Claridge Royale [245 Rideau St] | 62/84/84m | 18/26/27f | U/C

[Urbanarchit]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

new design is up

http://webcast.ottawa.ca/plan/All_Im...t%20Design.PDF

Holy crap! This is a lot worse than the old one. I may be fine with what's happening with the podium (it still needs work), but the towers are awful.

[Beedok]

The quality of the material will (as almost always) make or break it. The orange is iffy though.

[11a2b3]

More steaming pile of crap from claridge, not surprising...

[c_speed3108]

I actually don't hate this. The table-top is gone and there is variety and the buildings have a top!

There is probably some tweaking styling wise and maybe with colours, and as someone said materials matter, but I think it is an improvement.

[loga0082]

Those pictures do not look like lower town level near Cumberland, George, and King Edward streets. It seems to look like downtown Ottawa to me. I thought that you were talking about the Place de Ville podium building on Quuen Street. My hey were mentioning of demolishing the Place de Ville podium building and constructing a 19 storey office tower. If Claridge is planning to do construction on Rideau, Cumberland, and King Edward, does it mean that the Metro and LCBO will be torn down?.

Loga0082

[waterloowarrior]

Originally Posted by loga0082

Those pictures do not look like lower town level near Cumberland, George, and King Edward streets. It seems to look like downtown Ottawa to me. I thought that you were talking about the Place de Ville podium building on Quuen Street. My hey were mentioning of demolishing the Place de Ville podium building and constructing a 19 storey office tower. If Claridge is planning to do construction on Rideau, Cumberland, and King Edward, does it mean that the Metro and LCBO will be torn down?.

Loga0082

It's the Metro lot and the parking lots on either side, but doesn't include the LCBO and its parking lot .

[movebyleap]

OMG just awful. Yikes.

[1overcosc]

Me hopes Metro is going to move back into the podium. Yes, the Loblaws is better, but still, with that many people living in the area two supermarkets are needed.

[1overcosc]

Rereading this thread and I noticed many people complaining about not having any electronics stores on Rideau. Well, there is one: Canada Computers at Rideau/Friel. It's great, much better prices and service than Best Buy.

[loga0082]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

Me hopes Metro is going to move back into the podium. Yes, the Loblaws is better, but still, with that many people living in the area two supermarkets are needed.

I agree that two supermarkets are needed because not everybody shops at Loblaws. Some just shop at Metro like me. I only go to Loblaws, when I need a few things or when I need to empty my bag full of coins at the Coinster machine. I am sure that they will come up with some idea in how to fit the Metro in the Podium building.

loga0082

[1overcosc]

I'm not really a fan of the Metro brand. I find their stuff is too overpriced for what it is. I find Loblaws is the best value for money, assuming you don't have many brand preferences--Loblaws fudges their price structure in favour of their own private labels (No Name/PC) more so than other grocers do.

To each their own, I guess. In any case, that just reinforces my point that we should have both in the area.

[kevinbottawa]

The retail along Rideau is promising, but it would've been nice if it wrapped around the corner along Cumberland. Sad to say the rest is disappointing. Claridge has proposed some great buildings along the Trillium Line. I was hoping to see them bring some of that to Rideau. There's not one building in that area that's impressive. Maybe 90 George. Has this been looked at by the design review panel?

[Skipper]

My thoughts go to the residents of the East Market Phase III. Those with a Southern Exposure will constantly be in the shade.....

[ServiceGuy]

I don't mind this one actually. I do like the podium styling and if real life lives up to the rendering I kind of like the beige & black for the hotel and condo towers. I can't tell if the beige is precast like CP or if it's metal panels like Tribeca which may make a difference. The red brick building I am not so sure about and I don't get the black inserts for sure. No doubt a few revisions still to come.

What I am really curious about is the greyed in high rise in the renders over the current LCBO location. Does Claridge own the entire block now?

[OTSkyline]

^The podium looks kind of good and I like the mixed use with retail, hotel and condos. I also like the varying heights and cladding with 3 towers on that block; instead of doing 1 large block to block 15 story ugly tower. It will also be add density and streetlife that the current metro/parking don't really offer.

However, with all that being said, I'm not that impressed and don't like it that much either...

[J.OT13]

In the report, they talk a lot about "inspiration taken in the Claridge Plaza materials". Doesn't sound to good.

As for the LCBO site; although I don't think we've heard anything official, based on the fact that the east tower is built north-south and does not have a blank wall on the east side, pretty sure they own it or in negotiations with the current owner.

[1overcosc]

That LCBO is the flagship store for the entire Eastern Ontario region. The LCBO would be hesitant to allow that site to be redeveloped... although, with the province doing its whole 'asset optimization review' or whatever it's called, now might be the time that comes up.

[1overcosc]

I'm not entirely opposed. Whether or not this looks decent depends on materials. The renders aren't that bad, in particular that podium--which is really what matters most--looks nice.

[c_speed3108]

Grocery stores:

My understanding is the 80000 sq feet of retail going at Rideau and Chapel. About 35000 of that will be a grocery store.

[loga0082]

Is the grocery store going to be situated where the old Jewish school use to be? Maybe th Metro will go there. I think that they were talking about putting a grocery store in that lot along Chapel Street and Rideau.

Loga0082