ReResidences and ReStays [101 Queen St] | 17 fl | Completed

[acottawa]

It seems to me it is a great location for a hotel (well-located for both business/government and tourists) and a fairly marginal location for a condo - too bad they can't just build a hotel.

[J.OT13]

How about the City introduce ridiculously expensive fines for Jack Asses (to go beck to the Lansdowne thread, now I really get the whole Jack AStor'S thing!!) who won't put up the necessary investment into preserving historical buildings. I'm looking at you Lauzon, Cadillac Fairview and NCC.

[citydwlr]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

How about the City introduce ridiculously expensive fines for Jack Asses (to go beck to the Lansdowne thread, now I really get the whole Jack AStor'S thing!!) who won't put up the necessary investment into preserving historical buildings. I'm looking at you Lauzon, Cadillac Fairview and NCC.

Out of curiosity, under the city's new law regarding decrepit buildings, would the NCC (or Ashcroft) not have to pay for the poor state of that building since it was not maintained properly?

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by citydwlr

Out of curiosity, under the city's new law regarding decrepit buildings, would the NCC (or Ashcroft) not have to pay for the poor state of that building since it was not maintained properly?

Not sure how the new rule works, but I'm sure it's pretty weak.

Anyway, I read the article and I loved how Jan Harder is super OK with tearing it down because of the newest report says it's in bad condition. Well, guess what; it's not OK, they had 6 years to tear down the building and preserve the façade! You know what else, they can do like CF with the Ogilvy (and I'm not giving CF a break, I'm still pissed) and use other bricks from the back of the building.

I also love this part; "The façade itself is a redesign from a renovation in the 1890s, which dramatically altered the building's character". So what, a design dating back 120+ years on a 140 year old building isn't considered historic enough? While we're at it, maybe we should just tear down the Château Laurier since you know, the 1920s addition dramatically altered the building's character. Same goes for the East and West Blocks and the Blackburn Building. The Centre Block's not original either so might as well bring out the dynamite and start from scratch.

[kevinbottawa]

Approved unanimously by the Heritage Committee.

[rocketphish]

Decrepit Sparks Street building to be demolished for Ashcroft project

Windows and doors must be saved and reinstalled, heritage committee decides

By David Reevely, OTTAWA CITIZEN February 13, 2014 1:04 PM

OTTAWA — An old building on Sparks Street that’s been left to rot while the National Capital Commission and Ashcroft worked on plans to renovate it is in such bad shape it needs to be torn down, the city’s committee on heritage buildings agreed Thursday.

But at least the distinctive doors and windows of the commercial property at 110 Sparks are to be preserved and reinstalled when it’s reconstructed and becomes the northern section of a two-part Ashcroft project that includes a hotel and luxury condos in an 18-storey tower facing Queen Street, the next block south. A newer building next door, a former bank, is also part of the project and is to be torn down.

“This is really good news,” enthused Coun. Jan Harder, who chairs the committee. Not the demolition, but an investment in Sparks Street and a new tower on Queen, which are supposed to bring more people and new street life to an area that hasn’t had much going on outside office hours in years.

Harder is particularly keen on a courtyard between the northern and southern wings of Ashcroft’s building that’s to be publicly accessible and let people walk through the block without having to go over to Metcalfe Street to the east. The tower on Queen is also to replace a parking lot.

The Sparks Street building was constructed in the 1870s and was an “incubator” for numerous prominent businesses at a time when rental commercial properties were a bit unusual, heritage expert David Jeanes told the committee. Bryson’s department store (eventually the largest in Centretown), Butterworth’s hardware store (so successful it spawned its own foundry), E.R. Fisher menswear and a predecessor of the Ottawa Citizen launched by the Southam family all got their starts there, he said.

A previous plan for the construction project involved saving the whole Sparks Street facade, but engineers concluded that the building had been left to deteriorate for too long — the National Capital Commission, which owns it, has been working with Ashcroft on the news plans since 2006 — and that wasn’t realistic. Preserving the windows and doors is the next-best thing.

The Ashcroft project, called “The ‘re’ Hotel and Residences,” has been hailed for almost a decade for the contribution it’s supposed to make to the dead-at-night neighbourhood near Parliament. The plans have two votes to go, though they’re likely formalities. Both city council’s planning committee and the full council have to sign off before the plans are final.

[email protected]

ottawacitizen.com/greaterottawa
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/De...shed+Ashcroft+project/9504020/story.html

[mac_junkie1]

Well, on the plus side at least they're saving the elements that are worth saving, BUT the NCC & Ashcroft should be fined heavily for this... Another demolition by neglect. Seems to be a trend in Ottawa.... I'm sick of the NCC getting away with their ignorance & lack of interest in Ottawa's past. Also, I have no idea why its taken Ashcroft so long to get the project started. I would've pulled their permit and sold the land to someone else by now. Oh Ottawa.... Such a lost city....

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Decrepit Sparks Street building to be demolished for Ashcroft project

Windows and doors must be saved and reinstalled, heritage committee decides

By David Reevely, OTTAWA CITIZEN February 13, 2014 1:04 PM

OTTAWA — An old building on Sparks Street that’s been left to rot while the National Capital Commission and Ashcroft worked on plans to renovate it is in such bad shape it needs to be torn down, the city’s committee on heritage buildings agreed Thursday.

But at least the distinctive doors and windows of the commercial property at 110 Sparks are to be preserved and reinstalled when it’s reconstructed and becomes the northern section of a two-part Ashcroft project that includes a hotel and luxury condos in an 18-storey tower facing Queen Street, the next block south. A newer building next door, a former bank, is also part of the project and is to be torn down.

“This is really good news,” enthused Coun. Jan Harder, who chairs the committee. Not the demolition, but an investment in Sparks Street and a new tower on Queen, which are supposed to bring more people and new street life to an area that hasn’t had much going on outside office hours in years.

Harder is particularly keen on a courtyard between the northern and southern wings of Ashcroft’s building that’s to be publicly accessible and let people walk through the block without having to go over to Metcalfe Street to the east. The tower on Queen is also to replace a parking lot.

The Sparks Street building was constructed in the 1870s and was an “incubator” for numerous prominent businesses at a time when rental commercial properties were a bit unusual, heritage expert David Jeanes told the committee. Bryson’s department store (eventually the largest in Centretown), Butterworth’s hardware store (so successful it spawned its own foundry), E.R. Fisher menswear and a predecessor of the Ottawa Citizen launched by the Southam family all got their starts there, he said.

A previous plan for the construction project involved saving the whole Sparks Street facade, but engineers concluded that the building had been left to deteriorate for too long — the National Capital Commission, which owns it, has been working with Ashcroft on the news plans since 2006 — and that wasn’t realistic. Preserving the windows and doors is the next-best thing.

The Ashcroft project, called “The ‘re’ Hotel and Residences,” has been hailed for almost a decade for the contribution it’s supposed to make to the dead-at-night neighbourhood near Parliament. The plans have two votes to go, though they’re likely formalities. Both city council’s planning committee and the full council have to sign off before the plans are final.

[email protected]

ottawacitizen.com/greaterottawa
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/De...shed+Ashcroft+project/9504020/story.html

[Urbanarchit]

It's a bit pitiful that this is where we're left, but you know I'm glad that soon there will be one less building with scaffolding holding it in place or making Sparks look even more crappy, not to mention finally a chance to have a building filling up this spot.

By former bank, do they mean the one to its East?


re Hotel and Residences by Shel DeF on Flickr

There's always so much scaffolding on every building on Sparks that the street honestly looks so ugly and cluttered. This building below, the former Montreal Telegraph Company (don't know the building's name) has had this scaffolding up for several years.


Montreal Telegraph Company by Shel DeF on Flickr

By the way, sorry for all my negativity on this forum. I'm just really critical and pessimistic, but there is quite a bit that I like.

[J.OT13]

The Bank (TD) is in fact the one to the east. I'm sad to see the (heritage) building go, not just the façade but the whole structure. But at least the resulting development (100 condos, 110 hotel rooms) should bring some life back to the CBD after hours. The design is decent and I love the alleyway and courtyard.

As far as losing a heritage building goes, this isn't too bad. I agree that the NCC should still be fined heavily. They fight tooth and nail for a useless strip of land near the river but they let all of their heritage buildings rot. Priorities anyone?

mac junkie1, I'm thinking there are two reasons for the delay; 1. dealing with the NCC ain't easy and 2. condos in that building are waaayyyy overpriced!

[J.OT13]

Should have been completed 2 months ago...

Ashcroft to start over on facade of long-delayed Sparks Street project

OBJ StaffPublished on February 13, 2014

Local developer Ashcroft Homes is one step closer to breaking ground on a Sparks Street development that at one point was scheduled to be completed two months ago.

On Thursday, city council’s heritage subcommittee approved the developer’s plan to tear down a building at 108-116 Sparks St. The plan still requires the approval of the planning committee and city council itself.

Ashcroft will be required to recreate the building’s historic facade of the upper two floors, and must preserve and reuse as much of current building’s materials as possible.

The initial plan called for the developer to preserve the building’s entire facade. However it was found to be lacking the necessary structural integrity.

Ashcroft has been in negotiations since 2006 with the National Capital Commission, which owns the land and has signed a lease agreement with Ashcroft, over the site’s development.

The eventual plan for the site, which the NCC calls “Canlands A,” calls for six-storey mixed use building at the site. The upper stories would be stepped back from the street.

The project also includes plans for a connected 18-storey hotel and condo tower facing Queen Street.

http://www.obj.ca/Real-Estate/2014-02-13...-of-long-delayed-Sparks-Street-project/1

[Harley613]

How much 'life' is an 18 story high-end tower going to bring to the street? Centretown West has thousands of condo units and it's still a ghost town 24/7. Young people who want an interesting street scene aren't buying units here, it'll be a few senators, mp's and fat cats who are rarely in residence. If you want to animate centretown you need to build things like the Mondrian along Sparks. This will do nothing.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Harley613

How much 'life' is an 18 story high-end tower going to bring to the street? Centretown West has thousands of condo units and it's still a ghost town 24/7. Young people who want an interesting street scene aren't buying units here, it'll be a few senators, mp's and fat cats who are rarely in residence. If you want to animate centretown you need to build things like the Mondrian along Sparks. This will do nothing.

In terms of type of occupants, it's not ideal, but I wouldn't go as far as saying it will do nothing.

Once the condo market picks up, the best course of action to bring more life to Sparks would be to sell off some of the late 60s, early 70s office blocks to private developers such as the 2 buildings east of the Re. Here's a piece of history from Urbsite;

http://urbsite.blogspot.ca/2010/03/toronto-dominion.html?q=montreal+trust

La promenade on the corner of O'Connor and Sparks would also be a good candidate for re-development/conversion.

In fact there are lots of small parking lots and outdated buildings that could be replaced or converted to residential. Think of the AT&T and Copeland buildings across Albert from PdV's surface parking lot.

[Urbanarchit]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

In terms of type of occupants, it's not ideal, but I wouldn't go as far as saying it will do nothing.

Once the condo market picks up, the best course of action to bring more life to Sparks would be to sell off some of the late 60s, early 70s office blocks to private developers such as the 2 buildings east of the Re. Here's a piece of history from Urbsite;

http://urbsite.blogspot.ca/2010/03/toronto-dominion.html?q=montreal+trust

La promenade on the corner of O'Connor and Sparks would also be a good candidate for re-development/conversion.

In fact there are lots of small parking lots and outdated buildings that could be replaced or converted to residential. Think of the AT&T and Copeland buildings across Albert from PdV's surface parking lot.

I hope you don't mean this building. I really like it, actually! It has a lot of character.


Queen and Metcalfe by Shel DeF on Flickr

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by defishel

I hope you don't mean this building. I really like it, actually! It has a lot of character.


Queen and Metcalfe by Shel DeF on Flickr

That building I like. The Montreal trust and Promenade however, should be demolished or refaced.

[Urbanarchit]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

That building I like. The Montreal trust and Promenade however, should be demolished or refaced.

Okay, good!

These two? Definitely. I don't mind La Promenade as much, but what it has a street level isn't good. Montreal Trust isn't terrible, but we could do something better, maybe a bit taller?


http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7418/12253004886_11ae9e7af8_z.jpg by Shel DeF on Flickr


Montreal Trust Building by Shel DeF on Flickr

I'd like to see a redo of the D'Arcy McGee's Queen Street façade.


D'Arcy McGee by Shel DeF on Flickr.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by defishel

Okay, good! Are they one building on is that the name for the one behind it?

I'd like to see a redo of the D'Arcy McGee's Queen Street façade.


D'Arcy McGee by Shel DeF on Flickr.

It's the name for the brown one behind it. I agree with the Darcy McGee. I know a lot of people like the Sparks Street façade, but I don't and the Metcalfe/Queen façades are just embarrassing!

I wish they would have kept it like this, again from Urbsite;



http://urbsite.blogspot.ca/2013/05/royal-trust-royal-bank.html?q=royal+bank

The Queen Street façade was still kind of ugly, but it's workable. Bonus that the Metcalfe façade was awesome and that Sparks kept a few more historic buildings.

[Urbanarchit]

That's true. I updated my post because I found photos of the other two buildings.

These four below could use a fixing up for their street-level façades, especially the HMV and the one beside it. The one beside has three nice styles, but together they clash too much. The first one isn't too bad, it just need a store to come in and fix it up a bit.


Sparks by Shel DeF on Flickr.


Blackburn Building by Shel DeF on Flickr.


Sparks HMV by Shel DeF on Flickr.


Sparks Ange by Shel DeF on Flickr.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

As far as losing a heritage building goes, this isn't too bad. I agree that the NCC should still be fined heavily. They fight tooth and nail for a useless strip of land near the river but they let all of their heritage buildings rot. Priorities anyone?

Nationally-significant grass. Groundhogs for All Canadians.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by Harley613

How much 'life' is an 18 story high-end tower going to bring to the street? Centretown West has thousands of condo units and it's still a ghost town 24/7. Young people who want an interesting street scene aren't buying units here, it'll be a few senators, mp's and fat cats who are rarely in residence. If you want to animate centretown you need to build things like the Mondrian along Sparks. This will do nothing.

The key, as always, and a lesson that Ottawa has either never learned or forgotten, is: what is on the ground level?

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by defishel

I'd like to see a redo of the D'Arcy McGee's Queen Street façade.

There is nothing wrong with that building that a good controlled demolition can't fix.