SOHO Italia [500 Preston St] | 96m | 30 fl | Completed
 

500 Preston St. - Approved
18 storey residential tower with ground level retail
Developer: Routeburn
Location: 500 Preston St.
Web: Not available
Rendering:
http://www.ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa...s/image004.jpg

http://www.ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa...s/image006.jpg

I have my doubts this project will get built.It seems like project get proposed and then you don;t hear a word about them.

there was a recent application to waive a private approach bylaw for this property, so I don't think it's dead

http://ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/cit...S-TRF-0014.htm

from Ottawa.ca
500 Preston Proposed redevelopment - parking lot
Type: Mixed-use building: retail, office and condominium apartments -19 storeys
Developer: Carling Laser Clinic In Trust
Architect: Richard Brisbin
Units: 29


http://ottawa.ca/residents/planning/...ction_en-2.jpg

Looks better in this present rendering!

Looks very similar to East Market III don't you think?

http://www.novocondo.com/DATA/Projet/1423_1.jpg

No complaints here.

too bad there are so few units... exclusive building or maybe more office than usual

I'm pretty sure everything above the podium is residential. Those are going to be some pricey condos.

Looks like 2 condos per floor with a 360 degree Penthouse or something along those lines.

Any idea when it goes to council for approval?

500 Preston's address was "490-500 Preston" so it is likely the same lot and maybe the same stale proposal. However the previous proposal was 29 units (approximately 2 units per floor). So if it's a new proposal it could be the same height with just more units per floor. I don't know who the developer "Methaven" is.

That'll look so awesome if it gets built!

CBC Radio this morning is reporting that a developer is trying to up their approval for (probably) this site (can't think of another 18-storey development site on Preston) to 35 storeys. The CeeB is also saying that it would be Ottawa's tallest building, so these 35 storeys must be a taller 35-storeys than the Metropole's and taller than Tower C's 29 storeys.

I think Eric Darwin might have had an inkling this was coming giving this post from January 10: http://westsideaction.wordpress.com/...ion-of-course/

More details in the 7:30 news, it is this site being discussed, and they're calling it the "SoHo Italia." These Mastercraft/Starwood people are really coming into Ottawa big time aren't they? That would make 5 buildings by my count at some stage of development (Parkdale, Lisgar and two on Champagne). Ottawa's new Claridge?

This is getting interesting! Has an Ottawa developer finally found a neighbourhood that might welcome such large-scale construction? I'm sure there will be some NIMBYism but nothing compared to Glebe or Westboro.

whoah, easy there, let's not be too hasty...
anyway, more from Eric Darwin here:
http://westsideaction.wordpress.com/...est-high-rise/

Even if it was approved for 19-25 storey's, it'd certainly look awesome in this area...Preston and southern centertown are going to have an awesome skyline when all of these projects start going up...

I can't see something that's taller than average being completely shot down for approval in this area...it's lower elevation than Parliament hill, and will only be easily visable from either DOW's lake, or the 417...

Do you know what other projects are planned for the area?

Darwin's blog post, linked above lists them all.

This is an interesting development!

I'm torn. I really like:
- using the space (Little Italy needs an entrance that's more interesting then parking lots!)
- how aesthetically interesting the building could be (the stacked cards thing is neat)
- density in such a great spot (though if they're huge units like the last proposal then the added density isn't that high)
- spurring more development in the immediate area!

I'm less keen on:
- the complete disregard for the plan to build an 'Italian Village' themed, retail-based mainstreet. I wonder if there's a way to have a crazy tall, interesting building, and still work within the BIA and community's vision... I'm sure there is, its just a question of whether or not the developer will take the time to figure out what that would look like.
- the possibility of bait and switch seems high here -- if the site is rezoned because the project is seen as innovative, then some of the more innovative elements are dropped

We'll see how this one develops! I'm looking forward to it.