HomeDiagramsDatabaseMapsForum About
     

Go Back   SkyscraperPage Forum > Regional Sections > Canada > Ontario > Ottawa-Gatineau > Downtown & City of Ottawa


Reply

 
Thread Tools Display Modes
     
     
  #1  
Old Posted Jun 3, 2014, 6:05 PM
rocketphish's Avatar
rocketphish rocketphish is offline
Planet Ottawa and beyond
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Ottawa
Posts: 12,207
Greystone Village development [Main St] | up to 28m | up to 9f | U/C

Regional Group to confirm Oblates land sale
Company plans to build withing community design plan limits


By Laura Mueller
Ottawa East News, MON, JUN 02, 2014


Nine hundred new homes are set to become a reality in the downtown community of Old Ottawa East as an Ottawa developer agrees to buy the Oblate lands.

Regional Group has drafted plans for how it would build the 10.5 hectares of mostly-vacant prime land, the development of which will nearly double the population of the community. The mostly-vacant institutional lands next to St. Paul University are currently occupied by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate religious order and provide likely the largest redevelopment opportunity in the city's core.

The land sale will be finalized in June, said Regional vice president of development, David Kardish.

Kardish said he sees no need to redraw a concept for the area because he likes the community design plan that was a “labour of love” for local residents.

“If you look at our stuff, we realize the community invested a lot of time and effort,” Kardish said. “There is no good reason for us to deviate from that.

“We wanted to respect their issues to the extent possible,” Kardish said. “We didn’t see the need to go with high rises. We want to develop a very intimate community.”

Regional intends to add more single-family homes into the development than was contemplated in the city’s plan. That reduces the total number of units by about 35 units to a total of 900, Kardish said.

Meeting with community members throughout the process will be a priority, Kardish said, and he’ll take a lot of guidance from them. Kardish even refused to allow graphics of the proposed development plan to be published until community leaders OK’ed it.

Community association president John Dance was heartened by Regional’s approach and excited about its impact on the community.

“I'm sure that the planning and construction will require considerable effort on our part but we have the potential here of building a superb new neighbourhood in a strengthened Old Ottawa East community , part of a more dynamic and liveable Capital Ward,” Dance wrote in an email.

From what the Old Ottawa East Community Association has seen so far, Kardish’s proposal is actually an improvement on the community design plan adopted in 2012, said the head of the groups’ planning committee, Stephen Pope.

“The new draft master plan created by Regional to confirm the potential economics of the development represents an improvement over the initial plan as it has more elements consistent with the surrounding neighbourhoods than its predecessor (the community design plan),” Pope wrote in an email. “Plans are never finished until the last building is built, but good plans can absorb change over time without compromising the initial vision.”

The site is a brownfield and will require soil cleanup but Kardish says he’s aware of that and wouldn’t have purchased the property if he didn’t think it was financially viable to develop within the city’s guidelines.

The plan calls for the historical Deschâtelets Building to be preserved, as well as the “grande allée” tree-lined driveway leading up to it.

Kardish said that road will likely become something like a “woonerf” – a type of street popularized in the Netherlands, where pedestrians and cyclists have legal priority over cars, but where vehicles and delivery trucks are allowed to pull up.

There are plans for commercial space at the ground level along main street and up a portion of the allée, Kardish said. He is reserving a 3,250 square metre commercial footprint in hopes of attracting a new grocery store. He hopes things like a coffee shop and restaurant would occupy the smaller retail spaces.

The Deschâtelets Building could become housing for seniors or students, Kardish said, or it might become something else. But the building will remain and be renovated, as per the city’s heritage rules.

The semi-circular open space in front of the building will remain as a public space, hopefully for the Main Farmers’ Market in the future, Kardish said, or for other public events.

“We see that very much as programming space,” he said.

Affordable housing is also on Kardish’s mind. He’s on the board of the Centretown Affordable Housing Coalition and that had led him to launch prelimary discussions with the Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation about including some affordable units.

If all goes to plan, Regional Group will apply for the rezoning required under the secondary plan for the area, as well as a plan of subdivision, in the fall. Kardish wants to start selling units by fall of 2015, with people moving in the fall of 2016.

Kardish said Regional is still working out whether it wants to partner with other builders to construct sections of the new community, or do it themselves. That will affect the phasing of the project, but the whole site likely won’t be built for a decade, Kardish said. The residential components would be built first.

Sustainability plan

As Regional Group gears up to develop the site, a proposal to make the new community environmentally sustainable is wrapping up.

Residents are invited to come hear and share ideas for reducing the environmental footprint of the future Oblate lands community during the Old Ottawa East Community Association’s board meeting on Tuesday, June 10 at 7:15 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Church of the Ascension, 253 Echo Dr.

In addition to a stakeholder consultation held in March, Sustainable Loving Ottawa East (SLOE) has partnered with Carleton University to base the proposed sustainability plan on research conducted by the university’s research project on community engagement.

The resulting “Deep Green” plan has four themes: affordable housing, water and stormwater management, connectivity and community amenities and on-site green innovations. Each theme is tied to a business case in the hopes of convincing developers to adopt those principles.

“What a property, what an opportunity, what a responsibility,” said Rebecca Aird of SLOE, noting that the development opportunity has never had more tools or systems available to support sustainable design and construction.

Kardish said he’s open to hearing ideas that would make the community more sustainable and more livable. But when it comes to cutting-edge technologies, like a district energy system proposed in the Deep Green plan, Kardish said it would need to be marketable and economically feasible.

A district energy system is a centralized heating and cooling system that serves many buildings in a defined area. The systems are intended to reduce energy consumption and are able to make more use of environmentally friendly energy sources.

Aird said SLOE is looking forward to collaborating with Regional Group.

“Regional Group has clearly indicated a willingness to try to take some of the ideas on board,” she wrote in an email. “Working constructively and collaboratively, and building further on the work SLOE and its partners have already done, community residents can be part of an exciting evolution in sustainable community building in Ottawa.”


This demonstration plan shows the built form that's possible on the largely vacant institutional lands occupied by religious orders and Saint Paul University. Regional Group confirmed it plans to buy the land owned by the Oblate fathers, mostly east of and including the 'grande allée'.

http://www.ottawacommunitynews.com/n...tes-land-sale/
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #2  
Old Posted Jun 3, 2014, 6:15 PM
rocketphish's Avatar
rocketphish rocketphish is offline
Planet Ottawa and beyond
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Ottawa
Posts: 12,207
Supporting documentation from Sustainable Living Ottawa East (SLOE):

Read the Deep Green preliminary research report titled Options and Approaches for “Deep Green” Development of the Oblate Lands in Old Ottawa East is now available.

For a quick, creative intro to three of SLOE’s “Deep Green” research themes, check out the Sustainable Development of Oblate Lands in Old Ottawa East Video, prepared by Carleton University students in Interactive Multimedia Design.


http://sustainablelivingottawaeast.ca/
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #3  
Old Posted Jun 3, 2014, 6:39 PM
Boxster's Avatar
Boxster Boxster is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 996
With an additional 900 units, let's hope some decent restaurants, bistro's and café's establish themselves along Main St., as to make it a real Main St. for the community.
__________________
The Fast One!
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #4  
Old Posted Jun 3, 2014, 7:00 PM
1overcosc's Avatar
1overcosc 1overcosc is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Kingston, Ontario
Posts: 11,452
huh. Between this and the pending reconstruction of Main Street as a complete street, this end of town could be the next big thing.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #5  
Old Posted Jun 3, 2014, 7:24 PM
Boxster's Avatar
Boxster Boxster is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 996
Going to be great to be able to buy a new single family home without having to go deep into suburbia territory.
__________________
The Fast One!
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #6  
Old Posted Jun 3, 2014, 8:17 PM
1overcosc's Avatar
1overcosc 1overcosc is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Kingston, Ontario
Posts: 11,452
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boxster View Post
Going to be great to be able to buy a new single family home without having to go deep into suburbia territory.
That is one of the nice parts about this development. Its nice to see some small-scale development in the pre-war city for once. As for prices, who knows, this is not an expensive area but the premium for core-located detached housing is high in this city. If they have towns or duplexes for under $300k, this may very well be where I buy my first home. If its more than that, though, I'll get a condo somewhere else instead; I can't afford much higher than that.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #7  
Old Posted Jun 3, 2014, 9:57 PM
lenderonabender's Avatar
lenderonabender lenderonabender is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 22
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1overcosc View Post
As for prices, who knows, this is not an expensive area but the premium for core-located detached housing is high in this city. If they have towns or duplexes for under $300k, this may very well be where I buy my first home. If its more than that, though, I'll get a condo somewhere else instead; I can't afford much higher than that.
The site is downtown and on the river, that commands a bit of a premium no matter what type of housing.

For towns/singles I'd suspect it will be closer in price to their 'Canal East' project, in which case you're probably looking anywhere from $600K-$1MM

Since they're not doing high rises, mid-rise product could potentially be marketed around $300K. Would think this would fit better with their "affordable" strategy noted in the article.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #8  
Old Posted Jun 4, 2014, 2:19 AM
Boxster's Avatar
Boxster Boxster is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 996
Depends on access to river ...that goes nowhere.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lenderonabender View Post
The site is downtown and on the river, that commands a bit of a premium no matter what type of housing.

For towns/singles I'd suspect it will be closer in price to their 'Canal East' project, in which case you're probably looking anywhere from $600K-$1MM

Since they're not doing high rises, mid-rise product could potentially be marketed around $300K. Would think this would fit better with their "affordable" strategy noted in the article.
__________________
The Fast One!
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #9  
Old Posted Jun 4, 2014, 11:58 AM
gjhall's Avatar
gjhall gjhall is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Ottawa
Posts: 1,297
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boxster View Post
Depends on access to river ...that goes nowhere.
I think most people want to look at the river, sit near the river, and possibly fool around in a canoe or kayak, all of which are available here. It goes from Carleton to Green Island without rapids, it's more than most would need.

Now, just spitballing here, but I wonder if there would be interest to put in a beach as part of this development. There's certainly room, but I'm not sure what the elevation of the shore is like here? If feasible, it would be a unique neighbourhood feature!
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #10  
Old Posted Jun 4, 2014, 1:12 PM
McC's Avatar
McC McC is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,057
Once upon a time, there was a beach at Brantwood park on the other side of U St Paul.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #11  
Old Posted Jun 4, 2014, 1:52 PM
YOWetal YOWetal is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,454
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1overcosc View Post
That is one of the nice parts about this development. Its nice to see some small-scale development in the pre-war city for once. As for prices, who knows, this is not an expensive area but the premium for core-located detached housing is high in this city. If they have towns or duplexes for under $300k, this may very well be where I buy my first home. If its more than that, though, I'll get a condo somewhere else instead; I can't afford much higher than that.
Even in Barhaven a new smallish townhouse will start above $300K.

$600K+ is probably a lot more likely and more like $800K + if a true freehold townhouse.

There aren't a lot of 2 bedroom+ under $300K in central Ottawa anymore.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #12  
Old Posted Jun 4, 2014, 2:11 PM
LeadingEdgeBoomer LeadingEdgeBoomer is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,019
Quote:
Originally Posted by McC View Post
Once upon a time, there was a beach at Brantwood park on the other side of U St Paul.

Yes--I went there as a kid. There even was a grass football field there . Junior teams like the Ottawa Sooners and St Anthony's played there. No stands. Spectators stood along the side lines or sat in lawn chairs. A simpler time.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #13  
Old Posted Jun 4, 2014, 2:46 PM
waterloowarrior's Avatar
waterloowarrior waterloowarrior is offline
National Capital Region
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Eastern Ontario
Posts: 9,243
http://history.ottawaeast.ca/HTML%20...h%20Memory.htm

Brantwood Beach - A Summer Memory
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #14  
Old Posted Jun 4, 2014, 3:35 PM
teej1984 teej1984 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Sandy Hill, Ottawa
Posts: 310
I'm not a fan of the density being proposed. For such a large site, I would like to see many more buildings crammed into this space to create an urban community atmosphere versus a suburban one. Think narrow streets, restaurants/bars along Main St, something that will attract more people to this area than just a bunch of residences.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #15  
Old Posted Jun 4, 2014, 7:03 PM
OTSkyline OTSkyline is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,546
^ I agree. I think to build such low density is a waste, especially when we are trying to densify every other part of central Ottawa.

Considering this site is wedged between the Canal and the Ottawa River, right next to the 417, has Main St. running through it and 2 potential pedestrian bridges at both ends of Clegg St (linking it to Bank St, Glebe, Landsdowne and Hurdman) I think it could've been a site for something bigger and better...
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #16  
Old Posted Nov 6, 2014, 1:28 AM
waterloowarrior's Avatar
waterloowarrior waterloowarrior is offline
National Capital Region
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Eastern Ontario
Posts: 9,243
http://www.juteaujohnsoncomba.com/ne...Newsletter.pdf
The most notable land sale was the purchase of the Oblates site located at 175 Main Street in Old Ottawa East for $32,000,000 or $1,208,596/acre. This property was
sold by Les Oeuvres Oblates de l'Ontario to 175 Main Street Regional Inc. The purchaser is planning on developing the site with approximately 900 new homes along with 60,000 square feet of commercial space. An older building located in the northeast corner of the site is identified on the City of Ottawa's Heritage Reference List and is to be retained.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #17  
Old Posted Nov 21, 2014, 2:50 PM
kevinbottawa kevinbottawa is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Toronto
Posts: 2,229
Quote:
Community works with Regional, Domicile on development of Main Street Oblate lands

A deeply green urban community is set to rise on land where young Oblate brothers played outdoor hockey in the 1930s and collected sap from maple trees to sweeten morning porridge in the dining room of their religious home, the Edifice Deschâtelets.

Next door, Les Soeurs du Sacré Coeur de Jésus (Sisters of the Sacred Heart) toiled to clean after and care for the brothers, cultivating vegetable gardens off Main Street in what is now Old Ottawa East, a blended community of modest homes built 50 years ago and a rising number of new, infill homes.

The Oblates have deep roots in Ottawa East, buying a large chunk of land along the Rideau River in the early 1860s, building Deschâtelets in 1885 and, along the way, establishing schools and churches, the University of Ottawa and Saint Paul University. The Sisters set their own agenda, training young novitiates for their order, then opening a residential school on the Main Street lands in 1911. A number of Sisters taught in schools and across the province.

Together, the Sisters, Oblates and Saint Paul controlled almost 30 acres of green space, the largest chunk of inner urban development land after LeBreton Flats and the Rockcliffe Air Base. Developers have lusted after the land for years, keenly aware that both religious groups were shrinking in numbers and aging.

Domicile was first off the mark last year, buying 3.5 acres of land from the Sisters. Working with architect Rod Lahey, they came up with two six-storey condos with a French flair that gently mimic the Sisters’ convent. The condos are in the final approval stages at the city and should be on the market shortly.

The Sisters, about 79 who are now mostly in their 80s, will continue to live in the convent.

Selling the Oblate land was more complicated.

Initially, the Oblates entertained an offer by Monarch Homes and Walton Development and Management, a large North American landholding company, but talks faltered a year ago. Insiders say Walton was put off by restrictions of the comprehensive Community Development Plan (CDP) and a secondary plan developed by members of the Old Ottawa East Community Association.

Then a bit of serendipity materialized late last year. David Kardish, vice-president of land development for one of the city’s largest real estate companies, the Regional Group, sat beside the Oblates’ lawyer at a dinner and repeated his interest in the site.

“I was disappointed we didn’t win the first time,” says Kardish, a veteran developer, who says he lives and understands the urban lifestyle, owning an older home in Old Ottawa South. “We did our due diligence and I am comfortable with the numbers.”

Kardish actually reduced the number of condos and units planned for the site, introducing in their place a mix of townhomes, modest singles and larger custom homes that will be near the Rideau River.

“What we are building is the heart of the community,” Kardish said earlier this month, while Gord Lorimer of Barry J. Hobin & Associates Architects presented the master plan for the 26-acre parcel.

Called Greystone Village, it’s designed in close collaboration with the community association, which spent five years holding public meetings and drafting a CDP that stresses green initiatives, promotes walking and respects history and the community roots. They also wanted more retail shops.

Earlier this fall, Regional presented its revised plan to the community and met loud applause.

Hobin and his team are designing the homes, which will likely come to market next fall. They’ll be built by Regional’s home building arm, eQ Homes.

Within a few weeks, Regional will file a formal application for subdivision approval with the city for 900 or so condos, townhomes and singles facing narrow streets where pedestrians will pull rank over cars. Parking will be tucked to the back of most homes or, for a trio of nine-storey condos to be located behind the university, set underground.

“My guess is it will take nine months for subdivision approval,” says Michael Mizzi, chief of development review services for the city. Staff will work on needed zoning bylaw changes at the same time. “It looks pretty positive.

“It is an exciting proposal, actually,” says the former city of Toronto planning manager, who arrived in Ottawa a year ago. “I commend the Regional Group. Long before they submitted an application, they have been openly discussing the plans with the community and the city.”

The community association and Capital Ward Councillor David Chernushenko are also supportive.

“It matches the scale of the adjoining neighbourhood,” says association executive Stephen Pope, who helped develop the CDP and has worked with Regional and Domicile to develop their plans. He says the development will bring more shops and services to Old Ottawa East, turning it into a community more closely resembling Bank Street in the Glebe and a quieter version of Westboro.

“Regional’s current proposal is better than what was originally proposed in the CDP development plan,” adds association president John Dance.

And says Chernushenko, “Domicile and Regional read the community design plan and understood what the community wanted with sustainable living and came forward with proposals that were compatible. We will be getting intensity without going high. That is very good.”

It’s a huge project that will likely take a decade to finish, says Kardish, who paid $32 million for the land and estimates the project, when finished, will be worth $300 million. The Deschâtelets will be home to the remaining Oblates and will eventually be turned into housing, possibly for seniors.

Greystone Village will transform Old Ottawa East, almost doubling the population and co-ordinating with the city’s multi-million-dollar construction project to rebuild Main Street with wider sidewalks and public art.

A widened green strip of trees and bike and walking paths will stretch along the Rideau River, and a large driveway or grande allée will link Main Street to the front portico of the grey stone Deschâtelets, setting up a linear park that will run between mid-rise condos by Regional on the north and similar housing forms to be built by Saint Paul on land it owns on the south.

Retail shops and likely a grocery store will be located at ground level, cars will be restricted, a farmers’ market will set up shop on weekends and the existing community will be invited to shop.

“This is not Barrhaven. It is going to be a new urban community,” says Lorimer.

Greystone Village

What: Nine hundred homes, starting with modest singles and townhomes in a green community, with a grand allée or linear park leading to the Edifice Deschâtelets. Retail shops will anchor the lower level of condos set back from the grand driveway. There will be narrow streets, rear parking, walking and bike paths along the Rideau River.

What it will look like: “It is our intention to have small, smart, efficient singles to attract buyers at the entry level,” says architect Barry Hobin. “Designs will vary depending on where you are on the site.” Towns close to the Deschâtelets will be more traditional in the use of stone. Closer to the river and the park, the houses will be freer to be more contemporary, but not stark modern.

“If successful, we will be creating a modern version of the cottage-like houses of Old Ottawa South and Brighton Beach: smaller in scale and modest in materials, including brick and wood siding,” Hobin says. “Almost all of the houses will have the garage removed to a lane access so the house is designed to engage with the street.”

There will be some larger, modern homes near the south end of the site and close to the river. Some single homes will feature lower-level apartments, to generate revenue.

Pricing: “We are not there yet,” says Regional’s David Kardish. However, back-to-back condos, slim, three-storey towns and modest singles under 1,500 square feet will be aimed at younger buyers, while single homes on 35-foot lots will top $1 million.

When: The application for subdivision approval goes to City Hall in the middle of December. Sales will start in the fall of 2015.

Who: eQ Homes, the building arm of Regional, will build the homes. “Not everyone wants to live in a condo, so we have a range of housing types to suit all ages,” says eQ president Denis Laporte.

Information: greystonevillage.ca

Domicile Developments

What: Two, six-storey condos designed by Ottawa architect Rod Lahey. The condos will sit on 3.5 acres formerly owned by Les Souers du Sacré Cours de Jésus at 141 Main St. near Oblate and Springhurst avenues in Old Ottawa East.

What it will look like: The condos will have a French flair, with a traditional masonry exterior, picking up an influence from the neighbouring convent. There will be large windows and balconies. A park will sit between the condos, which will feature rooftop terraces and ground-floor retail shops.

Domicile has commissioned art pieces to be placed on wide sidewalks. A reconstructed Main Street will also feature bike lanes.

There will be 76 units in the first building and 72 in the second, ranging up to 1,600 square feet and $700,000. There will also be a few micro-condos of 345 square feet targeted at young professionals and priced under $200,000, says David Renfroe, Domicile’s director of business development and planning. Forty-four per cent of the condos will range between 550 and 700 square feet, targeted at older residents who have lived in Old Ottawa East and want to stay in the community. Location is vital in this economy, with slower condo sales, says Renfroe.

Who: Domicile Developments is a boutique firm owned by John Doran, an Ottawa entrepreneur with a long track record of designing and selling condos on urban infill sites.

When: Domicile is working on a third revision with the city on the condos, with sales expected to start early in 2015.

Information: domicile.ca




Reply With Quote
     
     
  #18  
Old Posted Nov 21, 2014, 5:40 PM
Norman Bates Norman Bates is offline
Living With My Mother
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 984
Splendid!
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #19  
Old Posted Nov 21, 2014, 5:56 PM
citydwlr citydwlr is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 725
Not too shabby! I really like the arched townhomes (#7 in the above graphic) that wrap around "Forecourt plaza". Reminds me a bit of a modern, albeit shorter and smaller, version of the Royal Crescent in Bath, England...
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #20  
Old Posted Nov 21, 2014, 7:49 PM
Capital Shaun Capital Shaun is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Ottawa
Posts: 860
Those renders looks very promising.
Reply With Quote
     
     
This discussion thread continues

Use the page links to the lower-right to go to the next page for additional posts
 
 
Reply

Go Back   SkyscraperPage Forum > Regional Sections > Canada > Ontario > Ottawa-Gatineau > Downtown & City of Ottawa
Forum Jump


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 10:07 AM.

     
SkyscraperPage.com - Archive - Privacy Statement - Top

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.