Category: housing policy

Albert St, bike path, bikewest, condos, cycling in Ottawa, design, DOTT, housing policy, intensificatioin, LRT, NCC, O-Train, OLRT, parks, Richmond road, Scott street8 Comments

Air rights over the transitway/LRT

Westsideaction

Councilor Katherine Hobbs is in the news for asking the City to examine developing the air rights over the west side part of the transitway/LRT line. I have a bunch of mutually contradictory thoughts on this. 1. The City should sell air rights to help pay for the transitway. Taxpayers are forking out a bundle of money for a transit line, we can recoup some of that expenditure by selling prime access to the most-accessible locations in the city. Otherwise, many of the development benefits go to the builders on adjacent lands. In some cases, these are private developers; in the case … Continue reading Air rights over the transitway/LRT

condos, DOTT, housing policy, intensificatioin, LRT, oc Transpo, OLRT, roads, Uncategorized8 Comments

Development charges and misleading headlines

Westsideaction

Today’s Citizen has a story on development charges. The headline, picture,  and first part of the story emphasizes how much of the development charges will pay for transit. Buried deeper in the story, and not all that easy to spot, is this bit: But in general, fees for new roads are far and away the biggest chunk of any of the charges: for a new house inside the Greenbelt,You can read the whole story here: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/City+Ottawa+boosting+development+charges+transit+costs/5167823/story.html#ixzz1TPDX3NqW         Do you notice that the headline doesn’t read “rampant road construction boosts housing costs?”  There is no picture of Terry … Continue reading Development charges and misleading headlines

Carling Ave, CDP, Claridge, condos, design, DOTT, downtown, Dows Lake, housing policy, intensificatioin, LRT, O-Train, OLRT, Scott street, Soho Italia, Transit27 Comments

March of the High Rises

Westsideaction

The City has recently seen a spate of high rise applications and project announcements. Claridge has a number of downtown high rises in the high 20- storey range: beside Bell Canada, on Nepean and Gloucester, and on Queen at Lyon (currently Barbarella’s and a parking lot). There are taller applications too. The first out of the gate* was Soho Italia, proposed for 500 Preston Street near Dow’s Lake. The Soho Italia structure is notable for several features: most of the parking garage is above grade (about 7 stories of it) clad in a perforated black metal screen; the building rises straight up occupying all of … Continue reading March of the High Rises

design, housing policy, infill, intensificatioin

At last, small house infill

Westsideaction

In the Carlington neighborhood there has been a controversial infill (are there any other type??). The first proposal had a too-big house that dwarfed the post-war one-and-half storey homes that comprise most of the area. There was an odd -lot subdivision. Unsympathetic design. Most recently, there was a fuss over damage and removal of a large tree while digging utility lines. But, for all this, or perhaps because of all this, the finished result is lookin’ good. And most excitingly for all those upset about over-sized over-priced infills, this project is ideal for single persons, couples, or small families. The site on Crown Cresc. … Continue reading At last, small house infill

condos, housing policy, infill, intensificatioin, Nature6 Comments

Champlain (de-)forest realities

Westsideaction

I went on a walking tour Sunday morning in the Champlain Park neighborhood. This west side group of streets runs north of the transitway, from the Mosque at Northwestern to Island Park Drive. The neighborhood began as a cottage area on the floodplain of the River (the railway tracks, now transitway trench, marked the high water mark of the floodplain). Later, small houses were built in the 1940’s followed by some 2-storey homes. My grandparents lived in one on Cowley. The neighborhood had its quirks, including a lack of storm sewers and inconsistent rear yard grading, which led to frequent basement … Continue reading Champlain (de-)forest realities

145 Elm, condos, design, Elm Street, housing policy, infill, intensificatioin11 Comments

Better infills through consultation

Westsideaction

The City has done a review of all the infill housing put up in the last few years in selected central area neighborhoods. Staff went out and photographed every house from the street. I must commend them for actually doing part of the study out in the real world and not from charts and drawings in the back room. It wasn’t that many years ago that the City reprimanded staff for actually going out in the field. It is a practice I would like to see more of (the going out in the city part) by planners. There are been a … Continue reading Better infills through consultation

condos, design, housing policy, infill, intensificatioin, Transit13 Comments

A Modest Proposal for 2011

Westsideaction

   Cities are organic creatures. They grow, we hope, as cities that decline are not exactly great places. We want growth, and new things, but want them somewhere else — easily accessible but not too close. I am getting tired of the litany of complaints about intensification. We knew when we adopted the policy that it had certain effects: house prices will rise; infill will occur in both small scale and large scale developments. Those new residents will use transit, and walk sometimes, but mostly will drive cars. Changing population demographics means new housing types are desired to meet new needs. Some … Continue reading A Modest Proposal for 2011

condos, downtown, housing policy3 Comments

Planning exercise (iv)

Westsideaction

Whilst walking on Somerset near Hartman’s, I saw workers hoisting railings up the side of a building. The hoisting rope was connected to a roof-mounted winch and arm. The rope brushed these satellite dishes, causing one to pivot a bit, and rock. This reminded me of a curious phenomenon that relates satellite dishes to “market” and “social” housing politics.  Here is a social housing building. Typically for Ottawa, it is festooned with satellite dishes. Ditto for the coop seniors apartment building across the street from my house. Or the coop townhouses up the street. Or the ones in Hintonburg. It seems that … Continue reading Planning exercise (iv)

Bayview-Carling CDP, condos, cyclopiste de preston, design, Gladstone, housing policy, intensificatioin, LRT, O-Train, parks, plant recreation centre, Plouffe Park, Preston street, Uncategorized, woonerf10 Comments

Planning Exercise (ii)

Westsideaction

There is a large parcel of land owned by the Feds. It runs from Somerset Street to Gladstone, on the east side of the OTrain corridor. At the Somerset end, it has the address 1010 Somerset Street; at the Gladstone end it is 943 Gladstone; in the middle it has an Oak Street address. Most of the site is covered with a giant brick and concrete warehouse dating from the Second World War era. Before that, it was open field, my father tells me he attended the Ringling Circus there when he was a boy in the ’30’s. The circus arrived … Continue reading Planning Exercise (ii)

housing policy, infill3 Comments

Neat and tidy reno

Westsideaction

This neat and tidy reno is on Arlington, right behind the Harvey’s that faces Bronson. That’s the Qway sound barrier you can see in the left backround. Neat aluminum siding. Quality front door, stained glass window. New window units throughout the house. Soon, a large front porch. The chimney and dormer wall are not yet finished. So, what is so special about this house? Well, a few months ago the bank-owner applied to demolish it as unsalvagable. The Dalhousie Community Assoc felt it could be fixed up, and opposed the demolition. The City agreed. The property was sold. It looks like it will … Continue reading Neat and tidy reno

Bayview, Bayview Otrain, Carling Ave, Dalhousie, DOTT, hintonburg, housing policy, intensificatioin, LRT, NCC, O-Train, ottawa river, Prince of Wales Bridge, Richmond road, Scott street, Transit7 Comments

Western Leg, LRT (from Bayview to Lincoln Fields via ???)

Westsideaction

The city has set up a stakeholders group to contribute to its process of finding how the LRT will get from Bayview (or Tunney’s) to Lincoln Fields. Options include the Ottawa River NCC lands, the Otrain-Carling route, the Churchill-Carling route, and the transitway-Byron route. All options have very different features for transit users and the adjacent communities. Continue reading Western Leg, LRT (from Bayview to Lincoln Fields via ???)

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

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, 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

housing policy, infill2 Comments

The Bell tolls for Peyton Place (ii)

Westsideaction

the new facade shows evidence of good planning. The brick facade and new storefront treatment gives the building weight at the bottom. From the sidewalk, the emphasis will be on a three storey height, with the glass tower slightly less visible above it. the current store fronts at street level proposed: steel arches, new glass facades existing west facade seen from Gladstone proposed: west facade Continue reading The Bell tolls for Peyton Place (ii)

housing policy, infill

The Bell tolls for Peyton Place (ii)

Westsideaction

the new facade shows evidence of good planning. The brick facade and new storefront treatment gives the building weight at the bottom. From the sidewalk, the emphasis will be on a three storey height, with the glass tower slightly less visible above it. the current store fronts at street level proposed: steel arches, new glass facades existing west facade seen from Gladstone proposed: west facade Continue reading The Bell tolls for Peyton Place (ii)

housing policy, infill

The Bell tolls for Peyton Place

Westsideaction

One of the earliest apartment complexes built in Ottawa are the three towers on Bell Street. Back in the 50’s, adult children usually lived at home until married. Those who moved out … lived single … without mom’s supervision … must have been immoral. There was a popular TV show at the time called Peyton Place, the term became attached to early apartment buildings that catered to singles. The view below must be familiar to everyone: Well, the bell tolls for Peyton Place. After years of deterioration, the building has been sold to a redeveloper who will renovate the interiors … Continue reading The Bell tolls for Peyton Place

housing policy, infill

The Bell tolls for Peyton Place

Westsideaction

One of the earliest apartment complexes built in Ottawa are the three towers on Bell Street. Back in the 50’s, adult children usually lived at home until married. Those who moved out … lived single … without mom’s supervision … must have been immoral. There was a popular TV show at the time called Peyton Place, the term became attached to early apartment buildings that catered to singles. The view below must be familiar to everyone: Well, the bell tolls for Peyton Place. After years of deterioration, the building has been sold to a redeveloper who will renovate the interiors … Continue reading The Bell tolls for Peyton Place

housing policy, infill, intensificatioin, streetscaping

Gentrification

Westsideaction

[note: I’m back from some travels, and blog postings will resume on a near daily basis] The gods of planning wars have unleased their dogs in Little Italy, Chinatown, and West Wellington, key areas in the west side action beat. Lets examine several of the beasts in the pack: Note how the “common, recognizable” names of the former neighborhoods (Dalhousie, Hintonburg, Mechanicsville) are being replaced by the marketing names of the Business Improvement Associations. These groups — funded by city taxes levied on commercial properties on their behalf —  plaster their monikers on lampposts and decorative arches. They ensure the benches, lampposts, … Continue reading Gentrification

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

1946 Scott Street condo and house prices

Westsideaction

This boutique-scale condo is proposed for the corner of Scott and West Village Private.  Yesterday’s post dealt with the conflicting planning documents, and how each party relies on the document (level) that best suits their arguments. I was surprised at the hearing how often the proponent was asked extremely detailed questions about the building. Would the side bedroom windows of the condo have a view across park and then obliquely across the street into the second and third floor windows of the houses on WVP? Did the proponent have a detailed traffic plan from a consultant showing the impact of … Continue reading 1946 Scott Street condo and house prices

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

1946 Scott Street condo

Westsideaction

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