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Canada's capital city has experienced a development boom in the last three years that has resulted in a number of new condominium units coming online in several established Ottawa neighbourhoods. Though the market has slowed in recent months, partly due to a decline in employment, there are still a dizzying amount of cranes dotting the skyline.
One of the highest cranes in the sky belongs to a site just west of Little Italy. There, a two-tower development by Ashcroft Homes will cater to students of Carleton University, which is conveniently located one O-Train stop away.
The first tower, Envie, has nearly reached its 28-storey apex. The second 25-storey tower, Capital Hall Condominiums, will begin to rise where the construction staging area for Envie currently sits. Set for completion in 2016 and 2018 respectively, over 500 units will ease the high demand for student housing. While Envie will be leased directly to students, Capital Hall is targetting investors who will in turn rent out the fully furnished suites.
Just a few blocks from Envie and Capital Hall, Claridge Icon is starting construction. The pit for the 45-storey condominium by Claridge Homes and Toronto-based Hariri Pontarini Architects has been excavated and Ottawa's future tallest building will offer up dramatic views of Dow's Lake to the south. The 320 units are scheduled to be ready in 2018.
From the upper floors of Envie, the tallest of the Minto at Lansdowne condominium towers is visible. The Rideau stands 20 storeys at the southwest corner of the Lansdowne Park redevelopment site. After hosting the Central Canada Exhibition until 2010, Lansdowne Park now contains a revitalized TD Place stadium and arena complex surrounded by green space, residential and retail uses. The Rideau is accompanied by the 13-storey Vibe; both towers are works of Barry J. Hobin & Associates Architects.
In Ottawa's Westboro neighbourhood, Ashcroft Homes is redeveloping a five-acre property where a historic convent stands. Q West will include a wealth of green space, about 1,000 residential units, 60,000 square feet of retail and a renovated abbey that houses a restaurant, microbrewery and spa. Another Ashcroft property across the street, 101 Richmond Road, has also completed construction.
On the pedestrian-only Sparks Street downtown, Ashcroft is planning a 17-storey condominium with direct views to Parliament Hill. The sales centre recently closed to make way for construction, which will include 90 units, fitness facilities, a spa, a theatre, a games room, a party room, a sports room and a sky lounge. re Residences will be the first condominium project on the mostly office and retail strip of Sparks Street.
While the condo boom has subsided, a lack of rental units in the city may lead developers in a new direction. Developers opting to build rentals can avoid the lengthy process of meeting sales quotas before construction. A general lack of supply also means that rental units are hard to come by in Ottawa. Ashcroft had originally applied for two condominium buildings at their Little Italy location, changing course to student housing after the condo market slumped. In Toronto, where the condo market remains fairly strong, rentals are also witnessing a comeback with several substantial apartment towers beginning construction. The diversity of housing options residents desire in a fluid economy may just prove that Ottawa can continue to rise despite market woes.
Additional information and images can be found in our dataBase files for these projects, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion or post your construction photos? Check out the associated Forum threads or leave a comment in the space provided at the bottom of this page.
| Related Companies: | Hariri Pontarini Architects, Minto Communities GTA |
