Building LeBreton Flats - Master Planning

[flavour_town]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

That entire shoreline is artificial.

I'm just stating what I read in a government document.

That stretch of land is pretty heavily used by nesting geese. They also have signs on the stretch supporting that, that it's important to local wildlife.

[AuxTown]

This is super promising news!

https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/ncc-says-talks...flats-despite-sale-of-senators-1.6237626

NCC says talks on schedule for NHL arena at LeBreton Flats, despite sale of Senators

The head of the National Capital Commission says he's optimistic it will finalize a long-term lease with the Ottawa Senators for an arena at LeBreton Flats this fall, even with the franchise up for sale.

NCC CEO Tobi Nussbaum says talks continue with the Senators senior management on a long-term lease agreement to build an arena on the land west of downtown Ottawa.

"We're in a period now of due diligence and further discussions on the basis of the MOU that was signed in June last year," Nussbaum said.

"We're feeling very optimistic, and the intention is still to have a formal lease signed in the fall of 2023."

Nussbaum says the NCC has had no discussions with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman or prospective owners on a new downtown arena.

"Clearly, we are very excited to meet the new owners, whoever they may be," Nussbaum said.

"In the meantime, I do need to stress that the conservations and the process continues with the senior management team of the Ottawa Senators."

The NCC's Board of Directors received an update on talks with Capital Sports Development Inc. on Thursday as part of a presentation on Building LeBreton Flats.

"They are continuing their due diligence work to understand the site conditions and also advancing design work by undertaking a fit test and massing analysis for its proposal," NCC Chief of Planning and Engagement Laura Mueller said.

"Identification of programmatic needs for the development and the facility is also underway."

Last June, the NCC announced it reached a memorandum of understanding with a consortium led by the Senators to build an area surrounded by mixed-use development on the six-acre parcel of land west of downtown Ottawa.

In November, the Senators announced the club and Canadian Tire Centre was up for sale, sparking interest from several groups and individuals, including Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds.

Mueller insists the sale process has not disrupted talks between the NCC and Capital Sports Development on a new arena.

"While this process is underway, I can assure you that we remain optimistic that our discussions will lead to a long-term lease agreement by fall of 2023, this fall," Mueller said Thursday afternoon.

"And, of course, we'll continue to provide updates on the project to the board and the public in the coming months."


Postmedia reported this week that New York-based banker Galatioto Sports Partners are expected to open the due-diligence website this week to allow prospective buyers to look at the team's finances. Bettman said in December that more than a dozen potential bidders signed a non-disclosure agreement to view the Senators' finances.

Senators Sports and Entertainment said a condition of any sale would be that the team remains in Ottawa. The winning bidder for the Senators would also have the opportunity to build a new arena at LeBreton Flats, if the lease agreement is finalized.

Nussbaum says the NCC has a very "positive" relationship with the current management of the Senators, and they are "very clear" there will be new owners at some point.

"But the message that we've heard is there's an expectation that there will continue to be interest by new owners in the team to proceed with the construction of a downtown arena. So there's no cause for concern," Nussbaum said.

"Yes, clearly a change of ownership is a major step in this process; but as I say, very much looking forward to meeting the new owners and continuing the discussion with the goal of having a lease signed in the fall of this year."

The six-acre parcel of land for the arena is on Albert Street between City Centre Avenue and Preston Street, between two LRT stations. In December, the NCC launched a request for expressions of interest for the land, as well as another smaller site farther north, seeking "bold and transformational" ideas.

The Senators-led consortium for the NHL arena at LeBreton Flats includes Sterling Project Development, Populous, Tipping Point Sports and Live Nation.

Nussbaum said the new owner of the Ottawa Senators would decide when construction begins on the new arena, and when it will open for the public.

"Ultimately since we're talking about a lease that the organization itself will be the leasee, it will be their decision in terms of establishing a timeline for construction," Nussbaum said. "Obviously, there will be a number of important planning elements to get done before then.

[rocketphish]

NCC confident it will have a lease for LeBreton Flats in place with Senators new owner by fall

Bruce Garrioch, Ottawa Citizen
Published Jan 19, 2023 • 4 minute read

The sale of the Ottawa Senators hasn’t halted the pursuit of a new downtown arena.

The National Capital Commission’s board of directors were told during their virtual meeting Thursday that talks continue to get a lease agreement in place and “progress” has been made with the Senators for a new rink on six-acre parcel of land at LeBreton Flats.

Capital Sports Development Inc. (CSD), the umbrella group of the Senators, won preferred bidder status from the NCC during the board of directors meeting in June. The two sides have signed a memorandum of understanding and work has continued on the project since then.

The NCC’s board was told by Laura Mueller, the chief of planning and engagement for the LeBreton Flats project, they remain confident they’ll have lease deal in place by the fall.

“In November, it was announced that the Ottawa Senators will be put on the market for sale with the condition of the sale being that the team remain in Ottawa,” Mueller said. “While this process is underway, I can assure you that we remain optimistic that our discussions will lead to a long-term lease agreement by fall of 2023.”

The sale of the Senators is under way and sources say the New York-based banker Galatioto Sports Partners (GSP) opened up the due diligence website Tuesday to allow those parties interested to look at the club’s books.

While the league was hoping to open the data room Dec. 1, it was delayed because GSP didn’t have all the financial information it needed from the late Eugene Melnyk’s estate and the NHL’s vetting process is difficult.

Tobi Nussbaum, the chief executive officer of the NCC, said it will be up to the new owner to sign off on the lease. League sources have told this newspaper potential buyers have been told by the league they have to build a downtown arena.

“The lease, when it’s signed, we would have already have a new ownership group in place,” Nussbaum said Thursday. “The indication we’ve heard from the senior management team is that the (Senators) continue to be very excited about the prospect an events centre at LeBreton Flats.

“We’ve had no indication to the contrary, and when I read (Postmedia), I’m also hearing the league is very interested in having a downtown arena so we have no areas of concern. All of the signals are positive and we have no worry that there will be a change of approach or a change of direction under a new ownership group.”

Nussbaum is right because there’s no question both sides want this deal to get done. He said that negotiating with a team that is in the process of selling does add another layer to talks but the reality is it won’t be a roadblock to getting a lease in place.

Since signing the MOU, Senators’ president of business operations Anthony LeBlanc and chief financial officer Erin Crowe have taken NCC officials on site tours of the Rogers Place Arena in Edmonton and Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle to .

Nussbaum said the NCC hasn’t had any discussions with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman or deputy commissioner Bill Daly since the Senators received preferred bidder status. Nor, have he and board chairman had a phone call with Vancouver-born actor Ryan Reynolds about his potential ownership.

“We haven’t engaged in conversation with potential buyers. That’s not our role at this stage,” Nussbaum said. “Mr. Seaman and I are eager to meet the new owners once that process is completed. In the meantime, I need to stress that conversation and process continues with the senior management of the Ottawa Senators.”

Nussbaum said dealings with Crowe and LeBlanc have been excellent.

“The key the key answer to that question is really that we’ve got a senior management team in place that is very capable, competent and we’ve got a positive relationship,” Nussbaum said. “They’re clear that they will have there will be new owners at some stage, hopefully in the in the coming months. But the message that we’ve heard is there is an expectation that there will continue to be interest by new owners of the team to proceed with the construction of a downtown arena.

“There’s no cause for concern. Yes, clearly a change of ownership is a major step in this process, but as I say, we’re very much looking forward to meeting the new owners and continuing the discussion with the goal of having a lease signed in the fall of this year.”

So, when will shovels be in the ground? That’s the billion-dollar question, but there’s a couple of hurdles that need to be cleared before it can be answered.

“That’s really difficult to forecast, and ultimately, we’re talking about the lease, that the organization itself will be the lessee, and it will be their decision in terms of establishing a timeline for construction,” Nussbaum said. “There will be number of important planning of elements to get done before then.

“But this is an example of it won’t be the NCC determining the construction schedule, it will ultimately be the Senators themselves.”

[email protected]
Twitter.com/sungarrioch

https://ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/...wcm/2d78d7fc-9856-494c-908f-29fcedb25fa6

[roger1818]

This video was posted about a year ago, but it is worth a watch. If the Sen's do build an arena at LeBreton, I hope they incorporate many of the features of these top 10 arenas.

spoiler:

Interestingly, he does mention Ottawa a couple times (the CTC doesn't make the top 10. Shocker LOL).

• Video Link

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by acottawa

60th anniversary of Lebreton expropriation was last year, and it is still 80% wasteland.

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

20% not-wasteland is almost progress by NCC standards.

Responding to these posts from the Wellington thread here.

Considering what we got from the 2000s process with Claridge, and many of the other "master plans" over the years, maybe we should be happy it took this long.

Towers in a park:



Highway interchange:



Garbage incinerator:



Suburbia:



Claridge copy-paste:


http://urbsite.blogspot.com/2016/01/lebreton-flats-better-54th-time-around.html

Then only good plan in 60 years was RVL. I'd argue RVL was probably better than the current plan, but the current plan is far better than any of the other proposals over the last half century+.

[GeoNerd]

I’d love to see the rest of that freeway proposal. Where does it go to the west? Looks like it included an extra river crossing and used the rail corridor south. This would have drastically changed the city. Big 1950’s to 60’s auto focussed vibe.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by GeoNerd

I’d love to see the rest of that freeway proposal. Where does it go to the west? Looks like it included an extra river crossing and used the rail corridor south. This would have drastically changed the city. Big 1950’s to 60’s auto focussed vibe.

https://m.facebook.com/LostOttawa/photos...-ottawas-traffic-probl/3235936586505543/


https://www.reddit.com/r/ottawa/comments/kractl/how_different_do_you_think_ottawa_would_be_had/

[SL123]

A 17 lanes sunken Expressway....wow we dodged a bullet on that one! This would've been so horrible

Originally Posted by J.OT13

https://m.facebook.com/LostOttawa/photos...-ottawas-traffic-probl/3235936586505543/


https://www.reddit.com/r/ottawa/comments/kractl/how_different_do_you_think_ottawa_would_be_had/

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by SL123

A 17 lanes sunken Expressway....wow we dodged a bullet on that one! This would've been so horrible

You took the words out of my mouth. We complain about how badly the Queensway divides the city and how bad traffic is on King Edward, but it could have been much, much worse.

EDIT: So the Chief William Commanda bridge was supposed to be turned into a freeway, along with what is now the Trillium line north of the Queensway? WOW!

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by roger1818

EDIT: So the Chief William Commanda bridge was supposed to be turned into a freeway, along with what is now the Trillium line north of the Queensway? WOW!

Yup! I feel like there were a few highway plans that would have used the now Trillium Line for the "Champagne Expressway".

All that to say, I'm glad the NCC dragged its feet for over a half century before getting serious about LeBreton. I know some of you aren't particularly happy with the amount of parkland, but at least it's not a super highway interchange or a bunch of suburban townhomes.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Responding to these posts from the Wellington thread here.

Considering what we got from the 2000s process with Claridge, and many of the other "master plans" over the years, maybe we should be happy it took this long.

How hard is it to just plonk an urban street grid down and start building? And why, whenever Ottawa has a golden opportunity to redevelop a large central land assembly, do we keep going with suburban morphologies?

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by roger1818

This video was posted about a year ago, but it is worth a watch. If the Sen's do build an arena at LeBreton, I hope they incorporate many of the features of these top 10 arenas.

spoiler:

Interestingly, he does mention Ottawa a couple times (the CTC doesn't make the top 10. Shocker LOL).

• Video Link

Great video for sure. Provides some excellent examples of how to integrate an arena within a mixed-use urban fabric quite nicely. It's interesting how he dislikes plazas though; I understand that they can sometimes be desolate wind-swept places however, they also serve an important purpose for crowd control and celebrations.

Some comments on his top ten:

Barclays

I find they did a great job integrating the arena on an odd shaped lot however, it's architecture is quite jarring. I would probably not want something that flashy at LeBreton.

Chase

Chase is another one that announces itself as an arena however, being behind a few buildings, it's not quite as bad. I also like how the plaza is protected by buildings on all four sides; probably not a necessity in San Fran, but that would be very appreciated in Ottawa's cold and windy winters.

Nationwide

A little plain for my taste, but well woven into the urban fabric. Wouldn't even know it's an arena.

Note, it's interesting that the street is named for Nationwide Insurance as well. Wonder if the City gets paid for the naming rights.

Madison Square Garden

No obvious parking, but I think that it's overrated on this list. Other than it's location and transit access, it doesn't really have any redeeming features. Worse when you remember what it replaced.

Little Caesars

They did a fantastic job making the facades look like a a series of individual buildings, creating a more interesting street front. Again, can't really tell it's an arena.

Molson Centre

It always looked like a building more than an arena, if maybe a bit on the plain side, but certainly having the new towers all around it has improved it's surroundings quite a bit.

American Airlines Centre

More of a traditional look, but not a huge fan. Seems to be in an awkward spot. Ground level seems quite dead.

MTS Centre

It's Portage Avenue is well done. Height matches some of the surrounding buildings, The architecture is nice, but not overstated. It has active usage on the street (though Moxies is set to close, or is closed). However, the other three faces are quite dead and desolate.

TD Garden

When it was built, the south face was a blank wall and that area once occupied by the old Boston Garden was a parking lot however, it was filled by new towers within the last decade, which hides the blank wall and the arena. Only an entrance between the two towers is now visible. For sure my favourite integration.

Capital One Arena

It fits well within a city block, it has two relatively active fronts. Architecture does suggest an arena, but not overly so. Pretty decent.

Ottawa made the list of dishonorable mentions, along with Calgary.

He mentioned Toronto and Vancouver in passing (something along the lines of, next is a Canadian arena, but certainly not...) but I find both deserve more respect. More than MSG and American Airlines at least. Vancouver is in an awkward spot between two highway ramps (for a highway that was never built) and has quite a bit of parking around it however, they did add a tower on the corner and across the viaduct, and it well served by transit.

ACC I quite like, with the Bay Street façade integrating an old Canada Post sorting plant (though no active use) and the Raptors Way face being obviously an arena, but not overbearing. Maple Leaf Square seems like a relatively interment public space. Having it between the tracks and the highway was well planned considering arenas usually have at least one blank/dead façade anyway.

[rocketphish]

City of Ottawa shouldn't help fund an NHL arena at LeBreton Flats
This isn't comparable to Lansdowne. The city has no financial interest in the Canadian Tire Centre and no financial interest in the NCC-owned LeBreton site.

Randall Denley, Ottawa Citizen
Published Feb 21, 2023 • Last updated 13 minutes ago • 3 minute read

Compared to the last few dismal years, these are heady times for the Ottawa Senators.

The team is on a roll, so much so that squeaking into the playoffs is not an entirely ludicrous hope. New owners, the NHL reports, will pony up somewhere between $800 million and $1 billion U.S. to buy the team and the right to develop a new arena on LeBreton Flats. Actor Ryan Reynolds might even be involved in the new ownership group. How much better can things get?

Not to spoil the party, but there is one troubling issue that will need to be resolved before we can realistically imagine Sens’ captain Brady Tkachuk circling the ice at the new LeBreton rink, Stanley Cup raised high.

It will be surprising if the team’s new owners don’t look for either a financial contribution from the city or some kind of public-private risk-sharing partnership. In Calgary, the city and the Flames are negotiating just such a deal.

Prepare to hear a lot about the jobs the LeBreton construction project will create, the spin-off development around the arena, the massive increase in concerts and other events, and the intangible civic pride dividend of having a shiny new arena downtown.

We will also be reminded that it’s laughable to have an NHL arena in Kanata, a location frequently described as “the middle of nowhere,” even by local people who ought to know better. One can perhaps excuse the professional sports announcers who frequently tell their viewers that Kanata is “near” Ottawa. After all, it has only been part of the city for 22 years.

We have been told for several years that the Senators’ attendance problems were due to the arena’s location, although that didn’t seem to be an issue in the years when the team was worth watching. Attendance this year has rebounded to 16,400 per game, up from 12,618 in 2019-20, the last pre-pandemic year. And yet the Canadian Tire Centre hasn’t moved an inch.

The LeBreton site’s central location and LRT accessibility are seen as big pluses. The unreliability of LRT has raised questions about that, but so does the lack of car access. Those who have experienced the transit scrum that follows a RedBlacks game will have a sense of the problem of moving a large number of people by transit in a short period of time.

Supporters of a city contribution will point to the arrangement the city has at Lansdowne Park, where it put up the money to rehabilitate the football stadium on the premise that it would get it back through ticket surcharges and increased tax revenues.

The difference between the two deals is that the football stadium was city-owned, part of the dilapidated mess that was the former Lansdowne Park. The city had to do something. The city has no financial interest in the Canadian Tire Centre and no financial interest in the NCC-owned LeBreton site.

The scope of the projects is quite different, too. The city committed $210 million to Lansdowne, which covered the stadium rebuild, the parking garage and the urban park. New NHL arenas for the New York Islanders and Seattle Kraken have come in at about $1 billion U.S.

Our city government is in a financial hole. This year’s budget projects a transit deficit of $39 million due to ridership that remains well below pre-pandemic levels. The city hopes it will get a bailout from the federal and provincial governments but that won’t happen indefinitely. A big reckoning is coming on transit. It’s hardly the time to add new spending.

As much as some of us would like a new arena at LeBreton, it’s pretty difficult to justify a taxpayer “investment.” One hopes that the team’s rich new owners, whoever they are, realize that. It would take a lot of gall to spend a billion dollars on a hockey team, then ask for city help to build an arena. That doesn’t mean it won’t happen.

Randall Denley is an Ottawa political commentator and author. Contact him at [email protected]

https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/denley...help-fund-an-nhl-arena-at-lebreton-flats

[J.OT13]

The City does have some financial interest.

Prepare to hear a lot about the jobs the LeBreton construction project will create, the spin-off development around the arena, the massive increase in concerts and other events, and the intangible civic pride dividend of having a shiny new arena downtown.

These are true benefits of a downtown arena. It may also give us an opportunity to develop something interesting out in Kanata.

The LeBreton site’s central location and LRT accessibility are seen as big pluses. The unreliability of LRT has raised questions about that, but so does the lack of car access. Those who have experienced the transit scrum that follows a RedBlacks game will have a sense of the problem of moving a large number of people by transit in a short period of time.

Another major benefit of a downtown arena is the increased ridership on the O-Train. Imagine if 50% of patrons take transit (assuming this is a low estimate), that could be nearly a million more trips on transit per year.

Comparing this to the RedBlacks is a non-starter. We're comparing a 24k stadium in an area with no rapid transit service v. an 18k arena served by two rapid transit lines going three directions. Let's hope that issues on the Confed are resolved by then.

The scope of the projects is quite different, too. The city committed $210 million to Lansdowne, which covered the stadium rebuild, the parking garage and the urban park. New NHL arenas for the New York Islanders and Seattle Kraken have come in at about $1 billion U.S.

This doesn't include the $332 million OSEG is asking from us today.

As much as some of us would like a new arena at LeBreton, it’s pretty difficult to justify a taxpayer “investment.” One hopes that the team’s rich new owners, whoever they are, realize that. It would take a lot of gall to spend a billion dollars on a hockey team, then ask for city help to build an arena. That doesn’t mean it won’t happen.

With all that said, I kind of agree with the above.

I do hope the City does help in some way by expediting the process, offering tax incentives or some sort of a loan. The City could ask for ticket surcharges (as mentioned) or a percentage of the naming rights in return, for example. I'm certainly not expecting the City to buy an arena for the team, like Quebec did for Quebecor (where's that hockey team PKP?) or even a sweetheart deal like Edmonton, but we may need to assist somehow.

[hwy418]

Also the Redblack's only have 8 home games plus a few pre-season and potential playoff games versus the Senators' 41 home games plus 4 to 5 pre-season and possibility of anywhere from 2 to 14 home games in the playoffs - not even close attendance wise.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by hwy418

Also the Redblack's only have 8 home games plus a few pre-season and potential playoff games versus the Senators' 41 home games plus 4 to 5 pre-season and possibility of anywhere from 2 to 14 home games in the playoffs - not even close attendance wise.

The arena's overall benefits to the City is likely exponentially higher than all of OSEG's operations combined.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Comparing this to the RedBlacks is a non-starter. We're comparing a 24k stadium in an area with no rapid transit service v. an 18k arena served by two rapid transit lines going three directions. Let's hope that issues on the Confed are resolved by then.

Not to mention the fact that he doesn't have any actual criticism for Lansdowne, just talks about experiencing the difficulty of moving large numbers of people, whatever that means. Despite the lack of rapid transit, Lansdowne actually works very well with transit modal shares that dwarf the CTC.

[J.OT13]

Posted this on the pictures thread, though I think it's fitting here a well. The barren Flats could hopefully look far different in 10 years.

Some good skyline shots from CTV Photos of the Day.



https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/photo-gallerie...hotos-of-the-day-february-2023-1.6255966

[Spoonsy]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

City of Ottawa shouldn't help fund an NHL arena at LeBreton Flats
This isn't comparable to Lansdowne. The city has no financial interest in the Canadian Tire Centre and no financial interest in the NCC-owned LeBreton site.

Randall Denley, Ottawa Citizen
Published Feb 21, 2023 • Last updated 13 minutes ago • 3 minute read

not sure why randall denley opinion pieces are any more significant than any tom dick or harry writing a facebook comment

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by SL123

LeBreton wish list includes park, daycare, affordable housing

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/lebreton-flats-municipal-community-benefits-1.6176958

Anyone notice how the City is planning it's park over the second "major attraction" site, and that before the NCC had even launched its request for proposal for that site (and the site that the Sens ultimately won)?