Wateridge Village development [Hemlock Rd, Codd's Rd] | U/C

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Massive lost opportunity.

There is no opportunity too massive for this city to lose.

[rocketphish]

Newly opened Veterans' House receives additional $1.5M in government funds
“Veterans' House is a safety net for those willing to put their lives on the line for our country."

Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen
Publishing date: Apr 16, 2021 • 56 minutes ago • 2 minute read



A newly opened building in Ottawa providing affordable rental units and support services to homeless veterans received another $1.5 million from the upper governments on Friday.

Local federal cabinet minister Mona Fortier and Ontario cabinet minister Lisa MacLeod appeared at a virtual funding announcement for Veterans’ House with Mayor Jim Watson and Coun. Matthew Luloff, the army veteran who co-chairs a local veterans task force.

Also at the announcement was Bill Beaton, who was a corporal in the air force. He started moving into Veterans’ House at the end of February after falling in and out of homelessness over the past two years.

“Veterans’ House is a safety net for those willing to put their lives on the line for our country,” Beaton said, highlighting the theme of “teamwork” at the facility and drawing a parallel to the teamwork required in military life. He said he was grateful to have a home again.

Watson pointed out that a 2018 analysis of the homeless population in Ottawa discovered that five per cent, or 65 people, were military or RCMP veterans.

The not-for-profit Multifaith Housing Initiative runs Veterans’ House, which has been named the Andy Carswell Building, located at 745 Mikinak Rd. in the redeveloped lands of the former CFB Rockcliffe.

Suzanne Le, executive director of Multifaith Housing Initiative, said the building, a first of its kind in Canada, opened in February after an eight-year planning and construction period. Le said it’s a model that she anticipates will be replicated across the country.

Donations have also supported the creation of Veterans’ House. Le said government support is critical since the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the project’s fundraising campaign.

The 40 apartments are fully furnished and the facility has on-site mental health and addiction support services. Tenants can stay for as long as they need to.

Le said about half of the units were rented so far, with another 10-15 people going through the intake process.

The new funding comes from the Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative.

The federal government previously provided $6.5 million for the $11.5-million Veterans’ House project. The feds also provided the land for the project and the municipal government has contributed $760,000.

[email protected]
twitter.com/JonathanWilling

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-new...ives-additional-1-5m-in-government-funds

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by danduc

Looks like Philadelphia Row house. Will be fun next snowstorm. Where do you blow the snow?

Truck it out at great expense. If they are public streets, then we all pay. If they are private streets, up go the condo fees.

[Mikeed]

I actually don't think that's to bad. If the price is right.

It's actually pretty high density, but I get a garage and I'm living in the city.

Isn't the density of most cities built on townhouses and terraced housing?

Snow looks like a concern but there's actually a fair amount of space assuming no curbside parking.

[J.OT13]

Happy to see these Vets housing blocks go up. Long time coming.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by danduc

Looks like Philadelphia Row house. Will be fun next snowstorm. Where do you blow the snow?

Hard to please this forum, eh?

"Lost opportunity!! Not dense enough!!!!!"

"Hey, were do you put the snow? No setbacks!!!"

[Richard Eade]

But both concerns are real. There needs to be density, but it can’t be a ‘Designed for the Southern-States’-type of density. Reality needs to be taken into account.

Perhaps, the designers need to be a bit more creative to solve both problems. Perhaps only make narrow, one-way streets, so that there is snow storage space on the side. Maybe use a peripheral parking structure and only pedestrian pathways within a dense housing group.

There are ways to get (relatively) low-cost density while still designing for the environment.

Of course, as we are seeing now, that environment needs to also have enough outdoor space for the number of people being housed. One solution for that might be to take low-level (probably only single story) parking structures and cover them with dirt and grass. Add shrubs, too. And, while you are at it, take a few of the parking spots and make them large ‘planters’ for some full-sized trees. Play structures and open space are both needed.

Density is desirable, but the design must also be practical and livable.

[waterloowarrior]

Wish they made Mattamy stick with the original vision
https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showpost.php?p=7954619&postcount=480

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Wateridge Village Phase 1B (Mattamy)

Mattamy Homes has acquired four Blocks in Wateridge Village Phase 1B at Rockcliffe Subdivision, developed by Canada Lands Company. The Blocks are identified as Block 15, Block 19, Block 22, and Block 24. Mattamy is currently pursuing Site Plan Control approval for the development of Block 15, Block 22, and Block 24

Mattamy has designed these Blocks with middle housing types of rear lane townhouse (RLT) and stacked townhouse dwellings. These housing types will form a community that provides a gradual transition of the housing landscape and densities between the existing residential areas and the Wateridge Village core.


Site:




Elevations:






Renderings:










From: http://webcast.ottawa.ca/plan/All_Image ...sign Review Panel Formal Submission1.PDF

[J.OT13]

That was far better. That's the original proposal they won the right to develop with?

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

That was far better. That's the original proposal they won the right to develop with?

Yes, and it's exactly what they delivered on their first development block, outlined in red, though the landscaping isn't complete yet. I went and checked it out.

It's the blue block, which is nearing completion, where they sought and received a 50% density increase, and in the process eliminated the two planned pedestrian mews features. Mattamy was probably fine with that as they appear to be tricky and expensive amenities to install. Makes for a less friendly neighbourhood though.

It looks like they've just started site prep on the yellow block.

[J.OT13]

With more density, it should have increased thenpedestrian streets' feasibility. When CanLands or the NCC awards development rights, they should include conditions protecting architectural styles and pecestrian/cyclist areas.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Mattamy was probably fine with that as they appear to be tricky and expensive amenities to install. Makes for a less friendly neighbourhood though.

They look like a nightmare from a snow removal perspective. Just imagine what it will look like after the contractor's sidewalk plow has been there a few dozen times backing into everything as they try and navigate the tight corners, the blade catching on the pavers and decking.

[rocketphish]

Cleared for landing — Ottawa Veterans' House receives donated Canso cockpit
The cockpit's new home is a fitting one as Veterans’ House is located on the grounds of the former CFB Rockcliffe airbase.

Zachary Delaney, Ottawa Citizen
Publishing date: Apr 29, 2021 • 1 hour ago • 2 minute read



A partial cockpit from a famed Canso aircraft landed Thursday morning at the Ottawa Veterans’ House as the first-of-its-kind facility continues to welcome new residents.

The half-ton piece of aviation history — transported by truck to Ottawa from California and donated by the Carswell family and Canso Investment Council Ltd. — was carefully loaded into place at the front of the housing facility by a crane and guided by a small crew.

The cockpit’s new home is a fitting one as Veterans’ House is located on the grounds of the former CFB Rockcliffe airbase, which was used in both world wars.

“I’ve been excited to see this,” said Suzanne Le, executive director of the Multifaith Housing Initiative, the group behind Veterans’ House, as she watched the crane lift and place the section of the airplane onto a slab of concrete near the back patio. As it sits in place, it looks as if the plane is flying out of the building.

Opened in February, Veterans’ House provides housing for veterans experiencing homelessness, with residents also enjoying access to rehabilitative services, gathering spaces, an indoor gym and dog park. The facility is also known as the Andy Carswell Building, in honour of the Royal Canadian Airforce pilot and veteran of the Second World War.

John Carswell, Andy’s son, is the president and chief investment officer of Canso Investment — the area at Veterans’ House is named the Canso Campus.

The donated cockpit comes from a PBY-5A aircraft, now popularly in Canada as a Canso, which Andy flew regularly during his time in the service.

Cansos were used by several different air forces around the world, including Canada, the U.S. and Britain. They were used in the Second World War to help in the Battle of the Atlantic to seek out and destroy enemy U-boats. But they were also used to help with search and rescue missions around the world, a legacy the campus hopes to tap into.

In fact, Andy was a well renowned Canso search and rescue pilot, carrying out several challenging post-war missions in British Columbia that earned him an award for bravery presented by Queen Elizabeth.

The Veterans House project has been in the making since 2013, with construction starting in September 2019. The pandemic delayed completion but the house is now open and already half full.

“People didn’t realize it was an issue,” Le said of veterans experiencing homelessness in Canada.

“Once people realize[d] that we have veterans living on our streets, there really [was] a strong support for doing something about it.”

Le, who has worked on the project since its inception in 2013, credited the community and all three levels of government for coming together to build Veterans’ House.

It’s expected to house 40 veterans when full.


• Video Link


Canso Investment Council is an investor in Postmedia, which owns this newspaper.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-new...ans-house-receives-donated-canso-cockpit

[rocketphish]

Ottawa Community Housing Corporation (OCH) is proposing the development of their parcel in Wateridge Village, municipally known as 715 Mikinak Road, which is bound by Hemlock Road to the north, Bareille-Snow Street to the west, Mikinak Road to the south, and Michael Stoqua Street to the east.

The proposed development consists of two seven-storey buildings (Buildings A & B) fronting onto Hemlock Road and Barielle- Snow Street, as well as a four-storey building (Building C) fronting onto Mikinak Road. The proposed use is primarily residential (271 units), with additional community-focussed non-residential space allocated on the ground floor of each building. The triad of buildings are arranged to provide an active street frontage on Hemlock Road and Mikinak Road. Building A is “L-shaped” and steps down to three-storeys on the Barielle-Snow Street frontage, whereas Building B is a block of seven-storeys and steps down to six-storeys as it approaches Mikinak Road and Building C. Buildings A and B both have a 2-meter step back at the fourth storey facing the street to provide building articulation and a visual base.

A total of 122 parking spaces are proposed on the subject property: 96 residential spaces and 26 visitor spaces. A total of 6 barrier-free parking spaces are provided. A total of 210 bicycle parking spaces are proposed on site, including 206 residential spaces (116 indoor and 90 outdoor spaces), as well as 4 outdoor commercial spaces.

Not the Architect: RLA Architecture
Architect: IBI Group


Development application:
https://devapps.ottawa.ca/en/applications/D07-12-21-0068/details

Location:




Siteplan:




Renderings:

[J.OT13]

Colour!? Not RLA!? Has the world gone mad!!!!???

Proposed total of 271 units, so parking ratio is not completely off. Good to see more bike parking than car parking (though again, should be 2:1 for bike parking).

Overall, good proposal. OCH is on a roll. We need to keep this up.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Colour!? Not RLA!? Has the world gone mad!!!!???

Proposed total of 271 units, so parking ratio is not completely off. Good to see more bike parking than car parking (though again, should be 2:1 for bike parking).

Overall, good proposal. OCH is on a roll. We need to keep this up.

I don’t think the bike parking ratio matters so much. You can put a bike in your unit.

I’m not sure if we are working to eliminate cars why people who can’t afford to pay for their own housing are getting any parking spots. I know there are cheap vehicles and people with far flung jobs and enough kids to make them eligible but given how many working poor have to schlep on the bus from their distant rental apartments it always is surprising to see some very nice cars parked in community housing.

[khabibulin]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

I don’t think the bike parking ratio matters so much. You can put a bike in your unit.

I’m not sure if we are working to eliminate cars why people who can’t afford to pay for their own housing are getting any parking spots. I know there are cheap vehicles and people with far flung jobs and enough kids to make them eligible but given how many working poor have to schlep on the bus from their distant rental apartments it always is surprising to see some very nice cars parked in community housing.

Based on locations of gang activity I think it is safe to say that many of the owners of those nice cars parked in community housing have income that is "off the books".

[McDonald's Racoon]

Everyone always complains about the black and white bricks and cries out for more colours but is this really what you were looking for? Personally I feel like there's no rhyme or reason to the placement or the colours used, making the entire complex look like a childrens hospital or something... It may grow on me overtime but my initial opinion is that it looks odd.

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by McDonald's Racoon

Everyone always complains about the black and white bricks and cries out for more colours but is this really what you were looking for? Personally I feel like there's no rhyme or reason to the placement or the colours used, making the entire complex look like a childrens hospital or something... It may grow on me overtime but my initial opinion is that it looks odd.

I doubt that this is what most people want either. The seemingly random over-use of colour here is clearly an attempt to disguise the fact that these are low-budget boxes of buildings with little architectural merit. Sadly, very few architects seem to have figured out how to make a classy-looking social housing project.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by McDonald's Racoon

Everyone always complains about the black and white bricks and cries out for more colours but is this really what you were looking for? Personally I feel like there's no rhyme or reason to the placement or the colours used, making the entire complex look like a childrens hospital or something... It may grow on me overtime but my initial opinion is that it looks odd.

They could tone it down a bit, but I'm happy with this. It's a refreshing change. Just as long as we don't see dozens all over the city.