[urbottawa]

(June 2023) The proposed development consists of three residential towers of 26,40, and 36 storeys, townhouses, a six-storey residential building and a dedicated parkland at the north-east corner of Arlington Ave. The project includes retail, arts, a market and restaurant space on the ground floor the towers, as well as public outdoor pathways traversing the entire site.

Dev app:
https://devapps.ottawa.ca/en/applications/D07-12-23-0067/details

Discussion History:
265 Catherine St [Former Greyhound terminal] | 94/126/141m | 24/36/40f

Site plan:

Renderings:

 

[originalmuffins]

This project is going to be hugely defining on the next set of TOD we're going to get. The faster these get approved and go up, this is going to hopefully be the start of a massive change in what we will see go up (in terms of height and quality). I am really big fan of this project, street level and integration is awesome.

 

[hoggytime]

But won't somebody think about the tomatoes?!?

 

[originalmuffins]

But won't somebody think about the tomatoes?!?

Please don't get me riled up again LOL.

 

[OTownAndDown]

This is my first time seeing the renderings and I said out loud "REALLY" because these renderings are SO nice.

However, how DARE you cast shade on my Centretown residence!? How very DARE you!

 

[originalmuffins]

This is my first time seeing the renderings and I said out loud "REALLY" because these renderings are SO nice.

However, how DARE you cast shade on my Centretown residence!? How very DARE you!

The fact that anyone is in opposition to this is insane. The variation, the streetscape plan, and the actual housing it provides is something awesome here. I really hope nothing gets changed here, we already got a botched watered down Lansdowne 2.0 already.

 

[J.OT13]

This is a great place for extra height. Near the Queensway, an entire block to redevelop.

 

[urbottawa]

Urban Design Review Panel comments from December 1st:

Site Design and Public Realm​

• The Panel strongly supports the ambitious program for the site. It has the potential to become an exemplary development in Centretown if well executed.
• The Panel stresses the prominence and importance of the views to and from the site.
• The Panel has some concerns with the proposed development as it relates to the surrounding context and offers the following:
  • The Panel recommends further developing and refining the ground plane and the connections to the surrounding streets.
  • Consider the following: What is the ground plane relationship with the surrounding area? What are the desire lines for pedestrians to walk through the site? Where might pedestrians be coming from and going to? How does this site draw in or facilitate pedestrian movement/connectivity?
• The Panel recommends further refining the public realm landscaping and street-tree planting to ensure a viable and robust landscaping plan throughout the block.
  • Consider more of a rhythm that paces you down the street rather than clumps of trees and plantings where viable.
  • Consider a stronger green edge along Catherine Street, and capitalize on more of a rhythm to the green edge characteristic along that streetscape.
• The Panel appreciates the initiative to include public art within the site, noting the site should be considered as a whole (including the public park) in order for the ground plane design to mesh seamlessly as an entire block.
  • Consider the potential of the public art initiative as one of many layers that helps tie the whole block together.
  • Collaborate with Ottawa Parks Planners to achieve a seamless integration of the park with the site’s ground plane design/function.

Sustainability​

• The Panel recommends further developing the sustainability plan for the site, with a particular focus on the resiliency of the site and the potential for energy generation on site.
  • Consider the huge opportunity for sustainable strategies with a full block site.
  • Consider the potential for blue-green roofs given the large expanse of roof space.
  • Consider heat exchange systems, ground source energy, combined with the use of the roof spaces. Could be game-changing and more sustainable and resilient in the short and long-term.
• The Panel strongly recommends exploring low impact development principles as part of the proposal’s sustainability strategy, particularly with regard to providing a robust tree canopy and softscaped planting beds as a mitigation to heat island effect and stormwater management.

Built Form and Architecture​

• The Panel appreciates the inclusion of the Parliamentary viewshed studies.
• The Panel appreciates the disposition of the buildings on the site, and the articulation and exterior expression of the buildings.
• The Panel suggests the expression of the centre tower is particularly elegant and strong.
• The Panel recommends applying the same treatment/expression of the centre tower to the 2nd tower next to it on the Lyon Street corner, while maintaining the 3rd tower by the park/Kent Street as its own unique expression.
  • The Panel recommends investigating a development in Toronto at Bathurst and St-Clair for by the same architects which parallels particularly well with regard to developing a multiple tower block with generous public amenity space and programmable opportunities.
• The Panel appreciates the articulation of the façades, however, consider giving each of the 3 towers their own podium bases which are uniquely articulated.
  • Consider that each street edge treatment has a slightly different context, and the podium heights should reflect those nuances.
• The Panel recommends lowering the podium portions between the towers by 1-storey to help with the articulation of the podium and realize the intended effect, while still providing large surfaces for outdoor amenities.
• The Panel appreciates the townhouse scale along Arlington Avenue and the relationship they have to the existing streetscape.
• The Panel appreciates the Arlington Avenue view and how the Arlington Avenue edge of the site has been successfully integrated with the streetscape and neighbourhood.
• The Panel appreciates the use of the “Rideau Red” brick in the podium level to help relate the development to the heritage brick buildings of Centretown.
  • The Panel appreciates how the “Rideau Red” brick helps to anchor and define the podium while simultaneously quieting the expression by relating well with the surrounding red brick context.
• The Panel has concerns with the expression of the podium along Catherine Street appearing a bit too much like a pastiche.
  • The Panel appreciates that finding the right balance between unity and differentiation in the podium expression along Catherine Street is challenging.
  • The Panel recommends a bit less differentiation in materiality and tone along Catherine Street to help unify the podium expression, deploying an architectural expression and articulation of the individual segments that creates a unique yet unified rhythm along the streetscape.
  • The Panel suggests some refining of the podium along the Catherine Street façade is needed. Consider a series of architectural details and complementary materials. Often, main street City blocks have similar materials with different architectural details.
• The Panel recommends modifying the massing of the ‘white building’ along Arlington Avenue and adjacent to the park in order to allow for a more sunlight to come through to the park space.
  • Consider a step-back at the upper level(s) or reducing the height of the podium in that area by 1-storey. As currently proposed, this portion of the podium will cast shade on the park, particularly in the mid- and late-afternoon.
  • Consider varying the heights and depths in the podium massing to create architectural interest and break up the podium mass.
• The Panel appreciates the amount of amenity space provided at the podium roof level.
• The Panel recommends expressing the two western towers in a similar manner, as they share a podium, and expressing the lower eastern tower in its own singular expression.
  • Consider pairing similar architectural expressions together rather than splitting them up.
• The Panel has concerns with the streetwall’s height and consistent mass, which is a departure from the current rhythm of buildings and façades in Centretown.
  • The Panel recommends addressing and mitigating the 6-storey ‘wall-like’ appearance of the podium with a podium which has a range of heights. One approach could be to have the towers rest on their own podiums, creating infill podiums between the towers with some variety and rhythm and with one reduced floor.
• The Panel has concerns with the livability of the townhouses along Arlington Avenue and how they tie into the rest of the site design.
  • The Panel recommends exploring options to make a transition to the side streets with the townhouses, particularly along Lyon Street and Arlington Avenue.
  • The Panel recommends some podium areas should be dropped around the townhouses and park space. Consider the potential to provide more sunlight into the interior laneways and public spaces as well.
• The Panel appreciates the use of red brick materiality, particularly along Arlington Avenue, and supports a more extensive use of brick materials throughout the site.

https://ottawa.ca/en/planning-devel...#section-1af34785-9f2e-4f18-9b99-c8c08ad60593

 

[J.OT13]

Nothing about lowering the heights to 27 floors!?

 

[hoggytime]

Nothing about lowering the heights to 27 floors!?

No kidding.

I'm pretty impressed with the report, some solid recommendations. I like the comments on the 'Rideau Red' brick. I wonder what future planning committees will call the charcoal brick in 100 years? 'Roderick Charcoal' ?

 

[originalmuffins]

Honestly yeah, I just hope they make some quick changes to appease the recommendations and hopefully we see this break ground by 2025. This and the Granite buildings are my most anticipated that I think have a good shot to come up. There are other taller developments I'd love to see go up but who knows when those will actually break ground or fix their latest adjustments (900 Albert, Peuples in Gatineau, and Claridge's used to be 60 floor Carling development).

 

[hoggytime]

Honestly yeah, I just hope they make some quick changes to appease the recommendations and hopefully we see this break ground by 2025. This and the Granite buildings are my most anticipated that I think have a good shot to come up. There are other taller developments I'd love to see go up but who knows when those will actually break ground or fix their latest adjustments (900 Albert, Peuples in Gatineau, and Claridge's used to be 60 floor Carling development).

I think 1047 Richmond Road has a decent chance of approval and groundbreaking as well, after some alterations.

 

[originalmuffins]

I think 1047 Richmond Road has a decent chance of approval and groundbreaking as well, after some alterations.

I forgot about that one, it was one of my favourite proposals so i'm happy the appeal and stuff happened, speaking of which - a thread for that hopefully soon!

 

[urbottawa]

Another session at the URDP last friday - only 2 months after the last one. This file seems to be pretty active, hopefully that means it'll move quickly!

 

[hoggytime]

The site is looking pretty forlorn these days, I would love to see shovels in the Spring! The list of changes the URDP requested was extensive, so we'll see how Brigil responds in such short time.