Category: condos

Claridge, condos, LeBreton Flats

Animating LeBreton Flats streets

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The picture above is a new condo door installed by Claridge on its ground floor condos on Lett Street (LeBreton Flats, under the yellow tower). It is highly significant. City and NCC plans for the development call for animated streets, full of people walking, playing, shopping … but the first phase building as regular sliding doors on all ground floor units. You know, patio doors. No lock nor key to access them from the outside. No lobby space inside those doors, just step straight into the living room. In short, the developer paid lip service to the notion of animated … Continue reading Animating LeBreton Flats streets

condos, intensificatioin

Look up, way way up…

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No, this is not a story from The Friendly Giant. Charlesfort is an Ottawa builder of deluxe condos. His exteriors have character, drawn from past architectural styles. He built The Gardens at Bronson/Albert and one at Bronson near Carling in the MacIntosh style (not Apple, nor Steve Jobs, but in the style of a Scottish architect). Their latest projects are in the art deco style. Shown above is the roof line of the Hudson in downtown Ottawa on Kent Street. The style attracts the eye upwards, only to be distracted by a large silver chiller unit mounted on the roof. … Continue reading Look up, way way up…

condos, intensificatioin

Look up, way way up…

Westsideaction

No, this is not a story from The Friendly Giant. Charlesfort is an Ottawa builder of deluxe condos. His exteriors have character, drawn from past architectural styles. He built The Gardens at Bronson/Albert and one at Bronson near Carling in the MacIntosh style (not Apple, nor Steve Jobs, but in the style of a Scottish architect). Their latest projects are in the art deco style. Shown above is the roof line of the Hudson in downtown Ottawa on Kent Street. The style attracts the eye upwards, only to be distracted by a large silver chiller unit mounted on the roof. … Continue reading Look up, way way up…

condos, Richmond road

Is street cuisine killing our trees?

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For years chip wagons parked outside the (now demolished) Canadian Tire store on Richmond Road. The store may be gone, but the chip wagon remains. All winter, the snow bank between the chip wagon and the line of trees abutting the school yard is sodden and discoloured with greasy water that somehow gets discarded on the public boulevard. The patrons lined up don’t seem to notice or mind. Now, one of the 30′ high trees along this stretch has died. If grease clogged the tree arteries and killed it, what is it doing to our human arteries?? And will the … Continue reading Is street cuisine killing our trees?

condos, Richmond road

Is street cuisine killing our trees?

Westsideaction

For years chip wagons parked outside the (now demolished) Canadian Tire store on Richmond Road. The store may be gone, but the chip wagon remains. All winter, the snow bank between the chip wagon and the line of trees abutting the school yard is sodden and discoloured with greasy water that somehow gets discarded on the public boulevard. The patrons lined up don’t seem to notice or mind. Now, one of the 30′ high trees along this stretch has died. If grease clogged the tree arteries and killed it, what is it doing to our human arteries?? And will the … Continue reading Is street cuisine killing our trees?

Claridge, condos, cycling in Ottawa, downtown, housing policy, infill, intensificatioin2 Comments

383 Albert, transit oriented parking requirements

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The pictures above show the Claridge proposal for three residential (condo) towers in downtown Ottawa. As noted in a post a few days ago, they are to be built on the lot between the Crowne Plaza Hotel and 151 Bay condos. The current parking lot location abuts Barabarella’s dancing establishment, which will remain after this project is built. The two 28 storey and one 22 storey towers will have approx 481 apartments. They are located directly above the proposed west downtown LRT station which is under Albert Street. Perhaps those delighted looking ladies in the photomontage just exited the LRT … Continue reading 383 Albert, transit oriented parking requirements

Claridge, condos, cycling in Ottawa, downtown, housing policy, infill, intensificatioin

383 Albert, transit oriented parking requirements

Westsideaction

The pictures above show the Claridge proposal for three residential (condo) towers in downtown Ottawa. As noted in a post a few days ago, they are to be built on the lot between the Crowne Plaza Hotel and 151 Bay condos. The current parking lot location abuts Barabarella’s dancing establishment, which will remain after this project is built. The two 28 storey and one 22 storey towers will have approx 481 apartments. They are located directly above the proposed west downtown LRT station which is under Albert Street. Perhaps those delighted looking ladies in the photomontage just exited the LRT … Continue reading 383 Albert, transit oriented parking requirements

Claridge, condos, DOTT, downtown, LRT1 Comment

Condo Development linked to LRT ? Will Claridge “play ball”?

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The lot shown in the pictures below is bounded by Queen street on the right (north); Lyon in the foreground (east side); and Albert Street to the left (south). Claridge, a prominent Ottawa condo developer, owns it.  Your photog is standing at the foot of the downramp from the Crowne Plaza hotel: This view is from the corner of Albert and Lyon, at the foot of the ramp up to the Crowne Plaza’s awful driveway ramp entrance. The red brick building at the far side of the lot is 151 Bay, a fourteen storey condo built by Teron in the … Continue reading Condo Development linked to LRT ? Will Claridge “play ball”?

Claridge, condos, DOTT, downtown, LRT

Condo Development linked to LRT ? Will Claridge “play ball”?

Westsideaction

The lot shown in the pictures below is bounded by Queen street on the right (north); Lyon in the foreground (east side); and Albert Street to the left (south). Claridge, a prominent Ottawa condo developer, owns it.  Your photog is standing at the foot of the downramp from the Crowne Plaza hotel: This view is from the corner of Albert and Lyon, at the foot of the ramp up to the Crowne Plaza’s awful driveway ramp entrance. The red brick building at the far side of the lot is 151 Bay, a fourteen storey condo built by Teron in the … Continue reading Condo Development linked to LRT ? Will Claridge “play ball”?

Boston, condos, infill, intensificatioin2 Comments

Our Lady of the Condos, archly

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The Ashcroft proposal for redeveloping the Sr of the Visitation site on Richmond Road got a rough hearing the first time out. I am not a great fan of public meetings where dialogue and idea sharing is replaced by sound bites, but hey, it takes all types. And it does serve for some people to vent. The proposal had many reasonable elements, such as keeping the wall along the sides and back, additional setbacks for the 4-5 storey structures in the back half. It had some I didn’t like too much: the height and size of the middle building (a … Continue reading Our Lady of the Condos, archly

Boston, condos, infill, intensificatioin

Our Lady of the Condos, archly

Westsideaction

The Ashcroft proposal for redeveloping the Sr of the Visitation site on Richmond Road got a rough hearing the first time out. I am not a great fan of public meetings where dialogue and idea sharing is replaced by sound bites, but hey, it takes all types. And it does serve for some people to vent. The proposal had many reasonable elements, such as keeping the wall along the sides and back, additional setbacks for the 4-5 storey structures in the back half. It had some I didn’t like too much: the height and size of the middle building (a … Continue reading Our Lady of the Condos, archly

condos, hintonburg, west wellington5 Comments

Boys Toys

Westsideaction

It’s a bird … a plane … a dragonfly … It’s Heli-Go, the photographer disguised as a helicopter. Remote controlled, it was taking pictures from above the new Domicile condo site at the corner of Holland and West Wellington. Inside the operators van was a huge flatscreen TV so the operator could see what pictures he was getting, real time. The operator with the plastic nose cone taken off. The camera is suspended below the skids, and could be rotated and angled via remote control. When flying, the legs and foam base of the copter retract up and horizontal to … Continue reading Boys Toys

condos, hintonburg, west wellington

Boys Toys

Westsideaction

It’s a bird … a plane … a dragonfly … It’s Heli-Go, the photographer disguised as a helicopter. Remote controlled, it was taking pictures from above the new Domicile condo site at the corner of Holland and West Wellington. Inside the operators van was a huge flatscreen TV so the operator could see what pictures he was getting, real time. The operator with the plastic nose cone taken off. The camera is suspended below the skids, and could be rotated and angled via remote control. When flying, the legs and foam base of the copter retract up and horizontal to … Continue reading Boys Toys

condos

Condo mania

Westsideaction

Here’s the crowd lined up outside the SohoLisgar project by StarwoodMastercraft, on Lisgar near Bank. I happened by at 7pm, and there was already a crowd inside the sales office. I am not sure if this line up reflects the desirability of the units, or if it a shining demonstration of creating demand and a sense of urgency to sell that first 30-50% of the units. When I passed by again at 9.30 the caterers were packing up but there was still about 25 people in the sales presentation centre. At the side of the building is this poster, about … Continue reading Condo mania

condos

Condo mania

Westsideaction

Here’s the crowd lined up outside the SohoLisgar project by StarwoodMastercraft, on Lisgar near Bank. I happened by at 7pm, and there was already a crowd inside the sales office. I am not sure if this line up reflects the desirability of the units, or if it a shining demonstration of creating demand and a sense of urgency to sell that first 30-50% of the units. When I passed by again at 9.30 the caterers were packing up but there was still about 25 people in the sales presentation centre. At the side of the building is this poster, about … Continue reading Condo mania

condos, intensificatioin1 Comment

CCOC expands

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Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation (CCOC) owns a number of apartment buildings and other units in the centretown and centretown-west areas. They acquired this small apartment building on Primrose at Arthur Street during the winter. It contains small bachelor units. CCOC intends to upgrade the building with federal grants, including new windows, new insulated roof, and other energy upgrades. As neighborhoods in the west side undergo gentrification, many rental units are lost. Mostly these are inside homes, which were converted or subdivided into smaller units. These converted units deliver affordable units, but also accelerate the wear and tear on elderly wood frame housing, … Continue reading CCOC expands

condos, intensificatioin

CCOC expands

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Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation (CCOC) owns a number of apartment buildings and other units in the centretown and centretown-west areas. They acquired this small apartment building on Primrose at Arthur Street during the winter. It contains small bachelor units. CCOC intends to upgrade the building with federal grants, including new windows, new insulated roof, and other energy upgrades. As neighborhoods in the west side undergo gentrification, many rental units are lost. Mostly these are inside homes, which were converted or subdivided into smaller units. These converted units deliver affordable units, but also accelerate the wear and tear on elderly wood frame housing, … Continue reading CCOC expands

Claridge, condos, intensificatioin, LeBreton Flats, Richmond road

Archways

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 Ashcroft is proposing a wide two or three storey arch on the north side of its convent development in Westboro. They are proposing an “arched” arch, rather than the very square ones at 200 Lett St (Claridge’s project on LeBreton Flats). The photos above show their north arch. Notice that the road surface and pedestrian walking surface are undifferentiated with so much as a curb or coloured paver. At the midpoint of each Claridge arch is the entrance to the parking garage, so this passageway is sometimes busy with cars. The length of the passageway through the building seems short enough … Continue reading Archways

Claridge, condos, intensificatioin, LeBreton Flats, Richmond road

Archways

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 Ashcroft is proposing a wide two or three storey arch on the north side of its convent development in Westboro. They are proposing an “arched” arch, rather than the very square ones at 200 Lett St (Claridge’s project on LeBreton Flats). The photos above show their north arch. Notice that the road surface and pedestrian walking surface are undifferentiated with so much as a curb or coloured paver. At the midpoint of each Claridge arch is the entrance to the parking garage, so this passageway is sometimes busy with cars. The length of the passageway through the building seems short enough … Continue reading Archways

855 Carling, Bayview-Carling CDP, Carling Ave, condos, infill, intensificatioin, O-Train

Hickory-Champagne Condo Site

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Mastercraft-Starwood acquired the Aquerello site on Champagne Avenue at Hickory some months ago. This site is immediately north of the Arnon proposed office towers at 853 Carling, and immediately south of the current and soon to be redeveloped humane society site. The new condos will border the OTrain on the east side of their site. Their proposal is for high condo buildings positioned to view Dow’s Lake. Recall that Hickory Street is likely to be continued across the Otrain corridor cut as a pedestrian street, which will also improve access to the Otrain station there for all the new developments … Continue reading Hickory-Champagne Condo Site

1946 Scott, condos, housing policy, infill, intensificatioin, Scott street, streetscaping

1946 Scott Street condo

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For edutainment, I went to the Committee of Adjustment hearing on this condo a few weeks back. The six storey condo is proposed for the corner of Scott at West Village Private (WVP). Also at the intersection is Lanark Avenue. Directly across the street is the Metropole condo, the tallest in the city. The proponent wanted several variances. For example, reduced side yards and building the structure closer to the street. It turns out that the builder was being forced to ask for these by the City, because the zoning requires certain setbacks but the Community Design Plan (CDP) for … Continue reading 1946 Scott Street condo