NCC National Capital Core Area Plan | In Progress

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

"If they do it, why don't we" isn't the best way to look at this. Demand is another question. Do we need to run full sized buses or do smaller buses do the job?

In general, I think Ottawa should add mini-buses to their fleet for those lower ridership routes. Don't cut service, just run smaller vehicles. I get that labour is the most expensive cost, but cost is involved purchasing the bus in the first place, gas/electricity, maintenance of the bus and the roads (bigger buses, more damage to the road infrastructure).

Maintenance is one reason why transit authorities often shy away from minis: It's one additional stream of mechanic training, parts supply, etc., that has to be managed, and one additional stream of fleet-rot and obsolesence risks.

The NCC was caught off guard by the popularity of River House, and the demand for bike and auto parking. There's not much to be done about the auto problem; bike parking problems are good problems to have.

I think the city/transpo/NCC should be prepared to be caught off guard by the ridership and benefits of a regular bus route that connects eastern river points of interest to the rest of the city and transit network.

Surprise me!

[rocketphish]

Should new housing be built on iconic Sussex Drive?
The NCC, which so far hasn't managed to refurbish 24 Sussex, wants to liven up the street. Some residents oppose the idea. But what do we have to lose?

By Bruce Deachman, Ottawa Citizen
Published Jun 13, 2025 | Last updated 9 hours ago





I confess I’m skeptical when I hear the National Capital Commission cite the housing crisis as a point in favour of the development of the Sussex Blocks — three mostly vacant blocks of prime Sussex Drive real estate directly across from the French Embassy and the prime minister’s (vacant and gutted) one-time residence.

The crisis, after all, isn’t about a lack of NON-affordable housing, and despite the NCC’s stated practice “to seek opportunities to include affordable units for residential or mixed-use projects on its lands,” it’s hard to imagine that if your next address is 37 Sussex Drive, for instance, you’ll be agonizing each morning over whether to pay the hydro bill or feed your kids breakfast.

That said, when opponents of the proposed development raise the iconic status of Sussex Drive as an important ceremonial route, which they say shouldn’t be sullied by the living quarters of the (well-to-do) hoi polloi, I’m similarly left scratching my head. Ceremonial route? I can’t recall many occasions when I’ve seen people line its sidewalks for a passing head of state, mechanical dragon or Stanley Cup parade. Are we worried that the next time French President Emmanuel Macron rolls by in a limousine, he’ll look out at a four- or five-storey apartment block across from his embassy and say, “Eww, résidents locaux”? He’ll more likely still be recoiling from the sight of the late-modern brutalist eyesore known as the Lester B. Pearson Building (a.k.a. “the sphinx”), or massaging his derrière if his journey from the airport took him along much of Bronson Avenue (a.k.a. the Pothole Promenade), or tsk-tsking the sorry state of 24 Sussex. Or all three.

But this is the donnybrook now brewing as the NCC considers revising its 2005 Core Area Plan to allow for a mix of housing, commercial and retail uses along this three-block stretch of Sussex, all the while, according to Alain Miguelez, vice-president of its Capital Planning, maintaining “the New Edinburgh Heritage Conservation District and the dignity of our ceremonial route.”

<more>

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/deachman-housing-sussex-drive

[acottawa]

Seems like a decent design. It would be nice if it includes some sort of retail. With Pearson and Diefenbaker buildings now closed to the public there is nothing but a seasonal restaurant between the National Gallery and Rideau Hall.

[J.OT13]

Another improved waterfront access NCC project that came out of nowhere and should be done by the Fall. Looks to be about here.

East Wharf Platform

The Ottawa River is a landmark of the National Capital Region. In its mission to improve public access to the shorelines, the NCC is installing a recreational platform by the water along the Ottawa River Pathway, near Rideau Canal locks 1 to 8.

About the project

A multi-level wooden platform will invite the public to lounge while taking in the views and sunsets of Ottawa-Gatineau. The platform will also provide access to non-motorized boats.

Scope

This project will feature:

• A multi-level wood platform with seating options and bicycle racks
• A renovated multi-use pathway
• Enhanced shoreline protection
• Additional planting
• Interpretation signage

Construction is scheduled to begin in mid-June 2025 and continue until the fall.

Impact

Impact on the local environment: The dock will be built while the Ottawa River water levels are low to limit the impact on local ecosystems. This project involves collaboration with Parks Canada and follows a low-impact installation plan.

Pathway: A section of the Ottawa River Pathway, between Pioneer Road and the Rideau Canal locks, will be reduced temporarily to allow for the work to take place.

Process and timeline
June 2025: Mobilization
July to September 2025: Implementation
Fall 2025: Platform opening

https://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/projects/east-wharf-platform

[zzptichka]

Oh nice. That wharf is from the Capital Core Area Plan. Good to see they are working on it.

[rocketphish]

Sussex Drive housing proposal gets mixed reviews
There was both support and opposition to the concept at the public board meeting of the National Capital Commission on Thursday.

By Matteo Cimellaro, Ottawa Citizen
Published Jun 19, 2025 | 4 minute read

A potential housing development on Sussex Drive remains one of the more controversial pieces of the National Capital Commissions’ core area plan.

On June 19, the National Capital Commission board passed Volume One of an updated core area plan covering its land-use policy for the region. The plan includes the rezoning of parcels of land slated for development.

In the previous core area plan, from 2005, the anticipated use of the parcels on Sussex Drive was for “institutional use” such as embassies, NCC CEO Tobi Nussbaum said in a media availability.

Now to help meet the needs of Ottawa’s housing crisis, the NCC board “approved an approach where we are being more flexible in the kind of development that could occur there,” Nussbaum added.

Planning for the land parcels remains in a conceptual phase, he said.

In March, the NCC presented possible renderings for a possible housing development to New Edinburgh residents. The concept included three mid-rise structures around four or five storeys each, done in the New Edinburgh neighbourhood style.

Alain Miguelez, vice-president of capital planning and chief planner for the NCC, told the Ottawa Citizen that, when renderings of the potential development were issued, the NCC was showing the possibilities of what housing on Sussex Drive could look like.

“We were deliberate in our choice of architecture to show that we want something elegant that fits with the heritage feel of New Edinburgh because we think that’s appropriate,” Miguelez said.

Miguelez confirmed that the NCC had no interest in developing high-rises. He also confirmed that the NCC would retain ownership of any developed buildings, meaning units would be rental housing.

“We’ve said a couple of times, I mean, these blocks were never intended to stay vacant,” Miguelez said. “They were, in fact, developed before they were part of the New Edinburgh neighborhood.”

Miguelez pointed to lumber mills and a former school house that remains on the parcel of land as an example of historical development on Sussex Drive. He also confirmed that the heritage school building would remain. “There’s no plans to tear it down.”

However, the development remains controversial.

Detractors say a housing development would be counter to the NCC’s mandate to beautify the capital.

They also say housing has no place on the so-called ceremonial route between Parliament Hill and the Rideau Hall grounds that house the governor general and the prime minister.

During Thursday’s public meeting there were audible frustration from public observers after board member Eleanor Mohammed voiced support for residential development on Sussex Drive during a national housing crisis.

“That was ridiculous,” one attendee said.

New Edinburgh resident Richard Emmerson, who sat in on the public portion of the NCC meeting, said he was concerned with what would happen to the neighbourhood if construction of the mid-rises created a jump in population.

“We have nightmarish traffic problems already,” Emmerson said.

He said he was not against all development, but wondered if apartment buildings were the best option “adjacent to a primarily 19th century single-family dwelling neighborhood on the ceremonial route.”

For opponents like Emmerson, other developments like some retail space or cafes and restaurants would “create more of a nexus for visitors and residents to use the blocks, to celebrate the connection between the Rideau River and the Ottawa River.”

Emmerson was also concerned about green space, with the mid-rise buildings blocking the view of New Edinburgh from Sussex Drive. Even if the buildings are “tastefully done, it totally transforms the look and feel of the neighbourhood,” he said.

But others like the idea of housing on Sussex Drive. David Hodgson, who also attended Thursday’s meeting, was “very supportive” of the NCC’s ambitions to develop housing, citing the housing crisis in Ottawa.

For Hodgson, the concept of the development of Sussex Drive represented the so-called “missing middle” that some housing advocates say are needed.

“I thought it looked really good,” Hodgson said of renderings for the proposed development. “I hope that we have more more developments along this line.”

Hodgson also pointed to the need for more people to live near NCC-stewarded areas in Ottawa, giving the example of Sparks Street, which is relatively empty on evenings and weekends. He sees Sussex Drive in the same light.

“I think it’s always been very strange to me that you go by the Global Affairs (building) and the French Embassy and all these, like really big institutions and it was just three empty lots,” he said. “I think NCC getting into housing is really great.”

It’s unclear if more details about the Sussex Drive land parcels will be contained within Volume Two of the core area plan, which Miguelez said would be voted on in 2026.

Other parts of the plan include turning the National Capital Region towards its waterfronts, developing more public space and creating connections through supporting more transit and active transportation.

The NCC board also approved a partial portion of the design for Block 2 across from Centre Block in the parliamentary precinct. The design included new infill buildings for parliamentarians, extensions on existing buildings, retail space on Sparks Street and a public plaza.

The board will vote on the full design next year.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/housing-development-sussex-drive-ncc

[J.OT13]

Spoke about it at the Board Meeting yesterday:

• Video Link

Presentation: https://ncc-website-2.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/Presentation-core-area-plan-JU2025.pdf

Submission: https://ncc-website-2.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/Summary-national-capital-core-area-plan-JU2025.pdf

[rocketphish]

The NCC's latest banal plan for Sussex Drive doesn't do it justice
Mid-rise apartments and rental homes across from 24 Sussex? That's the best the commission can come up with?

By Mohammed Adam, Ottawa Citizen
Published Jul 10, 2025

Now that the National Capital Commission’s board has approved a plan that would allow a housing development on Sussex Drive, near the prime minister’s residence, there is no stopping it. We’ll get some banal mid-rises or townhomes, and that will be it.

What’s baffling is that when the NCC has vacant prime public land, its instinct is not to plan something imaginative or grand. It takes the easy way out and plants some mundane building on it. Think of the old Daly building site. This was prime land in the heart of the city, at the crossroad of Wellington Street, Sussex, Colonel By Drive and Rideau Street — the city’s most iconic streets — and what did we get? A nothing-to-write-home-about condo building.

And of course, there is no point in revisiting LeBreton Flats. The NCC promised elegance, but look at what’s built there and it is nothing outstanding or inspiring. The saving grace is the Canadian War Museum, and hopefully soon, the hockey arena.

So, now it is Sussex Drive. Sussex is arguably the most famous street in Ottawa, part of the 7.5-km Confederation Boulevard, the capital’s ceremonial route, and home to prime ministers and governors general. It houses Global Affairs Canada, the old city hall and several embassies, which is why the NCC calls it the international sector. If any street should be sacrosanct, it is Sussex. Some parcels of land have long been set aside for diplomatic quarters and other institutional uses, which fit the character of the street. But suddenly the NCC has a bright idea: build luxury mid-rise condos instead.

Why? Well, in re-examining how NCC lands can be used to help alleviate housing shortages, the commission decided there is no better way to do it than building three four- or five-storey buildings on Sussex, across from the prime minister’s old residence. Of course, helping to ease the housing shortage is a red herring. Of all the land NCC owns, it couldn’t find parcels anywhere for housing except on Sussex? Sparks Street, a significant portion of which NCC owns, is turning into a wasteland, and if the commission is really serious about renewing the core, or developing housing, Sparks has to top the list. But, you see, Sparks would be difficult to do, requiring imagination, invention, and tremendous effort — which the NCC hasno time for. But Sussex? A no-brainer.

The NCC says it would own the Sussex development, which means the homes would be rental only, conceptually. Ottawa definitely needs affordable rental homes, but tell me how any ordinary worker — a nurse, teacher, plumber, bus driver — can afford to rent a home in the shadow of Rideau Hall? Ask yourself how many affordable homes are in LeBreton or Daly? And how does apartment housing and commercial on Sussex, “match the dignity and gravitas,” of Sussex, as the NCC says. How does it meet the mandate of beautifying the capital?

The NCC says the parcels were never meant to remain vacant. Fine. But imagine all the wonderful ideas the NCC could canvass or explore for the site. Instead, it chose apartment buildings. The NCC will no doubt build something and call it elegant. And the wealthy will gobble it up, while the rest of us remain on the outside gazing in as we pass by.

The problem with the Sussex development is not the proposed mid-rises in themselves. What is frustrating about the NCC is the lack of interest in exploring options when it has prime public land to develop. Why is it that time and again the choice is some run-of-the-mill housing development? This is Confederation Boulevard, the capital’s ceremonial route. This is what the NCC calls the “discovery route,” which foreign dignitaries and the royal family take for processions and state visits.

It is a special location, and at the very least, you’d think we’d let loose our imagination and see what else we could come up with for the lands. Of course, the NCC won’t do that. It is locked into apartment buildings and that’s it. But must it always be this way? Can we never do better?


Mohammed Adam is an Ottawa journalist and commentator. Reach him at [email protected]

https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/ncc-banal-plan-sussex-drive

[urbanforest]

That article can be summed up as BANANA.

[kwoldtimer]

How does he know the NCC did not consider options?

[zzptichka]

I wish someobody from SSP wrote OpEds in the Citizen. Most of those rants that make it are just embarrassingly clueless and uninformed.

[J.OT13]

Think of the old Daly building site. This was prime land in the heart of the city, at the crossroad of Wellington Street, Sussex, Colonel By Drive and Rideau Street — the city’s most iconic streets — and what did we get? A nothing-to-write-home-about condo building.

I've grown to like 700 Sussex over the years. It's a simple, elegant building that doesn't compete with the grand railroad hotel and station, or early 20th century office blocks, while still somewhat paying tribute to the Daly Building with its Chicago style windows. It's retail mix and set-up provides some life to the area beyond just people walking between Parliament and the Rideau Centre.

And of course, there is no point in revisiting LeBreton Flats. The NCC promised elegance, but look at what’s built there and it is nothing outstanding or inspiring. The saving grace is the Canadian War Museum, and hopefully soon, the hockey arena.

He forgot the library. Sort of like 700 Sussex, not everything can be monumental or starchitecture (see the City of London). The War Museum, Library and Arena will stand out (along with monuments) and create anchors to the rebuilt neighbourhood. The residential/commercial/retail/restaurants will bring life to the area (and so far, Odenak will introduce more interesting architecture and a community hub). Otherwise you'd get a DCDLS; an empty plaza half the time with a bunch of "destination" buildings.

Sparks Street, a significant portion of which NCC owns, is turning into a wasteland, and if the commission is really serious about renewing the core, or developing housing, Sparks has to top the list. But, you see, Sparks would be difficult to do, requiring imagination, invention, and tremendous effort — which the NCC hasno time for. But Sussex? A no-brainer.

Sure I'd like to see a few residential conversions on Sparks, but it's not as simple as vacant land.

The NCC says it would own the Sussex development, which means the homes would be rental only, conceptually. Ottawa definitely needs affordable rental homes, but tell me how any ordinary worker — a nurse, teacher, plumber, bus driver — can afford to rent a home in the shadow of Rideau Hall? Ask yourself how many affordable homes are in LeBreton or Daly? And how does apartment housing and commercial on Sussex, “match the dignity and gravitas,” of Sussex, as the NCC says. How does it meet the mandate of beautifying the capital?

No affordable housing at 700 Sussex, but LeBreton will have a significant amount (over 40% at Odenak). No reason we can't have some here as well.

[J.OT13]

And now to play the devil's advocate, would it not make sense to open the Mechanicsville Diplomatic Precinct to residential and build embassies here instead? The Mechanicsville land is 500 meters from Bayview Station, while these empty lands are 1.5 km from Rideau and only has a half hourly bus (if it shows up). Obviously we can add bus service, but that service will still be terrible because buses remain stuck in traffic.

I'd prefer residential at both locations and reserve land for embassies between Hillsdale and Birch, but if I had to pick between these two, I'd put some density near Bayview and embassies here.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

I'd prefer residential at both locations and reserve land for embassies between Hillsdale and Birch, but if I had to pick between these two, I'd put some density near Bayview and embassies here.

Embassies are absolute street life-suckers. They are best sprinkled around, not concentrated in any one spot.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

Embassies are absolute street life-suckers. They are best sprinkled around, not concentrated in any one spot.

Agreed. If it was up to me, neither of those sites would be reserved for embassies, but this spot makes more sense than the one near Bayview.

[Richard Eade]

Very early, I essentially wrote off 700 Sussex as an ugly building – simply based on a quick view as I walked past on Wellington. That ‘front’ face, to me, was not appealing. It looked very plain, but had architectural elements that, for me, just didn’t belong. Even the scorching-hot ‘pit’ didn’t look appealing to me. After that, I didn’t really give it another thought.

However, because of that Mohammed Adam article, and J.OT13’s comment, I decided to ‘Street View’ around the building to actually see what it had to offer – these many years later.

To my surprise, I found many things that I liked.:

• The use of (a façade of) large, plain, block does a nice job of tying in with its neighbour, the Chateau Laurier. The colour of the newer blocks is gradually darkening to fit in.
• The defined ‘line’ over the first floor mirrors the line above the tall windows of the Chateau (although slightly lower).
• Floor-to-ceiling windows adds a lot to the look. Particularly with the use of glass railings for the ‘Juliette Balconies’ so that those big windows don’t appear ‘covered’.
• And the variation of the windows (single, ganged as two or three) provided repetitive patterns, but not to excess.
• The large expanses of glass give nice relief from too much sameness of the blocks.
• The increased definition and frequency of the mullions within the top row of windows is a definite plus, adding the look of the bridge between the strong corner columns.
• I think that the face along Mackenzie is the one that I prefer. It is not merely a huge wall (a-la the Sussex face), but has some lovely variation (particularly viewed from the north, along Mackenzie).
• Even the ‘Pit’ has blossomed with the trees maturing to provide shade (supplemented by tents and umbrellas) for a nice oasis for the Metropolitan. (Obviously NOT City maintained trees! Since those would have died in infancy.)

Still, the ‘front’ face doesn’t grab me and say ‘This building deserves a second look.’ (To me, it just looks like someone was aiming for a more modern Art-Deco – but missed.) And, I’m not a fan of the glass wall ‘bump-out’ for the shops along Sussex – although I do appreciate that there are storefronts. I especially don’t like its extension on either end to make it look even longer. (Maybe the glass just triggers bad memories of the Rideau Transit Mall.) Instead, I would have preferred actual colonnades over the sidewalks along both Sussex and Mackenzie done with the block-look. This could have provided the condominiums with an actual terrace on both sides. (But adding colonnades would have required the City to share the Rights of Way – and that will NEVER happen.)

So, looking back, I think that I misjudged 700 Sussex. I’m glad that I was triggered to take the time to give it a second look. First impressions will always happen, and it takes an open-minded second look, sometimes, to see beyond that snap judgment to appreciate the whole.

However, returning to the current discussion, I agree that Mechanicsville would be a better place for residential. It can be more affordable and provide better transit.

That said, does the NCC's move to put general housing across from 24 Sussex tell us (reading between the lines) that they are going to abandon that address as far as housing the PM goes?

[urbanforest]

Progress on the East Wharf construction:

[urbanforest]

Not sure if there is a better thread for this, but here's the current state of work on Lady Grey Drive.

Do we have renders of what the final implementation will look like? I'm struggling to fully understand the end-goal here.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by urbanforest

Not sure if there is a better thread for this, but here's the current state of work on Lady Grey Drive.

Do we have renders of what the final implementation will look like? I'm struggling to fully understand the end-goal here.

This is what we have. It dates from 2017, so I wouldn't put too much trust into it.

[vtecyo]

Originally Posted by urbanforest

Not sure if there is a better thread for this, but here's the current state of work on Lady Grey Drive.

Do we have renders of what the final implementation will look like? I'm struggling to fully understand the end-goal here.

I'm pretty sure that your photo shows the footing of the replacement retaining wall that will hold up a road that will follow the same route as before. The road right down by the river is temporary.

I think when they're done phase 1 next year it will end up looking very similar to before. I can't find any renderings on the official site: https://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/projects/lady-grey-drive-retaining-wall-replacement

I think the long term idea is to eventually connect Kìwekì point to Lady Grey drive up at cliff level - and the canal locks path at river level. I assume the riverfront connection wouldn't happen until the Alexandra Bridge is replaced.