Ottawa from above

[J.OT13]

Great closeups of the frozen Chaudière Falls, Odenak, Relevé, Renaissance and Cathedral Hill. Some very interesting roof details we would otherwise never see.

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[urbanforest]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Great closeups of the frozen Chaudière Falls, Odenak, Relevé, Renaissance and Cathedral Hill. Some very interesting roof details we would otherwise never see.

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Considering that there's practically no lip on the roof of the taller Releve tower, they're sure laissez faire about all the pylons and junk left up there. Given how exposed it is to high winds, I'm a little surprised it hasn't all blown down.

[ponyboycurtis]

Originally Posted by urbanforest

Considering that there's practically no lip on the roof of the taller Releve tower, they're sure laissez faire about all the pylons and junk left up there. Given how exposed it is to high winds, I'm a little surprised it hasn't all blown down.

It's been like that for quite some time. Miracle nothing bad as come of it so far.

[Kitchissippi]

This latest one from Manulix has some great flyovers of the construction sites downtown.
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[urbanforest]

Going through old family photos and came across this one taken in May 1989. For fun, I compared it with the same spot today.

[Urbanarchit]

Interesting photo! I counted at least 31 new buildings, excluding NAC renovation.

[Harley613]

Wow that World Exchange Plaza excavation was enormous!!

[ponyboycurtis]

Originally Posted by Harley613

Wow that World Exchange Plaza excavation was enormous!!

My first thought too. That and .. a yeah.. I remember when you could drive your personal vehicle around Parliament.

That's also a pretty sizeable hole on the front lawn too.

[Kitchissippi]

At 5 levels, the WEP garage was the deepest excavation downtown at the time, maybe still is. I'd love to see a section view drawing that shows its depth and proximity to the adjacent O-Train tunnel.

[Harley613]

Originally Posted by ponyboycurtis

My first thought too. That and .. a yeah.. I remember when you could drive your personal vehicle around Parliament.

That's also a pretty sizeable hole on the front lawn too.

Right up until that idiot crashed his Jeep Cherokee into the steps in front of the Peace Tower. Every winter prior, my Fam Jam would wait in line to drive around Parliament Hill to see the Christmas Lights.

[harls]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

At 5 levels, the WEP garage was the deepest excavation downtown at the time, maybe still is. I'd love to see a section view drawing that shows its depth and proximity to the adjacent O-Train tunnel.

How deep is the garage at Minto Place on Laurier W? I think it was at least 4 levels deep back when I used it for work many years ago.

[ponyboycurtis]

Originally Posted by Harley613

Right up until that idiot crashed his Jeep Cherokee into the steps in front of the Peace Tower. Every winter prior, my Fam Jam would wait in line to drive around Parliament Hill to see the Christmas Lights.

The story behind that was a thing of its own. Not exactly an isolated incident.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by urbanforest

Going through old family photos and came across this one taken in May 1989. For fun, I compared it with the same spot today.

That is fantastic. A nearly perfect 1:1 shot! Thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by Urbanarchit

Interesting photo! I counted at least 31 new buildings, excluding NAC renovation.

Well done! Other than a few smaller scale projects, it's very hard to tell if you missed anything.

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

At 5 levels, the WEP garage was the deepest excavation downtown at the time, maybe still is. I'd love to see a section view drawing that shows its depth and proximity to the adjacent O-Train tunnel.

Place de Ville and Constitution Square might be 4 levels. Never been in the Minto Place garage, but I assume 4 levels as well, so yeah, WEP must be the deepest. I think that a huge parking garage was a key part of the deal with the NCC for the redevelopment.

I don't have a WEP/LRT profile, but here's a WEP and 1990s bus tunnel profile. Bus tunnel would have been under Albert (and Slater).



And a few parking drawings/maquettes.





And what WEP replaced.



https://urbsite.blogspot.com/2013/12/world-exchange.html

Along with some awesome background from our dearly departed Midcentury Modernist.

While we're talking big holes, here's the PdV II's excavation. I remember seeing a pic of the Skyline Hotel (now Delta) u/c and the PdV office towers u/c, or possibly open excavation, but I can't find it atm.


https://urbsite.blogspot.com/2021/10/excavation-bigger-dig-for-place-de.html

[urbanforest]

Happy to have sparked some discussion and appreciate the insights—I hadn't even noticed the giant pit at WEP at first look. Here's a bonus shot facing toward the Market.

[AuxTown]

This is awesome @urbanforest, thanks for sharing!

What we lack in height, we definitely make up for in density and continuous urban form.

[WZ1]

I fly often for my job, the last couple times it has been super clear as I passed Ottawa!

Enjoy!