Morrison-Draper Redevelopment: 3 towers & lowrise| 46-65m |14-20f | U/C

[waterloowarrior]

location - just west of baseline/greenbank

Application page

To rezone the property to permit a multistorey housing complex composed of low, medium and high rise apartment builings containing 537 units. COMMUNITY MEETING, THURSDAY, OCT. 2, 2008 7-9PM, ST. PAUL'S HIGH SCHOOL [existing property has townhomes]






that baseline frontage needs some changing....



Can you switch the Floors/Height in the title harls...

[Aylmer]

Pardon my Thai, but *GAG*.

I think it's the 90's resort green that makes me hurl.

[Kitchissippi]

No way could they put an eight-storey high fountain in a tight space like that unless they're trying to simulate Vancouver weather in the courtyard

[Mille Sabords]

With a bit of work this could be all right. Townhouses a bit closer to the street along Draper, towns and apartment buildings along Morrison and Baseline too. Would make for a larger courtyard. Take out the visitor surface parking along Baseline, tuck it between buildings F and C and between buildings G and D on space reclaimed from useless front setbacks.

[waterloowarrior]

Developer's highrise plans rile west side neighbours
Tim ShufeltOttawa Citizen
Thursday, October 02, 2008

OTTAWA-Angry residents opposed to a highrise residential development that vastly exceeds the current zoning restrictions on the west side packed a high school auditorium Thursday night and took their frustrations out on representatives of the developer and property manager.

Ottawa-based property manager Regional Group presented drawings and specifics for a plan to construct a 537-unit development, featuring a 20-storey tower on Baseline Road and Draper Avenue.

The developer already has an application before the city to rezone the site, which is currently zoned for only low-rise developments with a maximum height of 11 metres.

The project also includes two 14-storey apartment buildings and a series of stacked townhouses.

Residents at times shouted down the presenters and said the main tower would be the tallest structure in the neighbourhood.

It would also create a significant shadow effect, would exacerbate existing traffic and parking problems and would drive property values down, they said.

Byron Holland, who bought a house in the area a couple of months ago, said the project would dramatically and fundamentally change the neighbourhood.

"We, as a neighbourhood and a community, bought into this community
because of what it is," he said. "This is so far out of character that it is simply a non-sensical development in this area."

© Ottawa Citizen 2008

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/...8-0508a897b14d

yikes

[adam-machiavelli]

While I generally support densification, shadow patterns are a serious concern for raising support for (or opposition to) a project. If a developer can't tell existing residents that the new project won't interfere with the light going into their house, then there is a problem.

[citizen j]

Interesting that in the image provided by the developer, they've juxtaposed the site not against existing conditions along Baseline but, rather, with an image lifted from the north end of St. Laurent where the towers are higher but also farther away. I wonder what the rationale behind that was?

[p_xavier]

Originally Posted by adam-machiavelli

While I generally support densification, shadow patterns are a serious concern for raising support for (or opposition to) a project. If a developer can't tell existing residents that the new project won't interfere with the light going into their house, then there is a problem.

If buildings would be less packed, but higher, the light issue would be resolved. You can have shadows with a 6 storey-high building, it's just a matter of how they are set up.

[rocketphish]

Redwood Residences Ltd. and the Regional Group have just revised their proposal. It now includes two stacked townhouse unit buildings, two 4-storey, two 12-storey and one 14-storey apartment buildings. Building elevations for the revised structures have now been posted:

http://app01.ottawa.ca/postingplans/...appId=__6B2RM4

Here's the revised siteplan:




And this is what the site looks like now:

[highdensitysprawl]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Redwood Residences Ltd. and the Regional Group have just revised their proposal. It now includes two stacked townhouse unit buildings, two 4-storey, two 12-storey and one 14-storey apartment buildings. Building elevations for the revised structures have now been posted:

And this is what the site looks like now:

Great update rocketphish...btw how do you embed windows live local birds eye imagery....

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by highdensitysprawl

Great update rocketphish...btw how do you embed windows live local birds eye imagery....

There are probably many ways to do this, but my procedure is to screen capture the active window using Alt-PrintScreen, (or you could use a screen capture utility) then paste it into an image editor, where I crop it to just the necessary image. Then I save it locally. At this point you then need to upload your image to an image hosting service somewhere on the web, or if you run your own webserver, that will do too.

You then need to copy the URL to your image and paste it into your message post using the "Insert Image" button , which wraps it with the appropriate tags in order to display it as an image, not as a URL.

Note that this procedure works for any image capture on your screen, not just MS Live imagery.

I hope this helps!

[Ottawade]

So this complex is a homage and a nod to the aesthetics of early-90's McDonald's and Chinese buffet exteriors?

I don't get it.

I still suspect that there was this mass overproduction of ugly teal cladding and metal somewhere during the last century and we are still feeling the effects of its discount priced surplus. It might as well be neon purple with yellow polka dots because its that freggin ugly.

About the only thing I can imagine is that someone thinks old myopic elderly citizens will mistake this for weathered copper, but if they are going to go for that they should paint on some fake rust, put a flag on top and hope those people imagine themselves living in parliament.

[Radster]

It all has to do with today's trend of "going green". More and more buildings are now incorporating "green roofs", so there is your explanation.

[Ottawade]

Originally Posted by Radster

It all has to do with today's trend of "going green". More and more buildings are now incorporating "green roofs", so there is your explanation.

[waterloowarrior]

Staff report

http://ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/cit...aper%20Ave.htm

[drawarc]

Follow up news article from OBJ:

News Story
Developer drops density in Baseline Road redevelopment proposal
By Peter Kovessy, Ottawa Business Journal Staff
Tue, Sep 1, 2009 4:00 PM EST

After a public outcry over the heights of several Nepean condominiums proposed last year, a developer has returned with a rezoning application that dramatically reduces the density of the residential project.

The property, owned by Redwood Residences Ltd. and managed by The Regional Group, is bounded by Baseline Road, Morrison Drive and Draper Avenue. The 2.2-acre site currently contains seven townhouse buildings with 12 units each, which would be demolished if the development proceeds.

Last year, the developer proposed a 537-unit development that included a 20-storey tower and a pair of 14-storey high-rises. The new plans call for 334 units and buildings no higher than 12 storeys. (See table below)

"As a result of the public consultation process and staff negotiations with the applicant, building heights and number of units were reduced," city staff say in a report being tabled at the Sept. 8 planning and environment committee meeting.

The city received "extensive comments" when the initial proposal was circulated. Staff say fewer public comments were received when the revised proposal was distributed, but common concerns persisted.

Specifically, residents said there was too much density being proposed for the site, which is currently zoned to allow apartments of up to four storeys.

In response, staff say the proposal conforms with the city's official plan.

"Given the property's location on the edge of a neighbourhood and adjacent to an arterial and a collector road, the level of intensification is seen as appropriate."

Link: http://www.ottawabusinessjournal.com...1537176050.php

[waterloowarrior]

being discussed at PEC right now
http://ottawa.ca/online_services/com.../index_en.html

[waterloowarrior]

Wasn't following 100% but it sounded like there was an amended motion to reduce height that lost on a tie and there ended up being no real recommendation (just that Council consider the application)

[waterloowarrior]

Council committee rejects plan for tall condos near Baseline and Greenbank


BY PATRICK DARE, THE OTTAWA CITIZENSEPTEMBER 8, 2009 2:02 PMBE THE FIRST TO POST A COMMENT


OTTAWA — College ward residents fighting a proposed housing development on Baseline Road walked away from Ottawa City Hall with a partial victory Tuesday.

City council’s planning and environment committee evenly split on whether to permit the development of 334 condominiums at the site, called the Redwood Community, currently home to 84 families in rented townhomes. The tie vote means the planning department's recommendation to go ahead with the project failed; it will be up to city council on Sept. 23 to decide the issue.

Residents from the neighbourhood turned out in force for the committee meeting, arguing that the proposed buildings, up to 12 storeys, were too tall for the area and would create too much traffic in a neighbourhood that’s already congested. Others said they would not be able to find rental housing of similar quality and price and might have to move out of the city.

The planning committee voted to limit the size of any buildings to six storeys, but such a limit may make the project by The Regional Group not viable. The company originally wanted to build as high as 20 storeys.

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

[Cre47]

And no wonder why the urban sprawl accelerates. Not that this project would have made a difference anyways - yet Council in full might be in favor in two weeks.