260 MacLaren | 22m | 7fl | Proposed

[waterloowarrior]

Claridge
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5274/5913727223_d9e1f3004d_o.jpg

Reduced from 9 to 7 floors, so lop a couple of those floors in the image above off

OBJ article
http://www.obj.ca/Real%20Estate/Residential/2011-06-28/article-2610850/Claridge-tower-considered-on-parking-lot/1

application pages
zoning - http://app01.ottawa.ca/postingplans/appDetails.jsf?lang=en&appId=__7BPB5R
site plan - http://app01.ottawa.ca/postingplans/appDetails.jsf?lang=en&appId=__7FQ6AJ

Staff report
http://ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/citycouncil/pec/2011/07-04/ACS2011-ICS-PGM-0146%20-%20Zoning%20MacLaren%20St.htm

Staff recommendation carried at PEC

[McC]

looks like it was composed using a new design vocabulary for Claridge, much more like Domicile's. The silhouette isn't fabulous at 9 storeys to my eye, hopefully they go back to the drawing board for a new 7-storey elevation, rather than just chopping off the top two floors (or pulling two out of the middle like in Jenga).

[Lugnut]

Does the zoning not allow for 9? It seems to me like this would be a logical place for 9 floors. Especially since there are other structures on MacLaren that are over 9.

[McC]

Especially since there are other structures on MacLaren that are over 9.

immediately en face is a "Centretown Special" 12-storey midcentury slab of apartments

[S-Man]

It does seem silly that nine floors is too much but seven is okay.

But that's the logic of modern developments in Ottawa: Nothing new near anything old, nothing taller than anything else, and one more taller building in a certain area would ruin the neighbourhood but the existing tall buildings are okay because they're old...and usually butt ugly.

As I've said in the past, slight variations in height are needed to prevent a sterile, cookie-cutter appearance for any type of density.

[Lugnut]

It does seem silly that nine floors is too much but seven is okay.

But that's the logic of modern developments in Ottawa: Nothing new near anything old, nothing taller than anything else, and one more taller building in a certain area would ruin the neighbourhood but the existing tall buildings are okay because they're old...and usually butt ugly.

As I've said in the past, slight variations in height are needed to prevent a sterile, cookie-cutter appearance for any type of density.

But why couldn't it match the height of it's surroundings? Doesn't seem to make sense.

[S-Man]

It's not the height of buildings that are nearby that carry the most weight - it's the height of the one next door. In this case, the building next door is seven storeys. This is where Diane Holmes uses the terms "overwhelm" and "out of character" to have the height brought down.

[rakerman]

Are there any lots left downtown that Claridge doesn't own?

[amanfromnowhere]

City council approves new condo and new microbrewery (http://centretownnewsonline.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2507&Itemid=126)

Another condominium and a new restaurant doubling as a retail store and microbrewery were approved at today’s city council meeting.

The condo application, put forward by developer Claridge Holmes, would have approximately 65 units, located at 260 MacLaren St.

No dissent was noted from Somerset Ward councilor Diane Holmes, but the public made concerns during the planning committee stages about the proposed condo’s proximity to the Mayfair Apartments.

For Mayfair residents who face the parking lot, the new condo would block their existing view as the Mayfair Apartments also stand at seven-storeys high.

In the planning committee report, the developer recognized that the building would block the view, however the developer had already reduced the initial application from nine-storeys in height.

The condo would house one and two-bedroom units.

Also approved by council is a new restaurant that will act as both a retail store and a microbrewery to be built at 556 Wellington St. on the historic Thompson-Perkins Mill.

The property was formerly used as a Mill Restaurant, which closed its doors back in 2007 leaving the property vacant to this date.

The developer is a Toronto-based business called the Mill Street Brewery

The Mill Street Brewery was opened in 2002 in Toronto and brews half a dozen bottled and 10 tap beers.