The Slater | 66.6 m | 22 fl | Completed

[Ottawan]

This is great news!

That's exactly where we need more condos - right in the heart of the CBD. Added to Mondrian, this should really create some nice residential traffic along the northern stretch of Bank Street. It's also a nice spot for a boutique hotel. Could it be a St. Germain?

Also - the render looks amazing. It could be the best looking building on Slater!

[kevinbottawa]

On one side of the coin, I'm glad that lot is being developed and think this project will be good for downtown. I'm also happy that between the Re, the Slater and potentially Le Germain, Ottawa is attracting more of these hotel and residence projects. But I'm not very excited about the design. It's not bad, but not wow either. Looks kinda institutional.

It's interesting this project is being proposed soon after Le Germain Group said they want to bring Le Germain and Alt to Ottawa. I wonder if that announcement had anything to do with this new proposal.

[McC]

I think it's understandable that it just looks "nice enough;" how much effort would you put into "wow-factor" on a building mid-block? (in Ottawa)

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

It's interesting this project is being proposed soon after Le Germain Group said they want to bring Le Germain and Alt to Ottawa. I wonder if that announcement had anything to do with this new proposal.

It's classic Ottawa; when something seems to be "in style" for Ottawa, we get flooded with it; waterparks, retail, office space and now where do we stand on hotels? The Re, 2 Germain hotels (Boutique and ALT), The Slater and likely a new huge chain hotel at the Rideau Centre.

That beign said, this is a way better design than the office tower. It's too bad for the Telus building; what a waste of prime downtown land.

[J.OT13]

BTW, why does every developer insist on saying “destined to become a landmark addition to the skyline” when the damn thing won't come close to piercing the skyline. Same goes for every building proposed u/c or recently completed within the CBD/downtown west (except for Cathedral Hill since it's on the edge).

[McC]

"Adding to the skyline" would probably work for most of the proposals/projects going in on Lisgar and Nepean, when viewed from the south, too. The best opportunities for buildings “destined to become a landmark addition to the skyline” are all of those vacant lots on the west side of the CBD.

[Abe Simpson]

Glad to see this happening. Ottawa definitely needs more boutique hotels. Plus it is a great location for one, will certainly bring more life along Bank St.!

[Harley613]

i don't understand...how can over half of the condo and hotel suites face walls...this is a terrible spot for a condo/hotel!

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Harley613

i don't understand...how can over half of the condo and hotel suites face walls...this is a terrible spot for a condo/hotel!

Maybe not half, but still a valid question.

There are plenty of condo buildings with one blank wall (Pinnacle, Mondrian, many currently proposed Richcraft projects...), so that might be the approach they go forward with; blank wall vs. blank wall. I just hope that wall won't be the full height of the building.

[Harley613]

pretty damned close to half...i'm not a mathematician but it appears to me that this boutique hotel/condo would have a lot of uninspiring views!

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Harley613

pretty damned close to half...i'm not a mathematician but it appears to me that this boutique hotel/condo would have a lot of uninspiring views!

Ya, you're right. But I'm sure they will figure it out; they can't be that stupid.

[Nepean]

Here's a story on the revised project from OpenFile Ottawa by our own kevinbottawa:

Downtown Ottawa could gain new hotel-condo tower

In recent years, condominium and office towers have begun to change the landscape of downtown Ottawa. With the many projects that have been proposed or approved recently, the trend will no doubt continue for years to come.

Last month, the city removed signage at 199 Slater Street that had informed the public of a proposed 16-storey office tower that had been planned for years. The project website was also taken down. That prompted some to speculate the project was dead.

That project is, in fact, dead—but a new one has taken its place.

Broccolini Construction recently updated its website with a new proposal for the site: a 21-storey condo and hotel tower called The Slater.

Broccolini’s website explains the project:

“The Slater is a sophisticated 21-storey tower that will comprise of private condominium residences and a Boutique Hotel. Located in the heart of Ottawa’s thriving downtown business district directly off Bank Street, The Slater is destined to become a landmark addition to the skyline at the centre of urban life.”

The proposed tower was designed by local architecture firm Richard Chmiel Architects and Associates, whose portfolio includes the World Exchange Plaza, the new Export Development Canada building, and The Slater’s neighbour, the Telus building at 215 Slater St.

According to Broccolini, this project will launch in the fall with a presentation gallery and model suite.

As far as I know, this project is the second major hotel and condo development proposed for the business district after Ashcroft’s re Hotel and Residences on Sparks Street. The latter has yet to break ground after over two years on the market, and many more years of planning.

There are rumblings about more hotel/condo developments in the core: in May, Quebec City–based Groupe Germain went public with its interest in bringing both Le Germain and Alt brands to Ottawa in the next few years.

What these projects show is that Ottawa is slowly becoming a market for combination hotel-residence developments that have sprouted in larger cities over the past few years.

While they’re not the “400 to 500 room marquis hotel complex in the downtown core” that Mayor Jim Watson wanted to support the convention centre and attract tourists, they will have a big impact on our downtown.

Perhaps the biggest impact projects like The Slater will have is bringing foot traffic and patrons to a part of the city that’s desperate for life during off-hours. One of the constant criticisms we hear about our business district is that it’s often dead on evenings and weekends.

The reason I’m excited is because this means Ottawa is breaking into new ground; we’re evolving as a city. Our downtown is actually growing, while those of some American cities have stagnated or regressed.

While I’m not overly excited by the design of The Slater, it’s better than most of the buildings in the downtown core, and it will inject some modernism into an area that can definitely use it.

Now, if they could only add another fifteen storeys, we’d be in business.

http://www.openfile.ca/ottawa/blog/2...el-condo-tower

[OTSkyline]

Walked by the site today, they have it all fenced up and had a couple of heavy machines and excavators or something...
Hmmm, maybe they are preparing to break ground soon on this? I'm sure hoping!

[McC]

without a single unit pre-sold?

I would think that they'd just be doing pre-work to set up a sales centre. They probably also need to do some drilling / seismology analysis for the Planning application.

[umbria27]

Originally Posted by Harley613

pretty damned close to half...i'm not a mathematician but it appears to me that this boutique hotel/condo would have a lot of uninspiring views!

Meh, that's city life. Not every room is a room with a view. I've stayed in plenty of boutique hotels where the window is provides a little natural light and little else more. The hotel just has to differentiate in other ways, design, decor, amenities, packaging etc.

[kevinbottawa]

Originally Posted by McC

without a single unit pre-sold?

I would think that they'd just be doing pre-work to set up a sales centre. They probably also need to do some drilling / seismology analysis for the Planning application.

Maybe you can tell what they're doing from these pics.

[McC]

I think that hole looks sales centre-sized (though I'm not sure why they'd need a hole to park a trailer on...)

[Cre47]

Just can't wait to see that terrible building behind the construction site been masked by this project. Too bad it will be impossible on the north side of it

[kevinbottawa]

They have a registration website up already: http://theslater.ca. They aren't playing around.

[J.OT13]

Love it!