’ (which might be a bit overstated since most of the indicated area is part of a parking lot). At least that way the ball will be stopped by the fence along the CTC property.

It seems to me that too many buildings are designed without thought of the users. There is a checklist of user amenities that must be present, but there is little consideration for the users of those amenities. The things from the checklist may be present, but if not fully usable, then they are not really there. It makes me wonder what is being emphasized in architecture schools; form or function.

If you read the first sentence of the description, it states that this is a retirement residence, so your presumption that these are family apartments would seem incorrect. There are only 8 three-bedrooms proposed.

[c_speed3108]

Originally Posted by Catenary

If you read the first sentence of the description, it states that this is a retirement residence, so your presumption that these are family apartments would seem incorrect. There are only 8 three-bedrooms proposed.

What seniors would want too retire to the middle of an interchange?

[Richard Eade]

Originally Posted by Catenary

If you read the first sentence of the description, it states that this is a retirement residence, so your presumption that these are family apartments would seem incorrect. There are only 8 three-bedrooms proposed.

Actually, it is the SECOND sentence, but I take your point. You’re right, I missed that it is planned for seniors when reading the description. I’ll change my statement:

Is that a park that a grandmother would want to send her young visiting grandkids out to so that they can kick around a ball? Is it an inviting place for a pair of old gentlemen to sit and play a game of chess?

I still say that the PARKLAND is only there to tick-off the item from a checklist. It is not, in my opinion, a very useful place for the residents and their guests.

[Williamoforange]

Originally Posted by Richard Eade

This is supposed to be a residential development, including a few 3-bedroom (presumably ‘family’) apartments. So why is the available ‘play area’, the 10% dedicated ‘PARKLAND’, placed beside the Blair-Oglvie intersection? Is that where mothers would want their young kids to kick around a ball? Or even to sit with neighbours to get some air for their babes in prams?

Push the building towards the roads and put the ‘PARKLAND’ next to the ‘CANOPY OF EXISTING MATURE TREES TO BE PRESERVED’ (which might be a bit overstated since most of the indicated area is part of a parking lot). At least that way the ball will be stopped by the fence along the CTC property.

It seems to me that too many buildings are designed without thought of the users. There is a checklist of user amenities that must be present, but there is little consideration for the users of those amenities. The things from the checklist may be present, but if not fully usable, then they are not really there. It makes me wonder what is being emphasized in architecture schools; form or function.

Parkland dedication for a building this large is actually 25% of the available land, unless it's changed again to a more reasonable amount.....

Either way, the city also charges dev fees for parks, and then further requires either land or money on top.

If your a dev and you had useless space, what would to do. I know what is do which is give them exactly the piece of land this dev is currently giving.

Nothing to do with the architect, just the city trying to squeeze newcomers for as much they can.

[rocketphish]

That pair of old gentlemen are more likely to be enjoying an afternoon in the Sport Lounge Bar that overlooks said parkland .

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by Richard Eade

Actually, it is the SECOND sentence, but I take your point. You’re right, I missed that it is planned for seniors when reading the description. I’ll change my statement:

Is that a park that a grandmother would want to send her young visiting grandkids out to so that they can kick around a ball? Is it an inviting place for a pair of old gentlemen to sit and play a game of chess?

I still say that the PARKLAND is only there to tick-off the item from a checklist. It is not, in my opinion, a very useful place for the residents and their guests.

On this lot, the parkland faces either an intersection or a highway interchange, it doesn't seem like an easy win either way.

[J.OT13]

This one is a bit of a surprise, but good utilization of the land. Still a lot of car Loop-the-Loops. I'd prefer if they just connected the Blair Place towers road with the Canadian Tire entrance, keeping the car lane along the property line as much as possible. Two entrances on Blair, cutting through the sidewalk and bike lane is less that ideal. Worse is that these land in an extremely busy turning lane used by Costco patrons.

[rocketphish]

Quebec firm proposes two-tower retirement residence with nearly 400 units near Blair Station

David Sali, OBJ
March 31, 2025

A Quebec retirement home operator is gearing up for its first project in Ottawa as it looks to expand into new markets across Canada. Le Groupe Maurice says it wants to build two highrises of 18 and 22 storeys containing a total of 398 residential units at 1440 Blair Towers Place, a vacant three-acre plot of land at the southeast corner of Blair and Ogilvie roads. The site is just east of the Gloucester Centre, about 270 metres from Blair LRT station. The two towers would be connected by a six-storey podium that would also include a residential component. In planning documents recently filed with the city, the Montreal-based company says the apartments would range from bachelor units to three-bedroom suites. The majority of the units – 237 – would be one-bedroom apartments, along with 138 two-bedroom units, 15 bachelors and eight three-bedroom apartments. A two-level underground parking garage would include 277 spaces reserved for residents.

The design from Ottawa’s Hobin Architecture also features a mix of indoor and outdoor amenities, including a large dining room, activities room, art room, wading pool and hair salon. The 22-storey highrise on the south side of the property would also feature an indoor cinema, while the 18-storey tower to the north would house a 1,600-square-foot indoor “salon panoramique” on the top floor. The proposal also calls for a small public park on the western edge of the property at the corner of Blair and Ogilvie roads. The current neighbourhood secondary plan limits building heights to 20 storeys at the site. Le Groupe Maurice is requesting a zoning bylaw amendment to allow for additional height in the second tower. It would mark the first development on the Ontario side of the Ottawa River for the company, which currently operates 37 seniors’ homes in Quebec containing more than 12,000 residential units. Its holdings include an eight-storey retirement home in Gatineau with 295 apartments and 24 care units. In an email to OBJ last week, Le Groupe Maurice spokesperson Geneviève Martel said the project is still in the planning stages, adding the company is “not yet in a position to share further details.” Martel said Le Groupe Maurice is “continuously seeking new opportunities” to “expand into new markets across Canada.” The company joins a number of other developers that are aiming to add more residential density near the Blair LRT station. Colonnade BridgePort, for example, plans to build five residential highrises with upwards of 1,200 units on a four-acre parcel of land at 2000 City Park Dr., about 450 metres west of the transit station. Meanwhile, Gatineau-based Devcore Group is slated to convert Telesat’s former headquarters, located just a few hundred metres south of Le Groupe Maurice’s property, into a residential complex and build three additional highrises next door as part of a project that is expected to add at least 1,200 new residential units to the neighbourhood.

https://obj.ca/quebec-firm-proposes-...blair-station/

[McKellarDweller]

Great location for a retirement home, and a big improvement over a patch of grass, in my opinion.

[ponyboycurtis]

Originally Posted by McKellarDweller

Great location for a retirement home, and a big improvement over a patch of grass, in my opinion.

It's located in the middle of a traffic sewer but when you think about it this location has fantastic amenities and location access. The highway and arterial roads. LRT across the street.

Costco, Crappy Tire, Beer Store/LCBO, Loblaws, Walmart, Bulk Barn, Pet Value, Shoppers and movie theatre are all in walking distance. Plus whatever litany of other small shops and food spots.

This might actually be a location where you can truly say I do not need a car to do my daily and monthly shopping.

The driveway of the adjacent set of office buildings is also pleasant for what it is. Mature tree lined sidewalks and a little parkette with benches. Easy spot to walk your dog if you want to keep it a short walk.

Can we please get non hideous renders from sketch up though? It's not exactly selling itself.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by ponyboycurtis

It's located in the middle of a traffic sewer but when you think about it this location has fantastic amenities and location access. The highway and arterial roads. LRT across the street.

Costco, Crappy Tire, Beer Store/LCBO, Loblaws, Walmart, Bulk Barn, Pet Value, Shoppers and movie theatre are all in walking distance. Plus whatever litany of other small shops and food spots.

This might actually be a location where you can truly say I do not need a car to do my daily and monthly shopping.

The driveway of the adjacent set of office buildings is also pleasant for what it is. Mature tree lined sidewalks and a little parkette with benches. Easy spot to walk your dog if you want to keep it a short walk.

Can we please get non hideous renders from sketch up though? It's not exactly selling itself.

Groupe Maurice builds fairly decent stuff in my opinion.

This is their Gatineau residence:

https://www.google.ca/maps/@45.39651...oASAFQAw%3D%3D

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Groupe Maurice builds fairly decent stuff in my opinion.

This is their Gatineau residence:

https://www.google.ca/maps/@45.39651...oASAFQAw%3D%3D

That's quite nice.