Ha, I was just about to post those renderings myself :D

I'll take this opportunity to provide a larger version of this one:

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/8310/94841473.jpg

If anyone's interested in the renderings in super high-res, they're on the Algonquin website. Click one of the photos and then follow the link.

It's an interesting design. I wonder how it will turn out. We actually don't have to wait all that long because apparently construction should be practically over by March 2011.

Here's the construction schedule. It can be found in this backgrounder.

It looks pretty awesome. I'm looking forward to the development of that area. I live in Centrepointe and right now it feels like the neighbouhood is disconnected.

Does anyone know what that southern pedestrian bridge is supposed to connect to?

I'm comparing the renders to the original conceptions for the area (first post on page one of this thread) and it looks like there have been some changes.

EDIT: The last picture on this page calls it 'Future Algonquin Development'.

Construction begins for new Central Archives and Ottawa Public Library Materials Distribution Centre

Ottawa – Mayor Larry O’Brien and Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Jim Watson broke ground today for the new Central Archives and Ottawa Public Library (OPL) Materials Distribution Centre. The $38.6-million facility is being built at 100 Tallwood Drive between Meridian Place and Woodroffe Avenue.

"It is a great pleasure to help break ground on this future hub of culture and learning in Ottawa," said Jim Watson, MPP for Ottawa West-Nepean and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. "The Province of Ontario is proud to invest $20 million in the Central Archives and Ottawa Public Library Materials Distribution Centre. This project will bolster the local economy in the immediate future, and preserve Ottawa's rich heritage for generations to come."

“The future home of the Archives and OPL Materials Centre is another example of how the City of Ottawa is using its resources effectively and efficiently without compromising service delivery to residents,” said Mayor Larry O’Brien.

“Now that shovels are in the ground, the project is also providing work for Ottawa residents at a time when they need it most.”

Councillors Jan Harder and Rick Chiarelli joined in today’s groundbreaking along with City Librarian Barbara Clubb.

“The City Archives is a centre for local heritage preservation and programming,” said Councillor Diane Deans, Chair of the Community and Protective Services Committee. ”We need a new building to keep up with the demand for archival requests and to house our growing collections.”

The Archives is currently housed in old Ottawa City Hall on Sussex Drive but
the current leases expire at the end of 2010.

Phase 1 of the new building will be completed by December 2010 when the Central Archives will move in. The facility will become fully operational by February 2011 when the OPL’s Materials Distribution Centre will also move in.

“The demand for library services is higher than ever,” said Councillor Jan
Harder, Chair of the Ottawa Public Library Board, noting that the OPL is moving 60 tonnes of material between library branches each week. “Having this new space will definitely make the system more effective” she added. The Ottawa Public Library’s technical services and distribution centre is currently operated out of cramped space at the Main downtown branch.

The new facility will feature the artwork of Don Maynard, who won the competition that was initiated as part of the City of Ottawa’s Public Art Program. The City commissions local artists’ works for display in public spaces in keeping with the City’s commitment to making art accessible to everyone.

Will the underground transit station also open in 2011?

No.

As I understand the sequence to come, it should be like this:

The intersection of Constellation and Baseline is finished, allowing the #118 bus to bypass the Baseline/Woodroffe intersection. This is why the #118 stops at the temporary station are on the sides they are; that bus will travel Baseline-Constellation-Navaho Extension-Station-College-Woodroffe-Navaho.
(I have no idea why they appear to be adding a new bus lane on the west of Woodroffe from Baseline to College.)

The Navaho Structure is then re-built and is used as the entrance for the Algonquin construction. Buses will not cross this bridge until after the Algonquin construction is finished.

As part of the Algonquin construction, the trench for the future Transitway/LRT Station will be dug and partly (maybe all) covered. The storm sewer under the trench will also be laid during that digging. The trench will only go from the Navaho structure to just north of College by the end of the Algonquin construction. During this time, the temporary station operation has remained the same.

Once all of the Algonquin construction is completed at the end of 2011, then the Navaho structure will be released to bus traffic. At this time, the #118 stops will be moved to their permanent location on (or beside) the Navaho structure. Thus, the #118 will travel Baseline-Constellation-Navaho. The rest of the buses will also be routed off College and that road will be closed.

The College structure and its associated bus transfer station will then be started, likely early 2012. This construction will also extend the Transitway/LRT Station trench to south of College. I expect it will take the City almost two years to finish the bridge and station, during which time, the temporary station will be in use, with buses accessing it via the temporary tail to Woodroffe at David (already in operation now) and Navaho.

Between now and then, the trench segment and station at Tallwood should be built; it is scheduled to be completed in 2015.

Once the College structure and station are completed, the buses will be re-routed to again use College to get to Woodroffe and the temporary tail will no longer be needed. Note that the temporary station is still in use at this time. Then the two segments of trench can be connected, allowing buses to flow from Norice through to the permanent Baseline Station, past the Tallwood station. Only then, in 2016, will buses be routed along the new section of Transitway and use the new College Structure station. Most buses from the south will turn at this station, but a few buses will continue through the tunnel to Lincoln Fields. Notice that the #118 stops are still 250 metres north on Navaho for your transferring convenience.

Just to let you know, the temporary Baseline Station was built to last seven years so that gives strength to my above sequence.

But, you asked specifically about using the "underground transit station" in 2011: From the way you worded it, I'm guessing that you are asking about the central-platform LRT station which will be in the tunnel. The answer is still no. That station will not be in use until the train gets to Baseline and I can't even guess when that might be. Maybe 2019-26?

Something to note, though, is that there are NO bus stops in the tunnel. Buses simply use the tunnel as a passage north from the bus station located on the south side of the College structure.

Here's a render of the Central Archives building at Woodroffe/Tallwood (the transitway is going on that green corridor)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2749/...76ae6668_o.jpg

Isn't the transitway in this area to be in a trench? Certainly, the last thing I heard was that it was going under Tallwood at least. It would seem odd for the rendering to not show what should be such a promenent feature.

It looks like about 36 parking spots so I guess they are hoping most employees will take transit.

Plenty of room for future expansion.

Yes, you can sort of see how it will look on p. 2 of this pdf
http://webcast.ottawa.ca/plan/All_Im...12-09-0049.PDF

What is it with this City and their outright refusal to actually INTEGRATE the transit system with buildings. Why is there so much distance between the building and the Transitway? There is such a great opportunity to have the station back right into a lower level of the building. Or for the station to be built over the Transitway, with the station in the building's lower level. Or even, at the very least, have the station access bridge designed as part of the building.

This is just like the concept for the new LRT Train Station: They put the station out across the lawn, with a path to the VIA Station; but it wasn't even a covered path until it was complained about.

This City is so disappointing at times.

Isn't most of this thread talking about a building that's integrated with a transit station :) And with the NS LRT both the Carleton and UofO stations were to be intergrated.

I'm afraid I consider this about as integrated as the Billings Bridge Station is with the mall. Let's look at the Algonquin situation:The Centre for Construction Excellence (CCE) is going to have a couple of doors on the west side so people who have exited the train station can then walk across a 'park' to enter the building. Algonquin even has the air-rights above the station and all they could come up with was a grassed square of land with a couple of pedestrian bridges over it.

I don't have the details of the Carleton U. or U. of Otawa buildings, but I have seen the U. of Ottawa redesign a building which is very close to the current Campus Station, and I don't recall any talk of actually putting space in its basement for part of the new train station.

When I talk of INTEGRATION, I am looking for something more like the Contemporary Resort at Disney World. A building which is designed to INCLUDE the train as part of the buildings function.

http://www.cardcow.com/images/set300/card00628_fr.jpg
from www.cardcow.com

http://www.floridareservation.com/or...ntemporary.gif
from www.floridareservation.com

Am I the only one who thinks this design is hideous? I live just off Baseline and I'm going to have to drive past this monstrosity every day.

I live in Centrepointe and I like it. We have too many bland buildings in Ottawa. Having a few eccentric looking ones wouldn't be a bad thing.

Well, it looks like a cheap knock off of the War Museum....

To me it looks quite a bit more interesting than the War Museum. They seem to have embraced the logic that war is ugly so the building should be too.

The old Baseline Station is now gone.
(Sorry, no photo.)

I wonder if they saved any of the glass for other stations? The red steel was not saved, judging by the pile of twisted tubes.

I took this last week-

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/2...opanoramac.jpg

Or if Perth bought some more of it.