108 Nepean St & 257 Lisgar St | 83m | 27f | Proposed

[silvergate]

Originally Posted by passwordisnt123

Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal all get amazing new architecture. It seems to me like there's something in the process or some set of circumstances here that causes us to consistently get a different outcome. That suggests to me that the root problem lies somewhere locally rather than at the profession level.

They also get a lot of mediocre architecture. What's missing in Ottawa is the people who would actually pay to live in an overpriced condo because the outside is nice.

All those other markets are either huge or have the oil industry pumping funds in.

[rocketphish]

Builders propose mixed-use highrise for corner of O'Connor and Nepean streets

By: OBJ staff
Published: Jun 7, 2021 5:14pm EDT

A pair of prominent Ottawa construction and real estate firms are teaming up on a proposed Centretown highrise that would contain nearly 300 rental units.

In planning documents recently filed with the city, Glenview Homes and Taggart Realty Management say they want to build a 27-storey tower with a six-storey podium at the corner of O’Connor and Nepean streets.

The plan calls for 295 apartments in a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom units and about 1,300 square feet of ground-floor retail space to be built on what is now a parking lot.

The proposal includes 202 underground parking spaces and 432 enclosed spots for bicycles. Citing the site’s proximity to O’Connor Street’s dedicated cycling lanes, the planning application says the builders expect that “many residents of the development will feel encouraged to make regular use of a bicycle as opposed to a vehicle.”

Noting that the pandemic has led to a “renewed call for amenities in the place where you live, both inside and outside of your dwelling unit,” the developers say the ground floor could house a variety of potential tenants.

The list of proposed uses includes a cafe or commercial space, a co-working area, a makerspace, a dog wash station and a bicycle repair shop.

The application also says the top floor of the building will be devoted to an enclosed amenity space with four rooms “that can be tailored to meet the needs of residents” and are “adaptable over time.”

The project is a joint venture between the two developers. Taggart is slated to build the project, and Glenview will manage the property once construction is completed.

The developers are requesting a number of zoning amendments to accommodate reduced setbacks and a wider range of commercial uses for the property.

https://www.obj.ca/article/real-esta...nor-and-nepean

[Harley613]

[J.OT13]

[postingaboutottawa]

[IMG][/IMG]

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UDRP for the project is up. Updated design with tons of renderings, imo doesn't look so bad. This forum loves to suffer at the hands of RLA but when they get a developer who wants to spend a bit of money (Soho Italia, 2030 Scott) the buildings look nicer then Hobin's "house style" and if not inspired then certainly quality.

[J.OT13]

This is actually quite nice. Well done RLA!

Do you have a link to the UDRP?

I agree, Hobin's designs are getting lazy. Every tower looks the same nowadays. The three on Bank and Riverside with the near identical design are concerning. Don't get me wrong, I love the Lofty proposal that was approved last week. Fantastic podium design that breaks into blocks. But the other two across the street are just picking-up the same general look + lots of surface parking.

[postingaboutottawa]

It's on devapps. You can find a list of projects submitting to the udrp every month on the city website.

https://devapps.ottawa.ca/en/applica...1-0042/details

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by postingaboutottawa

It's on devapps. You can find a list of projects submitting to the udrp every month on the city website.

https://devapps.ottawa.ca/en/applica...1-0042/details

Thanks for that. Looks great. Too bad they can't push for a few extra floors...

[SL123]

looks great! between that one, the loop, Tribeca and the Medical art building, this block surely will become the most densely populated part of Ottawa for a time?!?

[JayBuoy]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

From the Centretown CDP.


https://centretownbuzz.com/2013/06/a...ns-and-losses/


http://urbanstrategy.staging.wpengin...ages_slide.jpg

Off topic but, I think the areas west of Kent and also the golden triangle could stand to have greater intensification. It doesn't have to be a 27 storey tower to be effectual. 4-7 storey multi-unit should be the goal to retain the human-scale character, as you say.

[OTSkyline]

^Agreed. The issue is those areas are pretty well built out at the moment (very few open or vacant lots) and the homes there (even though old) are expensive - making buying up a few lots to build these kinds of 4-6 medium density buildings unfeasible due to costs.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by OTSkyline

^Agreed. The issue is those areas are pretty well built out at the moment (very few open or vacant lots) and the homes there (even though old) are expensive - making buying up a few lots to build these kinds of 4-6 medium density buildings unfeasible due to costs.

Lots of opportunity for that kind of infill along the arterials though - Kent, Lyon, Bronson, Somerset, Gladstone.

[McKellarDweller]

The eastern +-35% of this building will be over what is now a large part of the underground parking for the existing Wentworth Plaza building (257 Lisgar), which extends under the current surface lot.
I am curious what the resulting underground plans will be like for the original and new buildings.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by phil235

Lots of opportunity for that kind of infill along the arterials though - Kent, Lyon, Bronson, Somerset, Gladstone.

I always disliked how they set up the Tim's/Beer Store combo at Somerset. Should be street-fronting stores with no parking on-site. Waste of space.

Otherwise, Gladstone has a ton of potential as has been pointed out many times on here before. Building up the Golden Triangle would be great in theory (centrally-located for everything, near to LRT at uOttawa) but difficult in reality as has been pointed out. Really feels as if intensification will push further west as Lebreton is filled in rather than pushing SE through Golden Triangle.

[Arcologist]

I'm glad this design has improved from the original. So much better!

Are we not far enough from the Parliamentary Precinct and viewplanes to allow for more than 27 stories? Like 30, or 33?

The one thing that Ottawa is severely lacking, and no thanks to the NCC's height limits, is a skyline. Everything is so uniform... looks like someone took a buzz saw and trimmed everything to the same height. The NCC should really reconsider their philosophies -- skylines DO identify a city. They put cities on the international map.

[rocketphish]

Here's all the latest imagery:

[AuxTown]

Wow, it almost looks interesting! Well done. I like the little roof detail and the angle to the South face. Will be a nice little infill.

[Arcologist]

Thank goodness it isn't Claridge that's building this, or we could pretty much guarantee that the angled balconies would disappear and that the whole building would somehow end up looking something like Andaz.

[J.OT13]

Urban Design Review Panel Comments:

108 Nepean Street & 257 Lisgar Street | Formal Review | Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment | rla / architecture; Fotenn Planning + Design; Taggart Reality Management; Glenview Homes

Summary

• The Panel thanked the proponent for the presentation; the design approach and parti concept are appreciated.
• The Panel expressed support for the proposed massing and the tower and podium expression, but the Panel notes some issues remain and need to be addressed.
• The Panel also expressed concerns with the landscape and the activation of the public realm. The Panel noted the proponent should re-examine the landscape plan to improve and increase activity level in the public realm.
• The Panel supported the activation of the edge adjacent to the existing Taggart property.

Massing and Articulation

• The Panel appreciated the tower and podium typology and the relationship of the tower form to the public realm that gives the impression that the tower is “reaching out its elbows”. The Panel suggested reducing the floor plate slightly so as not to overwhelm the public realm below.
• The 6-storey podium on Nepean Street is appreciated. However, the Panel recommended lowering the podium to 2 – 3 storeys on the south side and bringing the tower down to provide more separation distance between the lots.
• It is understood that the banding approach on the balconies resonates with the building to the south, but the Panel cautioned that this approach might diminish the corner. Wrapping the treatment on that corner around the edge would prevent the south elevation from appearing like a back alley.
• There was a suggestion to move the mechanical penthouse east on the building to align with the corner edge to create a feature.

Public Realm

• The Panel recommended the public realm treatment be simplified and urbanized. The proponent should consider the Right of Way on Nepean Street and design a public realm that is welcoming to pedestrians; a 1.8-metre clearway does not provide sufficient width for a sidewalk, especially if light poles, planters, and snow storage are to be considered within that dimension.
• The Panel cautioned that planters and trees would have difficulty flourishing as they appear to be too close to the building. There was a suggestion to provide greater setback along Nepean Street and O’Connor Street to provide more room for trees to grow.
• There was a suggestion to use soil cells to ensure trees thrive in an area with limited greenery.
• The Panel believes that retaining the existing trees would be beneficial and should be considered.
• The site provides a great opportunity to create a POPS at the corner that would enhance urban life. The corner at King and Charlotte in Toronto, and the POPS outside of Farm Boy on Metcalfe Street, were cited as precedents. These spaces are well used and contribute to a successful public realm.
• The POPS space should have a two-storey height and include the mezzanine as part of the commercial space.
• Consider removing the diagonal sidewalk patterning at the corner as it appears out of place. Maintain the public sidewalk adjacent to the site as a clear and legible thoroughfare rather than expressing it as an extension of the site’s design.
• The Panel suggests using a vertical screen for greening the ramp access to mitigate its presence and to give the appearance that the building is sitting in a landscape.

Materiality

• The Panel appreciated the rich red brick material, but the predominant grey tones in the palette appear to flatten the tower's massing.
• The Panel recommended the use of a curtain wall treatment to finesse the patterned glass in the panelling and the use of a window wall treatment behind the balconies.
• The Panel believes the glass element would be a stronger design expression if it were on the northwest corner.

Sustainability

• The Panel commended the proponent for burying the hydro lines, and support was expressed for the bicycle approach.
• There is an opportunity to implement sustainability measures on rooftops and terraces.
• From a safety perspective, consider adding more lighting on the street
  
  https://ottawa.ca/en/planning-develo...mmendationsand on the side and back of the building.

[rocketphish]

The revised proposed development consists of a 27-storey high-rise mixed-use building on a six-storey podium. A total of 308 dwelling units are now proposed with 120 m2 of commercial space at-grade along Nepean Street, and 178 underground parking spaces accessed from O’Connor Street. The development also provides 308 (1:1 ratio) enclosed bicycle parking spaces both within the underground parking levels and within the ground floor with direct outdoor access. Significant private and communal amenity space is included throughout the building with additional space now also provided within an enclosed rooftop area.

https://devapps.ottawa.ca/en/applica...1-0042/details