Claridge Icon [505 Preston St] | 143m | 45 fl | Completed

[daud]

view from Dows Lake park:

[hokiefans]

Love the pics!

[AuxTown]

The balcony glass is going to make or break this one. I'm having a hard time visualizing it but hopefully it keeps its "Marina Towers" look. Man I love 1960's architecture done well.

[osirisboy]

Those parkades are crazy! Lmao

[hokiefans]

Yesterday, we were granted our wish and got a tour of the Claridge Icon building and a sneak peak of our unit! Thanks to our friends in “high places” who took us on an amazing and very informative tour! It was a wonderful start to our new year.

We started our tour in our unit on the 25th floor and then walked down all the way to P3 with lots of stops in between. We saw everything from wide open floors, to suites roughed in for drywall, suites with installed windows, the amenities areas, the commercial floors and entrance, and a level of the parking garage. One thing which surprised us is that there is not a bad view from any of the suites in any direction! Dow’s Lake looks just as great from the 5th as it does from the 25th; only the perspective changes. Depending on the unit, there is a good chance of great views of the Canada Day fireworks, and the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival, and maybe even the Lac Leamy Fireworks competition!

We took a lot of photos, many of which I have made available for your enjoyment. I had renamed all the photos to identify what you were seeing but this does not seem to “stick” when uploaded to Google Photos. As such, I have just listed the photos in order below with some identifying information.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/SNBYYsVHwTCge5co6

East on Bronson, 25th Floor, Claridge Icon
South on Preston, 25th Floor, Claridge Icon
Southwest to Experimental Farm, 25th Floor, Claridge Icon
Dow's Lake, 25th Floor, Claridge Icon (if you look closely, you can see the workers clearing snow off the lake to prepare it for skating)
Northeast towards downtown, 25th Floor, Claridge Icon
Dow's Lake Pavilion, 25th Floor, Claridge Icon
From dining room balcony along front of building, 25th Floor, Claridge Icon -
Downtown from 2nd bedroom balcony, 25th Floor, Claridge Icon
North on Preston to Ottawa River, 25th Floor, Claridge Icon
Northwest towards SOHO Champagne, 20th Floor, Claridge Icon
West on Carling, 20th Floor, Claridge Icon -
Platform supports, 20th Floor, Claridge Icon (there are additional supports on the floors above and below)
Platform supports, 20th Floor, Claridge Icon (there are additional supports on the floors above and below)
West on Carling, installed windows, 15th Floor, Claridge Icon
Dow's Lake, installed windows, 15th Floor, Claridge Icon
Southwest, installed windows and spandrel, 15th Floor, Claridge Icon
Pipe for cement, 15th Floor, Claridge Icon
New Bogart - Huge balcony unit, 8th Floor, Claridge Icon
Insulation between units, 8th Floor, Claridge Icon
View of shared patio area, 5th Floor, Claridge Icon
Lap pool, 4th Floor, Claridge Icon
Guest suites, 4th Floor, Claridge Icon -
Little Italy sign, 4th Floor, Claridge Icon -
Main entrance, Ground Level, Claridge Icon
Service entrance, Ground Level, Claridge Icon (it is quite separate from the resident entrance and is off Norfolk Ave)
Storage lockers, P3, Claridge Icon
Look up…look 36 floors up! Claridge Icon from garage entrance Norfolk Ave

[J.OT13]

Looking good. Thanks!

[ServiceGuy]

LOL... nice views but it looks like NCC still has work to do to get Dow's Lake open for skating. How are the so called amenities for Icon? Typically it's a gym, meeting room, guest suites, and party room. What is the estimate on topping out?

[hokiefans]

Originally Posted by ServiceGuy

LOL... nice views but it looks like NCC still has work to do to get Dow's Lake open for skating. How are the so called amenities for Icon? Typically it's a gym, meeting room, guest suites, and party room. What is the estimate on topping out?

I understand that the NCC had been making progress on the lake until the weather warmed up and snow arrived! The cold air this evening will certainly help!

No real changes in the amenities from the sales material which advertises gym, yoga room, 2 board/meeting rooms, party room, pool, changing rooms with showers, a movie/tv theatre, and bike storage and three guest suites. Two will be like hotel rooms but the third will have two bedrooms and a kitchenette. We were pleasantly surprised to hear about a fairly large outdoor lounge on the 5th, directly above the pool area. The storage lockers (included in purchase price) will be on the mezzanine as well as on the parking levels.

By the way, they are already receiving lots of the parts for the three high-speed residential elevators at the site. The commercial elevator (I can't remember if there will be one or two) will only operate from P2 to the 3rd floor.

Topping out is still estimated for April but will depend on how cold or mild the weather is as we move through winter.

[GeneralLea]

Thank you for the information hokie, this is turning out to be quite an intriguing project.

[McKellarDweller]

Thanks for the post, hokiefans!

[daud]

I'm seeing this building from a variety of angles now.

One of the more impressive distant views I caught today heading west on Ogilvie Rd. At the Aviation parkway you can see the building very clearly rising quite high albeit at a considerable distance.

[hokiefans]

Originally Posted by daud

I'm seeing this building from a variety of angles now.

One of the more impressive distant views I caught today heading west on Ogilvie Rd. At the Aviation parkway you can see the building very clearly rising quite high albeit at a considerable distance.

Really! Wow!

[AuxTown]

Thanks for the tour! Be cool to live in Ottawa's tallest.....but for how long??

[ServiceGuy]

Early morning winter view of Dow's from about 150' above Carling.

20190107_071642 by be 3169

[hokiefans]

Originally Posted by ServiceGuy

Early morning winter view of Dow's from about 150' above Carling.

20190107_071642 by be 3169

Thank you....spectacular! (The ice looks good, too!)

[daud]

If you really think about it, this project is ideally located.

1. On the Trillium LRT line
2. On the canal
3. Next to a large urban park which is filled with tulips every spring
4. Next to the arboretum.
5. At the foot of little Italy and all its restaurants.

I’m hard pressed to think of an area that has all this. The only weakness I can think of is distance to grocery store. Westgate?

[Marshsparrow]

YES everything is great but just can't buy food, prescriptions or liquor within reasonable walking distance...

[hokiefans]

Originally Posted by Marshsparrow

YES everything is great but just can't buy food, prescriptions or liquor within reasonable walking distance...

Hopefully those will be included in the Booth Complex proposals. The area could really use these amenities.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by daud

If you really think about it, this project is ideally located.

1. On the Trillium LRT line
2. On the canal
3. Next to a large urban park which is filled with tulips every spring
4. Next to the arboretum.
5. At the foot of little Italy and all its restaurants.

I’m hard pressed to think of an area that has all this. The only weakness I can think of is distance to grocery store. Westgate?

If you're OK with taking transit to get groceries, Loblaws and Wal-Mart at South Keys are convenient. If you're driving, Westgate, or Isabella Loblaws are the closest major stores I can think of with parking.

[McC]

Westgate hasn’t had a grocery store since Steinberg’s closed.