Lansdowne Park Redevelopment Phase 1 | Completed

[phil235]

Originally Posted by alecz_dad

Gee. I seem to recall existing residents objecting to the imposition of a theme park on their neighbourhood.

I have wondered how the sort of folks that can afford the units at Lansdowne (i.e. older and wealthier) will feel about the drunken shouting louts streaming in and out of the stadium, arena, etc. day in, day out?

They will probably feel about the same as the older and wealthier residents of the existing neighbourhood feel about the "drunken louts" who have attended sports events at Lansdowne for decades (after all, it's only drunken louts who watch football, hockey or soccer). Thing is, every one of those residents bought a home near a stadium/arena, so presumably this was/is quite foreseeable for all of them. That's why sympathy is in short supply in the city at large.

Bottom line - some people like being near the action, some don't. If you don't like that kind of thing, don't buy a home near a stadium and then complain about the noise. You sound silly, and you undermine legitimate concerns that others might want to raise. (Like that guy on Third Ave who writes to the paper every year with a totally legitmate complaint about the noise from Bluesfest.)

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

How do the sq ft costs compare to other buildings coming on stream in town?

The Rideau which has units well over $600/Sq FT is priced higher than any other buildings I have seen. The units that look onto the field are unique of course and who knows what they will be worth in 5 or 10 years time. A big plus is that unlike in the Market or Centretown there wont be 20 newer buildings when buyers go to sell their units.

[JackBauer24]

Originally Posted by phil235

They will probably feel about the same as the older and wealthier residents of the existing neighbourhood feel about the "drunken louts" who have attended sports events at Lansdowne for decades (after all, it's only drunken louts who watch football, hockey or soccer). Thing is, every one of those residents bought a home near a stadium/arena, so presumably this was/is quite foreseeable for all of them. That's why sympathy is in short supply in the city at large.

Bottom line - some people like being near the action, some don't. If you don't like that kind of thing, don't buy a home near a stadium and then complain about the noise. You sound silly, and you undermine legitimate concerns that others might want to raise. (Like that guy on Third Ave who writes to the paper every year with a totally legitmate complaint about the noise from Bluesfest.)

HEAR, HEAR!! I completely agree.
It's all too common to hear home owners, who bought downtown or in trendy areas (Westboro, Glebe, etc...) complain about their neighbourhood changing. They complain about the lengthy process to get new projects approved, they complain about the noise, dust and length of construction, they complain about have more neighbours, but they don't dare complain about the growth in home equity or new conveniences they have with the new grocery store around the corner.
You can't have it both ways.

If you want a quiet, secluded home in a neighbourhood that'll stay relatively unchanged, try Greely, Cars, Vars, or Osgoode.
If you choose to live downtown or in any of the aforementioned trendy spots, expect things in your 'hood to change. Trendy areas are trendy for a reason, and that will naturally increase the demand to live in that area.
If you love the conveniences of a trendy neighbourhood, but hate the noise. Take some of that growth in equity and invest in some ear buds - you'll be able to splurge for the expensive ones too.

[JackBauer24]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

The Rideau which has units well over $600/Sq FT is priced higher than any other buildings I have seen. The units that look onto the field are unique of course and who knows what they will be worth in 5 or 10 years time. A big plus is that unlike in the Market or Centretown there wont be 20 newer buildings when buyers go to sell their units.

I had that exact mind set and even entered into a contract with one of the 2 bdrms facing the field. But I didn't follow through for 3 key reasons.
1) As you mentioned, the price/sq. ft. was high, very high. And the specification wasn't any better than your average, run of the mill condo. By comparison, Soho Champagne and the Merit both had much more impressive specs, but had a substantially less price/sq. ft. So in order to make a good return on my large initial investment (please see point #2), I would have to wait quite awhile for the market to catch up to the high price/sq. ft. Lansdowne is selling at.

2) The deposit structure. They wanted 25% in 6 months. For the suite I wanted, that was over $100k up front. Most sites in the city require 15% and that is often spread out over a year or so. I'm guessing the higher deposit was needed to the tighter construction schedule.

3) The condo I wanted faced the field and also had views of the Bank St. bridge. The initial floor plan was set up backwards (IMO) - the living room windows looks at the bridge, the bedroom windows looked at the field. I asked if the rooms could be reversed, but Minto wasn't open to changing anything, and I wasn't open to hosting soccer or football parties in my bedroom. The 'wow' factor for me would have been walking into the condo and overlooking the Keith Harris field, not the bridge. I don't understand the reason why their architects designed the condos in the Rideau this way.

[JeffB]

Originally Posted by JackBauer24

I had that exact mind set and even entered into a contract with one of the 2 bdrms facing the field. But I didn't follow through for 3 key reasons.
1) As you mentioned, the price/sq. ft. was high, very high. And the specification wasn't any better than your average, run of the mill condo. By comparison, Soho Champagne and the Merit both had much more impressive specs, but had a substantially less price/sq. ft. So in order to make a good return on my large initial investment (please see point #2), I would have to wait quite awhile for the market to catch up to the high price/sq. ft. Lansdowne is selling at.

2) The deposit structure. They wanted 25% in 6 months. For the suite I wanted, that was over $100k up front. Most sites in the city require 15% and that is often spread out over a year or so. I'm guessing the higher deposit was needed to the tighter construction schedule.

3) The condo I wanted faced the field and also had views of the Bank St. bridge. The initial floor plan was set up backwards (IMO) - the living room windows looks at the bridge, the bedroom windows looked at the field. I asked if the rooms could be reversed, but Minto wasn't open to changing anything, and I wasn't open to hosting soccer or football parties in my bedroom. The 'wow' factor for me would have been walking into the condo and overlooking the Keith Harris field, not the bridge. I don't understand the reason why their architects designed the condos in the Rideau this way.

That would have been quite the view if you could have seen Keith Harris field. Seeing as it is over at Carleton U.

[JackBauer24]

Originally Posted by JeffB

That would have been quite the view if you could have seen Keith Harris field. Seeing as it is over at Carleton U.

My bad - it was overlooking whatever field name the Lansdowne stadium will be.

[umbria27]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

The Rideau which has units well over $600/Sq FT is priced higher than any other buildings I have seen. The units that look onto the field are unique of course and who knows what they will be worth in 5 or 10 years time. A big plus is that unlike in the Market or Centretown there wont be 20 newer buildings when buyers go to sell their units.

I should hope that they are 10 or more new condo developments in the Glebe and Ottawa South in the next two decades. If the Minto condos put an end to condo development on Bank south of the Queensway for 20 years, that's a pretty damning conclusion. We've been told that this development will revitalize the area, not stunt its growth.

[Harley613]

Originally Posted by umbria27

I should hope that they are 10 or more new condo developments in the Glebe and Ottawa South in the next two decades. If the Minto condos put an end to condo development on Bank south of the Queensway for 20 years, that's a pretty damning conclusion. We've been told that this development will revitalize the area, not stunt its growth.

It's the Glebe! If you want more condos in the next 20 years they'd already have to be in the proposal process :p

[JackBauer24]

Originally Posted by umbria27

I should hope that they are 10 or more new condo developments in the Glebe and Ottawa South in the next two decades. If the Minto condos put an end to condo development on Bank south of the Queensway for 20 years, that's a pretty damning conclusion. We've been told that this development will revitalize the area, not stunt its growth.

There will certainly be more condos in the Ottawa South/Glebe area in the new few decades. One of the biggest demographics buying condos right now are Baby Boomers looking to down size. Many of the residents in the Glebe are Baby Boomers and I get the impression that Glebites like to remain Glebites, so when these Baby Boomers are looking to downsize, they'll start looking in their neighbourhood first.

In the next 5-10 yrs, I wouldn't be too surprised to see either some of the existing but older condos along the canal be renovated or even torn down and rebuilt, or to see new condos be added to the water front.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by JackBauer24

There will certainly be more condos in the Ottawa South/Glebe area in the new few decades. One of the biggest demographics buying condos right now are Baby Boomers looking to down size. Many of the residents in the Glebe are Baby Boomers and I get the impression that Glebites like to remain Glebites, so when these Baby Boomers are looking to downsize, they'll start looking in their neighbourhood first.

In the next 5-10 yrs, I wouldn't be too surprised to see either some of the existing but older condos along the canal be renovated or even torn down and rebuilt, or to see new condos be added to the water front.

Sure there will be more condos in the Glebe and Ottawa South but presumadly no more actually in Landsdowne park. Although, that part of Bank street could support a few towers if they could get approved.

[rocketphish]

City manager gets more powers at Lansdowne

By David Reevely, OTTAWA CITIZEN June 12, 2013 7:07 PM

OTTAWA — Routine agreements with the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group on how to manage Lansdowne Park won’t need city council’s approval anymore after councillors voted Wednesday to hand off responsibility for those arrangements to city manager Kent Kirkpatrick.

The baroque contracts that govern the relationship between the city and the consortium of developers and sports businessmen fronted by Minto Group’s Roger Greenberg give the city a lot of rights to veto OSEG decisions that only distantly affect it — such as, most recently, OSEG’s decision to hire Minto for some construction tasks at the Glebe renovation site. Waiting for city council votes for each of them is too cumbersome, so instead Kirkpatrick will be able to sign off on them himself.

He promised to ask city council what to do in any situation where there’s “greyness,” or an agreement needs to be amended.

Councillors also agreed Wednesday to spend $2 million more than planned to clean up contamination at the site, which was a fairground for decades and had asbestos-lined buildings and relatively primitive heating and cooling equipment.

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© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/City+m...nsdowne/8516863/story.html#ixzz2W3d0svWm

[Harley613]

i drove by today and noticed the steel structures are going up along Holmwood, I assume for the movie theatre. it's quite glorious and imposing! i can just imagine the Holmwood Glebites pacing in their hallways mumbling 'property values..mmm...shadows....mmm...property values...mmm...shadows..'. I love it!

[JackBauer24]

Originally Posted by Harley613

i drove by today and noticed the steel structures are going up along Holmwood, I assume for the movie theatre. it's quite glorious and imposing! i can just imagine the Holmwood Glebites pacing in their hallways mumbling 'property values..mmm...shadows....mmm...property values...mmm...shadows..'. I love it!

C'mon, be fair. There would certainly be some "... Park space.... for the children... where's my granola..." in there as well.

[alecz_dad]

Dear Jack & Harley,

I know that you enjoy tweaking us Glebe folks as granola-eaters, etc., but can I ask you to be serious for a moment and ask how you would feel if these monoliths were rising across from your home, despite all your best efforts?

BTW, now granola will no longer be limited to the rarified confines of the Glebe (or to the masses via 100 kg bags at Costco), with the advent of Whole Foods there will now be a supply of exorbitantly-expensive granola available to the whole NCR.
Beware the granola-pushers who will be hissing their sweet-breathed, high-fibre-fuelled promises to your fresh-scrubbed non-granola-eating children.

Originally Posted by JackBauer24

C'mon, be fair. There would certainly be some "... Park space.... for the children... where's my granola..." in there as well.

[waterloowarrior]

Even if you're 100% in favour of the project, I don't think you could fault the Holmwood residents for being bothered by the project... they are the ones impacted most directly and lived beside a tree-lined steet and park before all this.

[Luker]

Can't agree with you guys on this one..

I still think its overstated NIMBYISM. If you live in a thriving metropolis and capital city of an advanced G8 economy; EXPECT CHANGE, and lots of it.

For the record, my uncle/aunt and cousins have lived on Holmwood for two decades and are also quite upset. However, as I tell them, it should be expected. Did they really think that the prime parcel of land would never be reimagined and developed for the better?

Moreover, I have lived on Breezehill Ave N (a tree lined street for over half a century, and one which Claridge just crammed a twenty storey tower on due to discrepancies in plans).....

And a street which will be developed soon enough as the Banknote across has continually had to reduce its operations and has been sold multiple times.
Its inevitable, change comes, life goes on...


http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=122%20breez...&bih=866&um=1&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=il

[JackBauer24]

Originally Posted by alecz_dad

Dear Jack & Harley,

I know that you enjoy tweaking us Glebe folks as granola-eaters, etc., but can I ask you to be serious for a moment and ask how you would feel if these monoliths were rising across from your home, despite all your best efforts?

BTW, now granola will no longer be limited to the rarified confines of the Glebe (or to the masses via 100 kg bags at Costco), with the advent of Whole Foods there will now be a supply of exorbitantly-expensive granola available to the whole NCR.
Beware the granola-pushers who will be hissing their sweet-breathed, high-fibre-fuelled promises to your fresh-scrubbed non-granola-eating children.

I live in the Glebe, and have lived in Ottawa my whole life. I support the Lansdowne project 110%. So to answer your question, despite the inconvenience of construction, I'm excited to see these "monoliths" rising, I'm excited for football to be back within walking distance of my door, I'm happy to have more shopping within walking distance, and I'm excited to be able to take my niece and nephews to a pro soccer game. I doubt I'd share the same excitement in taking them to an open green space or farmers market.

[JackBauer24]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

Even if you're 100% in favour of the project, I don't think you could fault the Holmwood residents for being bothered by the project... they are the ones impacted most directly and lived beside a tree-lined steet and park before all this.

Sure, there are going to be some inconveniences, but if you buy a property downtown (in any growing city) and expect there to never be any changes, improvements, development, etc..., you are living in a dream land. If you have that need and desire, buy a property outside of the city.

What kills me is that these same people, who reap the benefits of these new developments and improvements in their neighborhoods (in the form or quickly escalating home equity), are the same people who complain the most about these changes.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

Even if you're 100% in favour of the project, I don't think you could fault the Holmwood residents for being bothered by the project... they are the ones impacted most directly and lived beside a tree-lined steet and park before all this.

To be fair, Holmwood was not a great street to start with. There was a narrow strip of grass that did very little to hide the massive parking lot and decaying building and stadium behind it. My impression was always that the housing stock was not as well maintained as the rest of the neighbourhood (with a few exceptions).

I actually think that the combination of nice townhouses and the new urban park within a 3-minute walk are an improvement for the street. And let's be honest, until the project was announced, that strip of grass was not exactly the natural paradise that it was made out to be. It seemed to be virtually unused, except by a few local dogwalkers.

Where I have more sympathy for the Holmwood residents is on the traffic side. It has always been a cut-through street, but traffic could change significantly with people dropping off and picking up movie-goers etc. I've supported a closure of the street at Bank, which should help maintain the quiet residential nature of the street and act as an extension of the Lansdowne pedestrian precinct. Not sure what the odds of success are there.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by JackBauer24

I live in the Glebe, and have lived in Ottawa my whole life. I support the Lansdowne project 110%. So to answer your question, despite the inconvenience of construction, I'm excited to see these "monoliths" rising, I'm excited for football to be back within walking distance of my door, I'm happy to have more shopping within walking distance, and I'm excited to be able to take my niece and nephews to a pro soccer game. I doubt I'd share the same excitement in taking them to an open green space or farmers market.

I also live in the Glebe, and these are my sentiments exactly. Unfortunately our viewpoint, which is shared by lots of my neighbours, was drowned out by the loud whining coming from a certain segment of the population.

However, I think most reasonable people have moved past the whining stage and are now looking for ways to minimize the growing pains that will definitely occur when the project opens.