uOttawa Campus Master Plan

[Capital Shaun]

Many buildings from that era also have asbestos everywhere in them.

Montpetit Hall certainly is a neat looking building.

[Capital Shaun]

Originally Posted by Aylmer

I'm thrilled that they're going to get rid of most of the old, brutalist slabs! Beyond the aesthetics, those buildings are labyrinths on the inside, unintuitive on the outside and the nooks and crannies they create so freely are downright sketchy at most hours of the day. I see this as a huge step forward.

Labyrinths seem the norm with post war government / hospital / institutional / educational campuses. For example the Place du portage / Place du centre complex in Hull can be quite confusing if you don't already know the layout of the place.

[OTSkyline]

I like it! Especially the university plaza, the densification around Lees Station and redevelopment all along King Edward.

It's kind of weird to see such a proposal with ambition and drive. Most proposals we see are usually from the city or the NCC and are very bare-bones with no ambitious plan whatsoever...

[1overcosc]

This giant plan is in response to provincial funding. The government launched a $500M grant program for universities to renovate/replace buildings but they're insisting that universities prepare detailed plans of what needs replacing before giving any money. U of O is being very ambitious; they're probably going to end up getting money for only some of this as that $500M is being spent provincewide. I don't think U of O's wealthy alumni donor community is particularly large (though I may be wrong) so it may have a hard time raising funds from other sources to finish the rest.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by Aylmer

I'm thrilled that they're going to get rid of most of the old, brutalist slabs! Beyond the aesthetics, those buildings are labyrinths on the inside, unintuitive on the outside and the nooks and crannies they create so freely are downright sketchy at most hours of the day. I see this as a huge step forward.

Now I wish there was a better vision as to how the campus can connect with Rideau St. and Downtown - it's not the best of experiences currently and it would be nice if you could be surrounded by walkability from Mann to the Market or across the Canal. Ottawa's problem (or one of them) is that we've got these really nice areas which don't connect with each other.

U of O does feel isolated from the areas around it (the Sandy Hill neighbourhood, the Market/Rideau Centre, downtown, etc.) but then again so do most university campuses. Most other Canadian campuses located in comparably urban settings, like U of T or Queen's, are like this. But that's what enables the university to form such a strong community on its own.

By contrast, universities that are more tightly integrated with their surrounds (like Ryerson) have weaker school spirit and a weaker sense of intellectual community.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by Harley613

Wow. They are talking about tearing down half the university and rebuilding. This is pretty cool.

Memo to self: buy dynamite stock.

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

uOttawa will launch a major fund raising drive as of Alumni Week this May.
The goal will be in the 400-500 million range. I think that corporations , rather than individuals will be the main targets.

The buildings being talked about for demolition are :
-deteriorating
-maintenance and patching them up considered to be more expensive than they are worth
-some do not meet today's standards or laws concerning accessibility to institutional buildings.

A few details I have learned today

--The Learning Centre construction will probably not start until next year
---The University Plaza probably will start construction this June. They are designing some sort of removable cover ( a tent like one?) so that the plaza can be used for outdoor ceremonies holding 2000-2500 guests, such as spring convocations.

---The boat house and launching area on the Rideau at the Lees campus was an idea put forward by the recently retired Athletic Director. He dreamed of it becoming the home of a first class university rowing club.
--The recent new parking Lot G at the Lees Campus is projected to remain to accommodate activities at the Gee-Gee stadium and for people renting the Dome during the winter.

[1overcosc]

Can U of O get $500M? Seems like a lot for a university without a giant old money community backing it... case in point, places like McGill can typically only get $500M from a large-scale campaign. Corporations are typically not willing to donate as much as wealthy alumni are...

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

Can U of O get $500M? Seems like a lot for a university without a giant old money community backing it... case in point, places like McGill can typically only get $500M from a large-scale campaign. Corporations are typically not willing to donate as much as wealthy alumni are...

uOttawa had a major drive about 10 years ago. The goal then was 200 million and they raised 220 million.

A lot of corporate targets are ones where your alumni are major players.
For instance, the last I looked the management board of National Bank was heavy on uOttawa grads. The CEO of Air Canada is a uOttawa law graduate. The current CEO of Cirque de Soleil is a uOttawa alumnus. The wife of American multi-billionaire Henry Kravis (founder of equity firm KKR&CO) is a uOttawa economics graduate. and so on.

Of course alumni can donate in their own names, rather than
the names of the corps they control. Thus you have the Desmarais Building , not the Power Corp. Building (the corp that the Desmarais family controls) You have the Telfer School of Management rather than the Goldcorp Inc School of Management

[J.OT13]

Love the concept in general. The historic core (Tabaret) looks great, demolishing a few of the outdated concrete bunkers is always welcome, glad to see that concrete res' tower gone. Only thing I'm weary abut is King Edward; seems they could save at least a few of the nicer historic buildings.

[Urbanarchit]

While I'm a bit disappointed that some buildings are going to be demolished, I'm glad to see that these ugly residences are planned to be demolished as well.

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

Originally Posted by MoreTrains

Getting rid of Brooks? Holy Crap! And the skybridge between Montpetit and Lamoureux gone too, big changes.

And I gotta say I love the bridge from Lees to Robinson. Also the dock on the Rideau river from Lees.

However, do they not realize that all the greespace will look quite dead for most of the school year? Also, will the be replacing surface parking with sub-surface parking? If not, profs and students both will be quite unhappy... Also hoping for more underground/sky bridges between buildings for the winter months.

Here is what is said about parking:

Consistent with the vision of a pedestrian-friendly campus, surface parking on the
Downtown campus will be reduced over time. Where needed, new parking will
be located underground in bright, well designed garages under new buildings,
particularly on the west side of King Edward. The campus street network will
continue to provide access to existing and future loading and servicing areas.

[c_speed3108]

I am not surprised the Brook's residences don't have a long term future. They were cheaply constructed in the 80's and done so in a way that takes up a heck of a lot of prime land in the middle of campus. They seem to be pretty high maintenance as well. They have had major renos several years back and many other partial ones. Seems every summer there is construction going on.

I now understand buildings like Montpetit when considered from an accessibility standpoint.

I think somewhere I read that the plan is an approximately 50 year plan, so funding etc suddenly becomes less of a worry.


One building I would have liked to see go would be Morrisset. It is very ugly and brutalist looking. I suppose first a library visioning exercise is needed as libraries are moving away from being book warehouses.

I love the concept around Lees/Robertson. It looks really cool and will give the University awesome exposure around the highway.

[Harley613]

Originally Posted by defishel

While I'm a bit disappointed that some buildings are going to be demolished, I'm glad to see that these ugly residences are planned to be demolished as well.

They are ugly..but they still seem new to me. I guess I'm getting old haha.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

Almost all universities in Ontario have plans to either significantly renovate or tear down most of their buildings from that era. The provincial government allocated $500M provincewide for this type of work in last year's budget, so universities now have the money to do this.

U of O will see dramatic change as the bulk of its campus dates from this era.

$500M over 10 years for all universities in the province is better than nothing, but it hardly seems enough "significantly renovate or tear down most of their buildings from that era" The Social Sciences building (which doesn't have the expensive labs, etc of an engineering or science building) cost $112M by itself.

I sort of wonder what they're thinking in terms of paying for all of these new buildings. UofO has a small endowment and doesn't seem to attract a lot of big donors.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by acottawa

$500M over 10 years for all universities in the province is better than nothing, but it hardly seems enough "significantly renovate or tear down most of their buildings from that era" The Social Sciences building (which doesn't have the expensive labs, etc of an engineering or science building) cost $112M by itself.

I sort of wonder what they're thinking in terms of paying for all of these new buildings. UofO has a small endowment and doesn't seem to attract a lot of big donors.

Government funding is generally only used to cover a portion of the costs of a major project. Universities are typically able to cover a good chunk (for most of the past 20 years, often all) of capital expenses through major fundraising drives and their own income sources. That $500M grant program will likely only be paying for 20% of the costs of projects. It allows universities to accelerate their capital plans by giving them a bit more money to work with.

I too wonder about U of O is going to afford this. Not only does it have smaller revenue streams compared to others, as you said, this plan is also far more ambitious (and thus expensive) than comparable master plans at other universities.

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

0 Comment

12 Mar 2015 By Nadia Drissi E-Bouzaidi --The Fulcrum


A glance into the U of O’s future



Due to the University of Ottawa’s rapid expansion over the past two decades, alumni who visit campus often say they have trouble recognizing their alma mater.

There’s more soon to come. On March 10, the university unveiled its master plan for future development, promising current students a similar shock.

Urban Strategies Inc. held consultations with students the week prior, showing off new plans that include thousands of new residences, academic buildings, green spaces, and even campuses.

Several core facilities have been slated for demolition in the coming years, including the current University Centre, Brooks residence, Thompson residence, and much of the property along King Edward Avenue.

The university centre, named after the former student federation president Jock Turcot, who died in a car crash in 1965, was completed in 1973, and is one of the first buildings currently on the chopping block.

The first major change students will see this fall is a complete renovation of the central core of campus that includes the removal of the FSS parking lot, similar to the work done on the Tabaret lot.

“The university has quite high standards for green buildings,” said Tim Smith, senior associate at Urban Strategies, pointing to added green spaces, walkways, and cycling paths in lieu of existing asphalt roads.

Smith said “there shouldn’t be too many disruptions for students” while the project is in development.

There are no plans to add parking elsewhere, he said. Any new parking would “most likely be underground,” beneath buildings that will eventually be built along King Edward Avenue.

“Students and faculty and staff here use transit so well that there’s actually more parking on campus than what’s really needed, than what’s actually being used,” he said.

Other short-term projects are the new learning centre to be built next to Lamoureux, a consolidated health sciences building on Lees campus, the residence on Henderson Avenue currently under construction, the Arts Court redevelopment, additional development at Roger Guindon Hall, and a new university centre.

The university’s new plans also address its shortfall of residences on campus.

Smith said they hope to have 6,400 total residences in the next few years—3,000 more than they currently have. The construction will be mostly along King Edward and near Lees campus, he said.

The Henderson residence will house almost 200 students. The university is also competing with several private developers in the area who have taken advantage of the high demand for student housing in the downtown core. Long-term, the university is aiming to have up to 13,000 residences on its various properties.

The university has also set aside room for new athletic services, although it hasn’t set out any clear-cut plans for the near future. They do eventually plan to add several buildings with new gyms and facilities on Mann Avenue across from the Minto Sports Complex.

The master plan also aims to create more “complete” facilities at Lees, Alta Vista, and Robinson precincts, which includes services and businesses in addition to academic spaces. The city’s forthcoming light rail transit will help connect the separate campuses.

While the university’s plans aim to improve student experience at the U of O, current students will be long gone before most of the plans are implemented.

[J.OT13]

Plans for Lamoureux are already set in motion. uOttawa's application to the City to demolish a portion of the four storey building to build a six storey addition:

http://app01.ottawa.ca/postingplans/...appId=__0JREOC

Design brief and planning rational:

http://webcast.ottawa.ca/plan/All_Im...0Rationale.PDF

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by defishel

While I'm a bit disappointed that some buildings are going to be demolished, I'm glad to see that these ugly residences are planned to be demolished as well.

Wow - they didn't last long.

[rocketphish]

'Now we can dream': University of Ottawa reveals master plan

Emma Hyde, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: April 3, 2015, Last Updated: April 3, 2015 5:33 PM EDT



Sloping greenways filled with trees and bike paths lead down to the Rideau River, where a small boathouse and dock sit. Dedicated students pull out their rowing gear early in the morning. Later in the day, late-comers will take canoes out on the water.

With all the bike paths, walkways and the two LRT stations on the campus, the need for cars has been almost eliminated. King Edward Avenue bustles with people looking for something to do between classes, coming and going from book stores and cafés.

Welcome to the future of the University of Ottawa — or at least, the campus it hopes to achieve.

The university recently released its campus master plan, which lays out the development goals for the next 20 years. Officials began drawing up the plan about 2 1/2 years ago, and since then it has become a schoolwide initiative, with feedback from planning committees, board members, students and president Allan Rock — plus the involvement of development company Urban Strategies.

The plan is part of the school’s strategy plan “Destination 2020,” which aims to improve student experience, research enterprise and bilingualism on campus. The master plan is a preliminary look at what the University of Ottawa wants for the future.

“It’s a visionary exercise about what the campus can be,” said Marc Joyal, vice-president of resources at the University of Ottawa. “The exercise opened our eyes to what is the art of possibilities. Now, we can dream. We can expand, we can do different things. It doesn’t mean we are going to do all of those things, but at least it gives us a sense.”

The school says the plan is meant to encourage overall campus involvement, and that the hope is to introduce a new range of what it considers to be contemporary facilities, buildings with more than one use, to provide places where students and staff are able to go between work and class.



GREEN SPACE

For years, there has been no green development plan, and there has never been an open space master plan, said George Dark, managing partner of Urban Strategies, the company working with the university to bring the master plan to fruition. So the university is making an effort to listen to people on the subject and will do its best to integrate the river into the campus by offering parks and paths that lead up to it.

“We want to increase the amount of space and the quality of space for walking and biking,” said Dark. “Instead of there being a big sea of asphalt, we want more trees and parks and green.”

First on the lengthy to-do list to reach the far-off goal was the completion of the new Grande Allée in front of Tabaret Hall. What used to be a bumpy, broken walkway, is now a newly paved and clean extended pathway in front of the school’s most iconic building.

“Tabaret Hall is the university’s most … publicly recognized architecture symbol and image of the university,” said Joyal. “It’s a building that shows that we’re proud of our heritage and our history and that we’re moving forward with our future.”

The new social science building, completed in the fall of 2012, will be further improved by replacing the nearby parking lot with a more scenic and central open space to help in renewing the core of the university and making it more pedestrian friendly. Construction on the parking lot is expected to begin this spring and last until fall.

DEMOLITION U

But green space isn’t the only thing in the master plan. In the central core of the university, there are five or six new buildings that may be built.

Some old buildings, such as Brooks residence on King Edward and the Faculty of Health buildings, will be demolished and replaced. Others may be assessed and added to the list for demolition in later years, depending on how well they’ll stand up long-term.

In 1965, there were approximately 4,300 students at the school, which grew to around 15,000 by 1974. It was that 10-year period when many of the buildings were established. Although there have been buildings added since then, the core was originally intended for a much smaller population, so some will need to be replaced in order to accommodate the more than 50,000 people the university hopes will walk through its doors annually 20 years from now.

The buildings on 17.3 acres of land on Lees Avenue that the university purchased from Algonquin College are also on the list of buildings to be demolished. But for the time being, the old college buildings will be re-purposed to suit the university’s needs.



CAMPUS LIFE

Plans for small cafés, book stores, banks, and just an assortment of places to go and things to do on King Edward and Laurier are in the works in an effort to fully integrate the main road and build a strong face for the university.

Much of the plan aims to create multi-use spaces, such as parks, paths and buildings.

Multi-use buildings will incorporate academic purposes with office space, research and experiment areas, retail locations, and could house future partnerships with different institutes, NGOs and external research facilities.

“We’re a university, so that’s what we’re about; teaching, research, the transfer of knowledge, and having the opportunity to socialize and discover different things,” said Joyal. “It’s going to say to the world that the University of Ottawa is here and it’s ready to do research with other countries, other universities. It’s ready to receive students from all around the world, and it’s a great place to study, work, and live.”

The campus will be very pedestrian-friendly to encourage the use of the two LRT stations to be installed, one on campus where the current bus station stands and the other on Lees Avenue, once the trains are running in 2018.

Even after the 20 years are up, the school expects to keep evolving by continually updating the master plan.


University of Ottawa today

• 38 main buildings, with an average age of 65 years are owned by the university and are home to
  • 280 classrooms or seminar rooms;
  • 272 teaching laboratories; and
  • 830 research labs

• 8,327 staff members were employed at the university as of 2013
  • 5,542 Academic staff, including
  • 1,269 Regular academic staff
  • 4,273 Other academic staff (part-time professors, research fellows, librarians, etc.)
  • 2,785 Support staff

• 42,587 students were enrolled at the university as of 2013
  • 36,042 undergraduate students
  • 4,546 master’s students
  • 1,782 doctorate students
  • 217 other graduate students

• 77 per cent of students do not drive to school
  • 44 per cent use the transit system
  • 14 per cent arrive to school on foot
  • 11 per cent carpool
  • eight per cent use a bicycle

• 3,213 parking spots are available at the university
  • 1,242 of those are available in the school’s five parking garages
  • 1,971 are found at the 21 different outdoor lots.

• 4,000 beds will be offered in residence by September 2015, 600 more than they have now
  
  • 10 resident buildings will be available by September 2015
    • 1,326 beds in traditional rooms: LeBlanc, Marchand, Stanton and Thompson
    • 1,023 beds in studios and suites: 90 University and Friel
    • 939 beds in apartments: Brooks and Hyman Soloway
    • 120 beds in 24 houses: along King Edward Avenue and Henderson Avenue
  • 2 new “Traditional Plus” style buildings will be added
    • 172 beds in Henderson residence, found on Henderson Avenue
    • 500 beds in Rideau residence, to replace Quality Hotel at Rideau Street and King Edward Avenue
    • Features the traditional style residence with a bathroom or TV
    • Located in two new buildings, Henderson and Rideau
  • 4 types of residences
    • Traditional: Small room, with common kitchen and bathroom areas
    • Studios and Suites: Bedroom with private kitchenette and bathroom
    • Apartment: Bedroom, bathroom, full kitchen, living and dining area
    • House: Bedroom, bathroom, full kitchen, dining area and living room

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-...ls-master-plan