95-101 Norman St | 34m | 9f | U/C

[J.OT13]

Norman street proposal by Taggart, designed by Roderick Lahey, containing 159 units.

Here is the city developement application;

http://app01.ottawa.ca/postingplans/...appId=__8D6P6B

And Darwin's point of view;

http://www.westsideaction.com/2012/1...usting-begins/

[Davis137]

That doesn't look amazing, but it also doesn't outright suck either...

[cityguy]

How would Norman street handel all that traffic?There isn't even a traffic light at the Preston intersection and the last thing Preston street needs is another traffic light.

[J.OT13]

That street should see town homes or maybe walk-ups, not a high-rise condo.

[Harley613]

it's effectively a six block walk from the O-train...not many people like to walk six blocks in ottawa winter time. i don't think the street can handle a vehicle-centric condo of this size. i really don't see this one happening as it is shown.

[Marcus CLS]

Originally Posted by Harley613

it's effectively a six block walk from the O-train...not many people like to walk six blocks in ottawa winter time. i don't think the street can handle a vehicle-centric condo of this size. i really don't see this one happening as it is shown.

Which O train are you talking about? I work in that area and walk to the office everyday all year round from the O-train. It's not six blocks it's 2.5 or 2 and a half side streets along the pedestrain walkway to Carling Station. In other words 2 minutes of unbearable winter weather.

Again, about the traffic. Not Everybody drives to work. What makes this Condo be vehicle centric? The retail and grocery store will soon follow.

The only time I use my vehicle is to leave the city. In the winter time when I travel less I might start my engine once a week just to make sure the battery is okay. Based on all the other people I see on OC transpo, there are other people like me.

[Harley613]

ahhh...is the line i drew along the tracks on the left a walkway? i wasn't aware of this, i was thinking of the path with the arrows. That's barely a walk at all if so!

[rocketphish]

The site:


Overall renderings (note the inclusion of all other proposed highrise developments in these images):


Street-level renderings:

[McC]

tee hee!
http://www.westsideaction.com/wp-con.../11/poster.jpg

[spotlight]

Originally Posted by McC

tee hee!
http://www.westsideaction.com/wp-con.../11/poster.jpg

I wish these people would just move away to a small village if all they want is low rises... you live in a metropolitan area that has 1.4 million people !!!!!!! yeah there's going to be high rises and lots more of them get used to it..

I was having dinner on preston Last night and it was rather quiet for a Sunday night and I told myself how amazing and vibrant Preston is going to be soon with all these new condo projects bringing people and life to the area.. soon more shops and other amenities will be planned and built.

I mean come on... it's not like you live in Greely and they're planning to surround you with condo towers .. You live in Freakin little italy in the urban core of the city ...

Yes I fully understand that 100 years ago preston and little italy was this quaint little area with chalets and cows (sarcasm) but it's not anymore and you have to stop fighting every single project proposed because it'll change your area.... Cities grow and change that's a fact.. you can't move somewhere urban and expect it to stay the same for ever.. that's simply ignorant

[Davis137]

Wow, the render with all of the other current projects in it looks awesome!

[McC]

Originally Posted by spotlight

I wish these people would just move away to a small village if all they want is low rises... you live in a metropolitan area that has 1.4 million people !!!!!!! yeah there's going to be high rises and lots more of them get used to it..

I was having dinner on preston Last night and it was rather quiet for a Sunday night and I told myself how amazing and vibrant Preston is going to be soon with all these new condo projects bringing people and life to the area.. soon more shops and other amenities will be planned and built.

I mean come on... it's not like you live in Greely and they're planning to surround you with condo towers .. You live in Freakin little italy in the urban core of the city ...

Yes I fully understand that 100 years ago preston and little italy was this quaint little area with chalets and cows (sarcasm) but it's not anymore and you have to stop fighting every single project proposed because it'll change your area.... Cities grow and change that's a fact.. you can't move somewhere urban and expect it to stay the same for ever.. that's simply ignorant

So you think that the people who worked with the city for SEVEN years on a CDP only to have it thrown in the bin once push comes to shove are the ones in bad faith here?

[spotlight]

Originally Posted by McC

So you think that the people who worked with the city for SEVEN years on a CDP only to have it thrown in the bin once push comes to shove are the ones in bad faith here?

It has nothing to do with faith and it has nothing to do with any of those people.. that's one of the main issues actually, too many people in this city takes things personally.

in those 7 seven years and since those 7 years.. there have been many changes to the city... different mayors, different city councils and yes different change in direction for the city as new people with new ideas come about.

Not too long ago (in relative terms) Developers in the city and the population alike discovered that there was an apetite (demand) for densification and urban condo living.

Now that doesn't mean wall to wall condo towers and that is by no means what we are getting or even close to that.

what we are seeing is densification and condo towers added in trendy (or potentially trendy)neighbourhoods and locations.

I'll say it again .. if they start proposing large scale 30+ stories condo towers in mass in Kanata or Barrhaven etc... i'll be on your side and some heads need to be banged.

But if you're arguing about the gleebe, westboro, hintonburg, little italy, etc... etc... I can't understand any of your rationale.

Who cares that a development plan was done at one point in the past... do you see me yelling and complaining that the GREBER plan was never done as it was supposed to be done... NO and neither are you.. why? because there's a new plan that you liked better that was developed after the GREBER plan.

OMG there will be life and buzz in an urban neighbourhood of a city of 1.4 million population (metro) RUN AND HIDE !!!!!!

[phil235]

Originally Posted by spotlight

It has nothing to do with faith and it has nothing to do with any of those people.. that's one of the main issues actually, too many people in this city takes things personally.

in those 7 seven years and since those 7 years.. there have been many changes to the city... different mayors, different city councils and yes different change in direction for the city as new people with new ideas come about.

Not too long ago (in relative terms) Developers in the city and the population alike discovered that there was an apetite (demand) for densification and urban condo living.

Now that doesn't mean wall to wall condo towers and that is by no means what we are getting or even close to that.

what we are seeing is densification and condo towers added in trendy (or potentially trendy)neighbourhoods and locations.

I'll say it again .. if they start proposing large scale 30+ stories condo towers in mass in Kanata or Barrhaven etc... i'll be on your side and some heads need to be banged.

But if you're arguing about the gleebe, westboro, hintonburg, little italy, etc... etc... I can't understand any of your rationale.

Who cares that a development plan was done at one point in the past... do you see me yelling and complaining that the GREBER plan was never done as it was supposed to be done... NO and neither are you.. why? because there's a new plan that you liked better that was developed after the GREBER plan.

OMG there will be life and buzz in an urban neighbourhood of a city of 1.4 million population (metro) RUN AND HIDE !!!!!!

When you boil your argument down, you seem to be saying that things change, so what is the point in having a CDP at all? Or that older neighbourhoods don't need plans? I'm very pro-development on most issues, and think a wall of highrises facing Dow's Lake is actually a great idea, but in my opinion your comments go well beyond anything appoaching a balanced viewpoint.

No one is opposing life an buzz in a neighbourhood. In fact, the CDP provides plenty of opportunity for that. What people are saying is that an overall vision for the area is required. And the CDP process allows for various viewpoints to be incorporated, rather than letting things happen in a haphazard way, dependent only on which developer buys which lot. To discount the interests of all of the various groups that play a role in the CDP is a little bit arrogant, no?

Right now, an overall vision is sorely lacking in Little Italy. For instance, you would surely agree that parks and urban squares are critical elements of a high density neighbourhood. There is almost no provision for either, and the existing passive parks along Dow's Lake do not serve the same purpose. And how about the various governement labs built in the early part of the century? Should we be leaving that to the whims of developers, or taking some steps to preserve some of the history of the area?

Without some planning and foresight, you could end up with a neighbourhood of bland condos, a Subway and Tim Hortons on every second corner, and no services or public spaces to speak of. I'm not sure how that makes for a more vibrant community or a better city.

And for the record, most of the residents that I have heard quoted are quite receptive to condos - they just want to ensure that development is done in a sensible way.

[McKellarDweller]

I like pretty much everything about this, but it sure seems like the views from the units will be mostly obstructed in all directions in the next 5-10 years, no?

I'm sure someone on here will correct me and say they'll be able to peer at the Gatineaus beyond the 417, or see slivers of Dows lake between all the towers with better views than this one.

[Proof Sheet]

Originally Posted by phil235

Without some planning and foresight, you could end up with a neighbourhood of bland condos, a Subway and Tim Hortons on every second corner, and no services or public spaces to speak of. I'm not sure how that makes for a more vibrant community or a better city.

Well if you add a Shoppers Drug Mart to the mix the community is complete....

[phil235]

Originally Posted by Proof Sheet

Well if you add a Shoppers Drug Mart to the mix the community is complete....

How could I have forgotten Shoppers?!!

[Nepean]

Most of the time I support condo developments but this project doesn't make sense to me. Norman is a dead-end street that cannot handle a lot of car traffic. Now a developer wants to shove 159 units into a small space. Good luck with that.

Urban development is much more than building tall edifices. In order to make urbanization work the right infrastructure must exist. That is why the condo projects on the corner of Carling and Preston make more sense, because they can handle vehicular traffic.

One of my pet peeves with many of the proposed condo projects around Preston is that they are only thinking of apartments, but not the services that will be needed to support future tenants. For instance, I can't understand why there isn't a decent supermarket in the area that is within walking distance. This simple oversight forces many local residents to rely on a car to do basic shopping. On a tiny street like Norman this is a recipe for disaster.

I have no problem with condo towers as long as residents can access necessary services by foot. Otherwise you will simply jam a ton of cars into a small space. Unfortunately, the development around Preston has focussed on building bedrooms, but not on forcing developers to lease useful commercial space on the ground floor like a supermarket, gym, daycare, barber, etc. Pharmacy needs, however, will likely be covered.

[kevinbottawa]

Originally Posted by Nepean

One of my pet peeves with many of the proposed condo projects around Preston is that they are only thinking of apartments, but not the services that will be needed to support future tenants. For instance, I can't understand why there isn't a decent supermarket in the area that is within walking distance. This simple oversight forces many local residents to rely on a car to do basic shopping. On a tiny street like Norman this is a recipe for disaster.

I have no problem with condo towers as long as residents can access necessary services by foot. Otherwise you will simply jam a ton of cars into a small space. Unfortunately, the development around Preston has focussed on building bedrooms, but not on forcing developers to lease useful commercial space on the ground floor like a supermarket, gym, daycare, barber, etc. Pharmacy needs, however, will likely be covered.

Do developers need to be forced to add the businesses you've listed? I'm sure they're capable of identifying what the demand is in the neighbourhood.

Looking at the renders of what the area will look like in the future, it's still very early in the process. The building boom in that area hasn't even started yet. All we've seen are proposals, either recently approved or yet to be approved. I'm sure the services you've listed will be added in some of the developments that are coming.

[spotlight]

population obviously needs to grow before amenities like grocery stores get there.