1050 Somerset St | 73 m | 23 fl | Proposed

blackjagger · #1 Posted **Feb 23, 2012, 6:57 PM**

Claridge has decided to propose a tower with some design merit. Commercial at grade along Somerset and live/work units backing onto the school yard with their own public pathway. Lots of sidewalk space and raised landscaping.

http://app01.ottawa.ca/postingplans/...appId=__81BPAA

Cheers,
Josh

kevinbottawa · #2 Posted **Feb 23, 2012, 8:28 PM**

New development applications make my day!

citizen j · #3 Posted **Feb 23, 2012, 10:05 PM**

And look, it's also 28fl. The new standard for condo development, it seems.

McC · #4 Posted **Feb 24, 2012, 2:29 AM**

Don't know about their claims of a "compact floor plate," it looks like a BIG tower to me

Kitchissippi · #5 Posted **Feb 24, 2012, 4:37 AM**

Nice! It looks interesting and should make a cool landmark along the O-Train spine

citizen j · #6 Posted **Feb 24, 2012, 4:45 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by McC

Don't know about their claims of a "compact floor plate," it looks like a BIG tower to me

Their definition of "compact" likely means that the tower doesn't fill the entire footprint (lot line to lot line).

Harley613 · #7 Posted **Feb 24, 2012, 4:53 AM**

ahhh claridge. my grandchildren will marvel at the 28 story carpet of towers you are laying across the city.

it looks exactly like the Desmarais building at Ottawa U but twice as tall. How original.

ThaLoveDocta · #8 Posted **Feb 24, 2012, 1:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harley613

It looks exactly like the Desmarais building at Ottawa U but twice as tall. How original.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

This was my first though as well!!

While most of us appreciate a subtle nod to famous/significant architecture or architects... (See: PanAm Building in NYC and a dozen others modeled in it's light, or Sears Tower in Chicago, or anything that had FL Wright or Starck influences) however, THIS is bordering on design plagiarism and it's almost embarrassing.
While i agree the building is somewhat appealing, you can't recreate a building, add floors and balconies and call it new. In another city, this might go unnoticed, but 10 blocks away!?!

amanfromnowhere · #9 Posted **Feb 24, 2012, 3:10 PM**

Personally, I'd rather see this "clone" than something like Claridge Plaza V & VI...

ThaLoveDocta · #10 Posted **Feb 24, 2012, 3:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by amanfromnowhere

Personally, I'd rather see this "clone" than something like Claridge Plaza V & VI...

You bite your tongue!!

McKellarDweller · #11 Posted **Feb 24, 2012, 4:05 PM**

I really like the proposal. Based on the diagrams, it will be harder for Claridge to come out with a cheapened finished product than some of their other recent buildings. Will this building actually have floor-to-ceiling windows and glass-insert balcony railings?

Jamaican-Phoenix · #12 Posted **Feb 24, 2012, 5:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThaLoveDocta

This was my first though as well!!

While most of us appreciate a subtle nod to famous/significant architecture or architects... (See: PanAm Building in NYC and a dozen others modeled in it's light, or Sears Tower in Chicago, or anything that had FL Wright or Starck influences) however, THIS is bordering on design plagiarism and it's almost embarrassing.
While i agree the building is somewhat appealing, you can't recreate a building, add floors and balconies and call it new. In another city, this might go unnoticed, but 10 blocks away!?!

What do you mean ten blocks away? This is in Kitchissippi; far away from the Desmarais Building.

teej1984 · #13 Posted **Feb 24, 2012, 7:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamaican-Phoenix

What do you mean ten blocks away? This is in Kitchissippi; far away from the Desmarais Building.

Well it could be 10 blocks, depending on what you consider a block!

Admiral Nelson · #14 Posted **Feb 24, 2012, 7:37 PM**

At least they chose a nice building to plagiarize from

S-Man · #15 Posted **Feb 24, 2012, 8:14 PM**

Not hugely impressed or offended by the design. It is what it is.

Harley613 · #16 Posted **Feb 24, 2012, 8:54 PM**

We could go back to 1992 with 1250 Rene Levesque in MTL for inspiration as well....

citizen j · #17 Posted **Feb 24, 2012, 9:04 PM**

^ I wish someone would plagiarize THAT in Centretown. Verbatim.

Harley613 · #18 Posted **Feb 24, 2012, 9:20 PM**

i think the developers are waiting until diane holmes is committed to the Royal Ottawa before they propose anything that big.

Skipper · #19 Posted **Feb 25, 2012, 12:31 AM**

same architect, different builder, not far from each other

m0nkyman · #20 Posted **Feb 25, 2012, 1:18 AM**

Don't mind it above the five floor mark, the lack of originality notwithstanding. What I do have an issue with is the crap at ground floor. They blew off the recommendation of the CDP to make the podium two to three stories. They've put in pointlessly large setbacks, and they've brought the visual height of the glass frontage way to high. A five story glass atrium is not human scaled, and doesn't fit in well with the street character of Hintonburg at all.

Drop the podium to a total height of three stories and bring it out to the traditional streetfron. Give the first floor big long horizontal glass, and then on the next two stories have more traditional feeling windows. It'll do wonders for making the building seem less imposing from street level.