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rocketphish

rocketphish

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Taggart Realty Management is proposing the redevelopment of the subject property at 359 Kent Street, 436 and 444 MacLaren Street with a 27-storey high-rise residential apartment building.

Architect: Hobin Architecture

Development Application

Development Applications Search

devapps.ottawa.ca devapps.ottawa.ca

Discussion History


Resubmision (July 2023)

The primary purpose of this addendum is to address the planning comments received April 28, 2023. In doing so, this addendum also summarizes the many significant changes to the development since the original submission in response to engagement and review processes.


Inventory of Changes

The following provides a summary of the changes since the previous submission in March 2023.

Civic Space
The previous submission offered 186 square metres of dedicated civic use space in one of three possible locations:
  • The heritage building at 436 MacLaren,
  • The Kent and Gilmour corner on the ground floor of the retained heritage facades, or
  • A newly constructed ground floor space in the new podium fronting onto Gilmour Street.
After consultation with City staff and the community, the civic use offering has been amended to include three spaces:
  • The heritage house at 436 MacLaren equal to approximately 307 square metres,
  • 186 square metres on the ground floor of the new building; and,
  • A Privately-Owned Public Space (POPS) of approximately 530 square metres linking the two (2) interior spaces.

Landscape Design
More planting has been introduced in the POPS and along Kent, adjacent to 444 MacLaren Street.

Podium Design
Based on the recommendations by the consulted stakeholders, the podium to the east of the retained heritage facades has been reduced to four (4) storeys (from 5). The podium sunshade feature has also been removed from the terrace atop the podium to further improve transition to the adjacent existing low-rise context.

The ground floor of the new red-brick component of the podium features ground-oriented residential units which positively impacts the landscape treatment along Gilmour Street.

The architectural language along the North facade of the Legion building has been simplified. The articulation has been adjusted to reflect a residential program and mimic the existing materiality and quality of the existing Legion building's heritage facades.

Tower Design
The architecture of the tower has been simplified from the previous design based on feedback from the SDRP. The curtain wall feature at the southwest corner is no longer present, and the form of the tower’s heavy framing has been reduced to streamline it. Vertical members have also been removed to lighten up the tower.

The crown, paired down to thinner vertical and horizontal elements as opposed to a cap, still encapsulated the mechanical penthouse and some amenity space while elongating the building, and providing a lighter, more porous top.

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Latest design

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City committee to consider integrating former Legion headquarters facades in 'iconic' highrise
The application covers three properties: Legion House at 359 Kent Street and 436 and 444 MacLaren Street. The properties are designated under the Ontario Heritage Act

Joanne Laucius, Ottawa Citizen
Published Jan 13, 2024 • Last updated 49 minutes ago • 4 minute read

Ottawa’s built heritage committee is to consider a proposal on Tuesday that would incorporate midcentury facades from the Legion House on Kent Street into a 27-storey residential tower project.

Under the proposal, the south and east facades of The Legion House would be dismantled and reconstructed on the same footprint using the 1,200 units of existing limestone cladding. The north and west facades would be “reinterpreted” using new material and a contemporary design.

A report from city staff recommends that the application be approved

The application from Taggart Realty Management covers a package of three properties: the Legion House, a mid-century office building and former headquarters of the Royal Canadian Legion’s Dominion Command at 359 Kent St., and two houses at 436 and 444 MacLaren St.

The reconstructed Legion House would have institutional or community uses on the Kent Street frontage. The 27-storey tower would contain 289 residential units. There would be a four-storey red brick podium on the east side of the site fronting on Gilmour Street and four levels of underground parking.

The tower portion of the proposal would be set back about 2.5 metres from the Gilmour Street facade and three metres from the Kent Street facade, which would ensure that the Legion House remained the “dominant feature” on the site, according to the city report.

The MacLaren properties, a pair of two-and-a-half-storey brick houses built between 1879 and 1901, are designated under the Ontario Heritage Act as part of the Centretown Heritage Conservation District. They will be restored and integrated into the overall landscaping and site design.

According to the proposal, 436 MacLaren St. would be used for local community-based organizations and 444 MacLaren St. would remain either as an office or a restaurant. Meanwhile, a privately-owned public space on the north side would replace existing parking, connecting the Legion House with 436 and 444 MacLaren St.

Taggart’s Heritage Impact Assessment describes the proposed tower as a “beacon.”

“Its dramatic shape not only acts as a guide to the downtown core but will also be visible as a new iconic piece in the Ottawa skyline from the Queensway. The slender shape of the tower with its sculpted facades, is designed to create visual interest from far and near. A large shroud crowns the building and flows upwards to capture the top of the tower. It bisects the building mass to emphasize the verticality of the tower and creates possibilities for outdoor spaces on the upper floors.”

The cultural heritage value of the Centretown heritage conservation district lies in its role as an early residential neighbourhood, the city report said. Conserving and integrating the two MacLaren buildings into the project is “fundamental to the overall site redevelopment and its ability to respect and maintain the historic residential character of the neighbourhood.”

Legion House, designed by the architect J.L. Kingston, was built in two stages between 1956 and 1959. The 1997 Heritage Conservation District Plan did not identify the Legion House as a “contributing building” under the plan. The original application from Taggart didn’t include retaining the building.

But city staff reevaluated the property and decided the Legion House had cultural value as the postwar headquarters for the Canadian Legion’s Dominion Command, whose primary purpose was to support returning Second World War veterans trying to adjust to civilian life. The property has been identified as a contributing building in the updated Centretown Heritage Conservation District Plan approved by city council in 2022.

“It’s not only the actual structure, but the role of the institution played in Canada’s history,” said Hunter McGill, a member of the Heritage Ottawa board and its advisory committee.

Heritage Ottawa, which champions preserving heritage buildings, has had no concerns with the consultation process, which has taken over two years, he said. But there are concerns about the height and mass of the residential tower.

“The district is largely two-and-a-half- to three-storey brick buildings with a lot of consistency. This would be dramatically different,” McGill said.

“We feel it’s not respectful to the district and its architectural features and character.”

Heritage Ottawa plans to outline its objections to the project to the built heritage committee on Tuesday. “It would change the character of the neighbourhood just by virtue of its height and mass,” McGill said.

If the built heritage committee approves the proposal, it will go to city council.

The staff recommendations include stipulating a four-year expiry date for heritage approval, noting that the Ontario Heritage Act does not provide timelines for the expiry of heritage permits.

“Given the scale, complexity and scope of the project, a four-year expiry date is recommended to ensure that the project is completed in a timely fashion,” the staff report said.

ottawacitizen.com

City committee to consider integrating former Legion headquarters facades in 'iconic' highrise

The application covers three properties: Legion House at 359 Kent Street and 436 and 444 MacLaren Street.
ottawacitizen.com ottawacitizen.com
 
Kent Street highrise gets heritage committee approval
The plan is to integrate the former Legion headquarters facades on the site with the highrise.

Staff Reporter, Ottawa Citizen
Published Jan 16, 2024 • 1 minute read

A 27-storey residential tower on Kent Street that will incorporate the facade of the historic Legion House was given the thumbs up by Ottawa’s built heritage committee Tuesday.

The application from Taggart Realty Management calls for the dismantling of the east and south sides of Legion House, a mid-century office building that was once the headquarters of the Royal Canadian Legion’s Dominion Command. Each side is to be reconstructed on the same footprint using existing limestone cladding. The north and west facades would be “reinterpreted” using new materials and a contemporary design.

When finished, the highrise on the east side of Kent Street, between MacLaren and Gilmour streets, will contain 289 residential units and four levels of underground parking.

Two houses at 436 and 444 MacLaren St. that are part of the property will be restored and integrated into the overall landscaping and site design. The houses date from 1879 and 1901 and are designated under the Ontario Heritage Act as part of the Centretown Heritage Conservation District.

The project, which was endorsed by city staff, now heads to city council for final approval.

ottawacitizen.com

Kent Street highrise gets heritage committee approval

The highrise on Kent Street, between MacLaren and Gilmour streets, will have 289 residential units and four levels of underground parking.
ottawacitizen.com ottawacitizen.com
 
The 'Landmark' tag has been thrown around more for this proposal than any other in Ottawa history, I think? It's hilarious (and sad) that it's ending up as another 27 story building in The Great Clump.
 
It's time this Great Clump era ends. I'm not sure if councilors believe a table top is in "vogue" or what, but I'd rather not dream about cooking pancakes on my hometown's skyline
 
This one (and the other project) across the street have potential to add height, density and style to Centretown. Really hoping to see them move forward asap - and yes more height would've been appreciated.
 
pgagnon said:
This one (and the other project) across the street have potential to add height, density and style to Centretown. Really hoping to see them move forward asap - and yes more height would've been appreciated.
Click to expand...
they won't. they said they won't touch this project for another 10 years. i hate this project more than anything. just reeks of disappointment
 
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