809 Richmond | 75m | 24 fl | Approved

[waterloowarrior]

http://ottwatch.ca/devapps/D02-02-16-0030

[McC]

A real podium, crazy.

[cr872190]

Do you think designing generic, nondescript buildings like this require any thought?

[McC]

Sure it's classic Rod Lahey, he works in a pretty well-established (and narrow) range, at least for mid-sized residential projects. But there's an elegance in a simple, uncluttered design; especially for one with a medium profile like this. It has a base, a middle and a top; some variation in the materials and the mass, some functional looking balconies and a nice ratio of masonry to glazing. It should age well. If they were proposing 32-storey towers, I'd be inclined to agree that they might require some more razzle-dazzle, but at this scale, getting the podium right and some good spacing between the towers indicates a good thoughtful design for me.

[Kitchissippi]

Interesting, in the Richmond Road elevation diagram 747 Richmond which is slated for the LRT station entrance is shown with a high-rise that is slightly taller than the others. Is there something being planned here?

[McKellarDweller]

I thinks it's a fantastic proposal. Thanks for the post, waterloowarrior.

[waterloowarrior]

Smart for the owners to start the zoning process early.

For 747 Richmond there has been a history of proposals and OMB decision of the site. The site has special zoning to allow 10 storeys/38 metres. Unless there is a newer proposal out there?

[rocketphish]

Kristy’s Restaurant Inc. is proposing to construct a 16-storey mixed-use building with two residential towers sharing a three-storey podium with retail at grade. The proposed development was designed by Roderick Lahey Architects. The towers will be 51 metres tall, with a typical floor plate of 721m2. The total gross floor area (GFA) of the building is approximately 35,437m2 including 1043m2 of retail on the ground floor, 339m2 of amenity space, and 35.437m2 of underground parking.

The proposed development will be predominantly residential, and will include approximately 257 dwelling units.

The underground parking facilities contain 291 parking spaces and 158 bicycle parking spaces over three (3) levels, accessed from a driveway and ramp at the east end of the building’s frontage on Richmond Road.


Development application:
http://app01.ottawa.ca/postingplans/...appId=__06X6ED


Elevation:




Renderings:






Site Plan:




Aerial:

[J.OT13]

Nice, simple and near the subway. Looks good to me.

For 747 Richmond, I bet it's just a place holder based on the assumption something slightly taller will be built over the station.

IMO, it could end up 20 to 30 floors on that site.

[Beedok]

That's not replacing the half abandoned chinese restaurant right? (I don't know the area super well, but was passing through the other day.)

[rocketphish]

Application proposes two-tower condo complex to replace Kristy's restaurant

Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: May 13, 2016 | Last Updated: May 13, 2016 7:24 PM EDT

Kristy’s restaurant is on track for demolition now that the owner has submitted a plan to replace the building with a 16-storey complex.

The restaurant at 809 Richmond Rd. faced expropriation until recently when council signed off on a new blueprint for a western LRT extension. The city previously wanted to tunnel through the Kristy’s property, but a new tunnel route runs under Richmond Road, avoiding the site.

The surrounding community received word this week that the restaurant filed a development application at city hall to raze the building and build two residential towers connected by a three-storey podium. Retail stores would be in units on the ground floor.

Restaurant owner Walter Boyce said he was about two-thirds finished the rezoning application when the city altered the LRT route. He was working to co-ordinate the subterranean work on the property with the LRT office.

The good news for Kristy’s fans is the restaurant will eventually come back on the ground floor of the new complex.

“We would like to preserve the restaurant and our customers would like it as well,” Boyce said.

Local firm Roderick Lahey Architects is designing the buildings.

The development plan calls for 257 residential units. There would be an underground parking garage with 291 vehicle spaces and 158 bicycle spaces.

The property is likely a good candidate for intensification since an LRT station will be located at the corner or Richmond Road and Cleary Avenue, a short walk east.

A community design plan calls for the property’s height limit to be between four and six storeys, with the western half having the lower limit. A planning rationale filed with the city argues that the LRT plans have “changed the context for the site.”

Boyce expects it won’t be until 2018 at the earliest that construction begins on the new development if he receives the necessary planning approvals.

jwilling@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JonathanWilling

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-...tys-restaurant

[Richard Eade]

I would like to see the garage entrances for buildings along this stretch moved onto Cleary Ave. Since the City was planning to expropriate the Dave Rennie’s Autocare, maybe they should continue with that idea and loop Cleary through to Sherbourne Road.



In this idea I have closed the Redwood Avenue extension to Richmond so it would stop at Byron. This should reduce the cut-through traffic along Redwood and moves it back onto the more major street, Sherbourne. Sherbourne Road is also the road that would take people up to the 417 interchange at Maitland.

Looping Cleary provided a convenient way for people to drop off / pick up transit passengers and doubles the number of accesses onto Richmond road for the Unitarian Church Complex. The two signaled intersections would act to slow traffic along Richmond and provide easier access for pedestrians.

If Cleary is looped, then the garage entrance for the proposed 809 towers could be off of Cleary, similar to the Continental’s garage access. Also, future development in between could also be accessed from Cleary, leaving the sidewalk along Richmond un-broken for pedestrians, except at the signalized intersections.

[Arcologist]

I've looked at the site of the Kristy's restaurant for years as being a prime location for a new condo development. I had no idea there was something being proposed until I read about it in a Citizen article about Council's fall orders of business.

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-...on-fall-agenda

I tend to disagree with some of the comments posted herein. While I like the simplicity of the design, the three-storey podium appears overpowering -- the third storey should be stepped back a little to provide some relief (and maybe even the 2nd storey, but definitely the third.) The towers themselves are too short and stubby -- bulky, really -- which would just add to the sense that something is bearing down on you, like a giant's arse about to sit down. I'd be in favour of having the top few floors be narrower in exchange for some added height on the easternmost tower (the one furthest away from the residential neighbourhood to the west of the site.)

[rocketphish]

An alternate proposal for 1x9 + 1x19 story towers has just been put forth. Here's some new imagery from the Open House display boards (Jan 11, 2017).


















Here's the original proposal for comparison:



http://webcast.ottawa.ca/plan/All_Im...y%20Boards.PDF

[McC]

so much for the "real podium."

[J.OT13]

At lest we're getting dome variation in height.

[citizen4829]

Change of design plan being put forward by the owner of Kristy's. He now plans to build ONE 24 story apartment building with a 5 story podium....29 STORIES IN TOTAL on the east side of the lot. States there will be approximately the same number of residential units as in the original 2 tower concept. I don't think current zoning will allow this height but you can be sure the developer will ultimately get what he wants. The owner of Kristy's has used the classic 'bait and switch' strategy here. Start out with two smaller towers that won't generate much objection in the neighbourhood and then propose the 29 story tower which was what they really wanted all along. Also, a single tower leaves the western portion of the Kristy's lot available for 'something else'.

The blue and white 'Application for Change' signs outside Kristy's currently propose two connected 16 story towers.

The Loblaw's superstore on Richmond Road used the 'bait and switch' strategy brilliantly. Start out by promising senior residences along Kirkwood Avenue and switch to more profitable apartments at a later date.

If Kristy's needs to appeal to the OMB (very doubtful) it will be 'done like dinner'.

Meanwhile all nearby residents will 'benefit' from the large shadowing effect and direct sun blockage cast by a 29 story tower, especially in the dark, dreary winter months./sarc.

The 160+ residents of The Continental at 75 Cleary Avenue, who had no knowledge of the proposed design change and were never consulted, will be directly effected by seasonal sun blockage especially those on the west side of the building and especially in winter months.

[Arcologist]

Of all the proposals, the 1x9 and 1x19 is the best...

[phil235]

Originally Posted by citizen4829

Change of design plan being put forward by the owner of Kristy's. He now plans to build ONE 24 story apartment building with a 5 story podium....29 STORIES IN TOTAL on the east side of the lot. States there will be approximately the same number of residential units as in the original 2 tower concept. I don't think current zoning will allow this height but you can be sure the developer will ultimately get what he wants. The owner of Kristy's has used the classic 'bait and switch' strategy here. Start out with two smaller towers that won't generate much objection in the neighbourhood and then propose the 29 story tower which was what they really wanted all along. Also, a single tower leaves the western portion of the Kristy's lot available for 'something else'.

The blue and white 'Application for Change' signs outside Kristy's currently propose two connected 16 story towers.

The Loblaw's superstore on Richmond Road used the 'bait and switch' strategy brilliantly. Start out by promising senior residences along Kirkwood Avenue and switch to more profitable apartments at a later date.

If Kristy's needs to appeal to the OMB (very doubtful) it will be 'done like dinner'.

Meanwhile all nearby residents will 'benefit' from the large shadowing effect and direct sun blockage cast by a 29 story tower, especially in the dark, dreary winter months./sarc.

The 160+ residents of The Continental at 75 Cleary Avenue, who had no knowledge of the proposed design change and were never consulted, will be directly effected by seasonal sun blockage especially those on the west side of the building and especially in winter months.

I don't really get why a switch from a senior's residence to "more profitable" apartments on the Loblaw's site is of concern to nearby residents. Are you suggesting that nearby residents should have a say in who occupies the building (which is replacing a parking lot), right down to the age of the occupants? Or is it the profitability of the venture that you are objecting to?

To distill your post on the 29-storey building down to its essence, your concern seems to be almost entirely around "sun blockage". The height of the building isn't necessarily the critical factor, as it is quite possible that two shorter buildings would have blocked more sun, particularly for adjacent properties. Is there a study that suggests that the podium design is appreciably worse? If not, I would suggest that an objection on the basis of height alone is misplaced.

It also strikes me as very odd that you would support your argument by stating that the occupants of another relatively new highrise were not consulted on the design change. Surely their building also causes the dreaded "sun-blockage" that you are complaining about, in particular to the southern exposure of older, shorter residential building directly to the north of it. Not the most compelling case ever presented here.

[citizen4829]

Originally Posted by phil235

I don't really get why a switch from a senior's residence to "more profitable" apartments on the Loblaw's site is of concern to nearby residents. Are you suggesting that nearby residents should have a say in who occupies the building (which is replacing a parking lot), right down to the age of the occupants? Or is it the profitability of the venture that you are objecting to?

To distill your post on the 29-storey building down to its essence, your concern seems to be almost entirely around "sun blockage". The height of the building isn't necessarily the critical factor, as it is quite possible that two shorter buildings would have blocked more sun, particularly for adjacent properties. Is there a study that suggests that the podium design is appreciably worse? If not, I would suggest that an objection on the basis of height alone is misplaced.

It also strikes me as very odd that you would support your argument by stating that the occupants of another relatively new highrise were not consulted on the design change. Surely their building also causes the dreaded "sun-blockage" that you are complaining about, in particular to the southern exposure of older, shorter residential building directly to the north of it. Not the most compelling case ever presented here.

When a developer promises something the community wants (like seniors residences) they are more likely to get approval for their development. Changing things after approval is a straight forward 'bait and switch'. Not sure what you don't understand here? It has nothing to do with 'profitability' and everything to do with deception.

I happen to live in The Continental at 75 Cleary Ave. and a 29 story tower is a concern as it will cause 'sun blockage' in my unit (and many others) in the winter time. Two 16 story towers would not likely be a problem as they are placed directly in front of each other on the west side of this building and are 13 stories shorter.

My building was built over six years ago and the developer (Charlesforth) had extreme difficulty getting the height changed from 12 to 15 stories. Shadowing is clearly less with a 15 story building like mine than will happen with 29 stories. Why is 29 stories OK now but six years ago 15 was pushing it? Zoning laws have not changed in the past six years in this area.

I don't expect you to have any sympathy as you are not affected. You are however in a great position to pontificate, and I know you will continue with that agenda.