Envie [256 Rideau St] | 2x85m | 2x29f | Completed

kevinbottawa · #1 Posted **Sep 18, 2013, 2:32 PM**

The wall of 27 storey buildings on Rideau Street continues.

Quote:

Phoenix plans two mixed-use towers on Rideau Street

OBJ Staff
Published on September 18, 2013

Local developer Phoenix Homes is asking permission to build two 27-storey mixed-use buildings at 256 Rideau St., according to an application filed with the City of Ottawa.

Phoenix Homes is planning two 27-storey towers for 256 Rideau St. (Google street view image).

The site, on the block between Cumberland St. and King Edward Ave., was home to Dworkin Furs until the retailer closed down in January 2012.

The two proposed towers would contain a total of 176 residential units, featuring a mixture of one and two bedrooms, for a total of 16,925 square metres of residential space.

The 146 metre towers are to be connected by a three-storey podium. The plans call for 2,050 square metres of commercial space on the first two floors of the podium.

The proposal also includes plans for a six-storey underground parking garage with 102 spaces for cars and 130 bicycle spaces. The garage is to be automated: residents would drive their cars into a loading area and from there cars would transferred to an elevator for automatic parking.

Phoenix has submitted a site plan control proposal for the site. The proposed development already conforms to the zoning by-law for the area, according to a note city staff sent out to local residents.

The area has become a popular area for development in recent years.

Claridge Homes recently purchased a nearby property at 245 Rideau St., which is currently the site of a grocery store.

http://www.obj.ca/Real-Estate/2013-0...ideau-Street/1

teej1984 · #2 Posted **Sep 18, 2013, 2:51 PM**

I'm holding my breathe on this one.... just took a look at the Phoenix website and pretty much all their buildings are horrible. This is a prime spot to make an impact so let's hope they do something interesting.

That being said, sucks to be one of those people who bought in the "courtyard" of Claridge III/IV! Assuming Phoenix builds their buildings facing Rideau, this space will receive next to NO natural light!

kevinbottawa · #3 Posted **Sep 18, 2013, 3:02 PM**

I like the fact that the podium will have two floors of retail, otherwise I expect the design to suck. I'm not getting my hopes up. In response to the comment above, it would look so stupid if these towers face Rideau Street with the Claridge towers facing Cumberland.

McC · #4 Posted **Sep 18, 2013, 3:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

it would look so stupid if these towers face Rideau Street with the Claridge towers facing Cumberland.

it's a mid-block lot, with the hotel to the east and CP III-IV to the west; either it faces Rideau, or it turns it's back on Rideau and faces Besserer, what other choice is there?

amanfromnowhere · #5 Posted **Sep 18, 2013, 3:20 PM**

146 metre for 27-storey buildings? Does not make any sense to me...

JM1 · #6 Posted **Sep 18, 2013, 3:34 PM**

I know it is probably not possible, but I hope they find a nice way to incorporate the red brick house into the facade. Other cities have managed this kind of feat, but it takes a lot of ingenuity to pull it off and I don't think it will happen in Ottawa (just throwing down the challenge!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by amanfromnowhere

146 metre for 27-storey buildings? Does not make any sense to me...

kevinbottawa · #7 Posted **Sep 18, 2013, 5:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by McC

it's a mid-block lot, with the hotel to the east and CP III-IV to the west; either it faces Rideau, or it turns it's back on Rideau and faces Besserer, what other choice is there?

I was responding to teej1984's comment about the Phoenix towers facing Rideau. I understood "facing Rideau" to mean if the tower portions of the new buildings (not the podium) were to go in the opposite direction of those of the Claridge condos (meaning parallel with King Edward and Cumberland instead of parallel with Besserer and Rideau).

McC · #8 Posted **Sep 18, 2013, 5:39 PM**

I still don't understand.

Boxster · #9 Posted **Sep 18, 2013, 5:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by McC

I still don't understand.

The two new towers could be positioned in the same fashion as the Claridge towers. i.e. new Tower 1 beside Claridge 3 and new Tower 2 beside Claridge 4. A similar courtyard next to the Claridge one could also be incorporated.

The alternative is to have both new towers running along Rideau or Cumberland.

McC · #10 Posted **Sep 18, 2013, 6:17 PM**

sure, I get that, I'm just not clear why one or the other arrangement would a priori look stupid. (which isn't to say that I can't imagine all sorts of ways that they could be designed to look stupid, that I can do!)

Boxster · #11 Posted **Sep 18, 2013, 7:06 PM**

Having the two towers along Rideau/Cumberland is not an option as the development does not include the next door parking lot....which is for sale from what I hear at $22M. This is strictly the Dworkin Furs lot.

This is why the towers will be very narrow..think of 176 units on 50 floors (2 X25 excluding 2 floors of commercial) and that's about 3 to 4 units per floor when you excluded the common areas. This is the reason the garage will only have 102 spaces, with 6 floors and be automated....to small to accomodate inside car ramps.

Quote:

Originally Posted by McC

sure, I get that, I'm just not clear why one or the other arrangement would a priori look stupid. (which isn't to say that I can't imagine all sorts of ways that they could be designed to look stupid, that I can do!)

gjhall · #12 Posted **Sep 18, 2013, 7:46 PM**

16,925 sq metres over 50 storeys (2 x 27 storey towers less 2 floors or retail) is 338~ square metres per floor. Tiny, tiny floor plates. Will be interesting to see what it looks like, but as others have noted, I don't have great faith in Phoenix.

kwoldtimer · #13 Posted **Sep 18, 2013, 9:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by gjhall

16,925 sq metres over 50 storeys (2 x 27 storey towers less 2 floors or retail) is 338~ square metres per floor. Tiny, tiny floor plates. Will be interesting to see what it looks like, but as others have noted, I don't have great faith in Phoenix.

That's what I was thinking - no more than 4 units per floor and six floors of parking at 17 spaces per floor. That's some skinny project.

J.OT13 · #14 Posted **Sep 19, 2013, 3:15 AM**

I have no faith in Phoenix whatsoever. They have a history of poor to mediocre projects and they opted for the safe 27 storeys instead of pushing for more.

Prediction for Dworkin's;

The residential floor plate (16,925 square metres) is likely on 48 floors (leaving the third floor of the podium for amenities).

I'm hoping that It is in fact 146 meters, but I'm thinking the same as you guys; typo on the part of OBJ.

Harley613 · #15 Posted **Sep 19, 2013, 12:22 PM**

146 metres?? 17 foot ceilings, niiiiiice! :p

What if the height is right and the typo is on the floors and it's actually twin 37 story towers?

J.OT13 · #16 Posted **Sep 19, 2013, 1:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harley613

146 metres?? 17 foot ceilings, niiiiiice! :p

What if the height is right and the typo is on the floors and it's actually twin 37 story towers?

Then the number of condo units would likely be a typo (although even with 48 floors of condos, 176 units seems low).

Boxster · #17 Posted **Sep 24, 2013, 5:00 PM**

Rumor is Claridge purchased the Dworkin's Fur property from Phoenix.

Reason is that land is to narrow to have parking ramp of Rideau or Besserer.

Claridge intends to use the existing access for Claridge 3 & 4....and guess what...we will soon see two other towers called Claridge 5 & 6.

Proof Sheet · #18 Posted **Sep 24, 2013, 5:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boxster

Rumor is Claridge purchased the Dworkin's Fur property from Phoenix.

Reason is that land is to narrow to have parking ramp of Rideau or Besserer.

Claridge intends to use the existing access for Claridge 3 & 4....and guess what...we will soon see two other towers called Claridge 5 & 6.

If that is true, I"m sure that the deal was done over a poker game with the owners of the 2 companies (and other homebuilders) involved.

Harley613 · #19 Posted **Sep 24, 2013, 5:33 PM**

Seriously??! This lot AND the Metro lot? CP V/VI/VII/VIII?!

Is this the future market?

kevinbottawa · #20 Posted **Sep 24, 2013, 8:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boxster

Rumor is Claridge purchased the Dworkin's Fur property from Phoenix.

Reason is that land is to narrow to have parking ramp of Rideau or Besserer.

Claridge intends to use the existing access for Claridge 3 & 4....and guess what...we will soon see two other towers called Claridge 5 & 6.

Kinda sucks. Would've been nice to see another developer do something in that area for the sake of variety. Now the fate of Rideau and King Edward is solely in the hands of Claridge. If that area looks like crap in 10-15 years everyone will point at them.