1040 Somerset St | 99m | 30f | U/C

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

I am a fan. Classic aA and a good spot for a tall building. aA really pays attention to details, looking forward to seeing this built.

I agree. And I think this is a far nicer design than the Icon. This one has a better scaled podium, which relates much better to the tower. There are no clunky transition sections like the Icon has.

[Harley613]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

I am a fan. Classic aA and a good spot for a tall building. aA really pays attention to details, looking forward to seeing this built.

GREAT spot for a tall building. It's on a little bit of a hill and will tie the business district and itself together really nicely and hopefully create a more interesting vision for the Flats in between. There is no reason for the flats to be a homogeneous landscape of 12 story communist style housing blocks as the current plan portrays. There are no sacred sightlines involved in this proposal and it's not going to cast any shadows on a NIMBYhood.

[Urbanarchit]

Originally Posted by Harley613

GREAT spot for a tall building. It's on a little bit of a hill and will tie the business district and itself together really nicely and hopefully create a more interesting vision for the Flats in between. There is no reason for the flats to be a homogeneous landscape of 12 story communist style housing blocks as the current plan portrays. There are no sacred sightlines involved in this proposal and it's not going to cast any shadows on a NIMBYhood.

Well, technically it will: Devonshire. There's concern about any building around Devonshire, especially the plot directly in front of it.

A lot of people in the area are concerned about increased traffic on Breezehill, and the impact it may have on children crossing the street.

[Postmaster]

Oddly,those balconies remind me of a piece of 50s/60s furniture, so angular. A fairly unique design as far as Ottawa goes. We may be witnessing Claridge becoming more than what it's always been.

[Harley613]

Originally Posted by defishel

Well, technically it will: Devonshire. There's concern about any building around Devonshire, especially the plot directly in front of it.

A lot of people in the area are concerned about increased traffic on Breezehill, and the impact it may have on children crossing the street.

i am sensing sarcasm in your comment and agreeing with it. the 'increased traffic' from a condo that has a relatively small amount of parking spaces vs. units is negligible, as we all know, and the impact on children will simply be shadows... all of us in ottawa know that shadows from tall buildings kill children.

[Urbanarchit]

Originally Posted by Harley613

i am sensing sarcasm in your comment and agreeing with it. the 'increased traffic' from a condo that has a relatively small amount of parking spaces vs. units is negligible, as we all know, and the impact on children will simply be shadows... all of us in ottawa know that shadows from tall buildings kill children.

Haha, sadly, I wasn't being sarcastic; I was just stating what people in the neighbourhood will take issue, as is typical, because it is near the school, which is already a sensitive spot. It's about more people driving down the street very quickly, which could lead to injuries, as people already turn off rapidly from Somerset; so it's more about finding a way to prevent reckless drivers on side streets.

I was at the zoning committee meeting when Claridge proposed this to the community, and there were discussions about plots behind 1040 all along Breezehill, up to Gladstone, being redeveloped and people's concern regarding those. They're likely to be highrises, and while I support them (I'm pro-highrise and most things SSP stands for), I question if Breezehill can actually fit an increased people. Certainly a new school is desperately needed for this area, as Devonshire are over capacity, but if we have a row of highrise condos on a small street...

[McC]

Connaught isn't at capacity, but (or rather, because) it doesn't offer early French immersion.

[Urbanarchit]

Originally Posted by McC

Connaught isn't at capacity, but (or rather, because) it doesn't offer early French immersion.

Is that why Connaught is not at capacity and Devonshire is? I can't help but be skeptical about that.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by defishel

Is that why Connaught is not at capacity and Devonshire is? I can't help but be skeptical about that.

I dunno. I thought French immersion spots were highly-sought-after in Ottawa schools.

[Urbanarchit]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I dunno. I thought French immersion spots were highly-sought-after in Ottawa schools.

They definitely are (my parents put me through it), but if that's the case then fixing overcrowding would have a simple solution: move those extra kids to Connaught, sacrificing their chance to have early French immersion so that one school is not disproportionately overburdened when another has room.

There's also Elmdale not too far from Hintonburg (in West Wellington) that has early French immersion, or if people were alright with going further from their homes, D. Roy Kennedy and other elementary schools have options available perhaps?

Anyway, French immersion spots are limited and the OCDSB should find a way to increase them.

[McC]

Originally Posted by defishel

Is that why Connaught is not at capacity and Devonshire is? I can't help but be skeptical about that.

It's a big deal, and the school board and community are both taking it pretty seriously, with an extensive review and consultation process: http://www.ocdsb.ca/sch/as/Pages/NearWest.aspxc

[Urbanarchit]

Originally Posted by McC

It's a big deal, and the school board and community are both taking it pretty seriously, with an extensive review and consultation process: http://www.ocdsb.ca/sch/as/Pages/NearWest.aspxc

The link doesn't work, but I'll take your word for it.

[McC]

Don't know how that "c" got on there at the end, it should be: http://www.ocdsb.ca/sch/as/Pages/NearWest.aspx

[JackBauer24]

Not original in the North American market, but original to Ottawa - and Ottawa needs that.

I'd rather architects/builder be inspired by some of the better designed building in other cities, than by the plain, uninspired designs we typically have in Ottawa.

Originally Posted by J.OT13

I personally don't dislike Icon, but I see how others might not be fond of it.

I agree then the new Italia design could be considered more esthetical pleasing to the masses, although the design certainly isn't original. Lahey, who usually designs dismal looking projects, had to inspire himself heavily by other well known projects such as Aqua in Chicago.

[JackBauer24]

Tones of concepts and buildings in Ottawa have lots of glass - it doesn't necessarily make a building look good.
I think most people are unhappy with the Icon because of the limited thought that went into it's design. When you design a building that's primarily glass, you almost have limitless options, but it looks like Claridge went with a fairly simple design, which looks even more plain and ordinary when compared to its future neighbour, Soho Italia.

For such a notable location where it'll be part of the Dow's Lake skyline for decades, I think Ottawans were hoping for something that will stand the test of time.

Originally Posted by Harley613

I love the design of the Icon! I picked up the book at the sales center and the floorplans are amazing, so much glass, so many balconies. I am surprised so many people dislike the look and design.

[JackBauer24]

If I were a competing builder, I would love for Claridge to use that rendering in their marketing - what a horrible initial image of this project.

It's almost worse than a perfume or jeans ad, where you have no idea what it's promoting until you see the little logo in the corner. Is this building going to be exclusively marketed towards Goths, Emos and Nocturnal creatures?

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

@neilmalhotra https://twitter.com/neilmalhotra/sta...56636578803713
"our app should be up soon on ottawa.ca but thought I would post a pic of our 1040 Somerset"

[JackBauer24]

Originally Posted by Harley613

i am sensing sarcasm in your comment and agreeing with it. the 'increased traffic' from a condo that has a relatively small amount of parking spaces vs. units is negligible, as we all know, and the impact on children will simply be shadows... all of us in ottawa know that shadows from tall buildings kill children.

Oh, it's the shadows that kill them? I thought it was due to kids walking into traffic with their heads craned up looking at all the monoliths.

[waterloowarrior]

site plan http://app01.ottawa.ca/postingplans/...appId=__9P46LE

rezoning http://app01.ottawa.ca/postingplans/...appId=__9P462B

[Urbanarchit]

I'd like to add, the photo of the eastern side is misleading. They had this idea of it being at the top of a grassy hill that lead down to the train tracks, giving people a chance to hang out. That area is not big enough to support it (and looks bad, honestly). It slopes down with a mess of trees before it reaches a wall that drops straight down to the tracks.

I think it would be better to build that wall up and then make a side piazza or something, an area to hang out, host some events, have some patio space for a restaurant or cafe, and be able to look over the downtown. Considering the area east might soon be developed, it might be a fun little gathering space, instead of a weird grassy slope or larger base.

[waterloowarrior]

recommended for approval
http://app05.ottawa.ca/sirepub/item.aspx?itemid=314228