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What condo dwellers will view

A few days ago, a post showed the view from the roof of the Adobe/Xerox towers at 333 Preston.

Thanks to Debbie, a reader, here are some really fresh views from the CMPA buildings on Carling at Sherwood. This will give you some idea of what people on the mid- to lower-floors of the plethora of condo towers along Champagne and Carling might have for their view.

The views also go a way to explaining why there is a demand for condo apartments.

Ironically, the clustering of towers (a direct result of city policy strongly backed by neighborhood demands) often blocks views. The city largely rejected suggestions by our community association that the Bayview-Carling CDP engage in some view plane management in this area so that new towers don’t block the views of prior unit buyers. Wouldn’t some sort of planning maximize the number of units with views and create certainty for buyers? Other cities do it, but not Ottawa.

Also, note the small grassy trapezoid on the north end of the large parking lot (near the tractor trailer), in picture 1. It is owned by CMPA and is the only lot in the area without a development proposal.

In picture 2, recall that the grassy area along the south side of Carling (where the camera date stamp is) is also slated for mixed use intensification.

Moral: be very very careful to ensure your condo will have a long-term sight line and view.

6 thoughts on “What condo dwellers will view”

  1. A better example would be the views from the back and side of the condo on Lisgar between Bank and Kent, looking on to the butt end of the Charlesfort towers build next door.

  2. Eric:
    It strikes me that once the frist tower goes up there will be a lot of condo dwellers eager to joiin a community association to prevent the building of an adjoining condo that disrupts the sightlines for which they paid big dollars. Is that a correct assumption?
    And Debbie – thanks for sharing the view!

  3. Community assoc seldom prevail in preventing development. The odds of first-movers-in being able to stop construction of their vendor’s second tower, or a competitors tower, when they are all approved and permits issued and the podium designed for two towers, strikes me as infitessimally low.

  4. So, with all these 00’s of new units, do we see any indications that developers are looking to improve the food retail infrastructure in the south end, or for that matter in the middle or the north, where sometime, perhaps even in this century, Lebreton Flats may be finished its redevelopment?

  5. Probably as many indications of “improving the food retail infrastructure” as was done by the individual gentrifiers now and in the past. We’d still have grocery stores in the neighborhood if people didn’t prefer driving out to buy their stuff at bigger, cheaper larger stores elsewhere. When there is sufficient demand for local groceries, the businesses will reappear. No big government “infrastructure” spending required.

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