Web-extra (April 26, 2018): How High Can You Go?; Developer aspirations soar to new heights.

Web-extra (April 26, 2018): How High Can You Go?;
Developer aspirations soar to new heights.

By Cheryl Parrott, Hintonburg resident.

How high can you go? Want to be the tallest building in Ottawa? 30 storeys no longer cuts it, nor 50 storeys, nor 59 storeys. Let’s get this race going and try 65 storeys.

This is the newest proposal for a tiny, tiny piece of land across from the new LRT Bayview Station at 900 Albert Street. It is situated between the City Centre buildings to the south, Albert Street to the north, the O-train station to the west and City Centre Avenue to the east.

Workers have been busy moving piles of earth around all winter as they relocate a major sewer line that went through the middle of the property.

This work is in anticipation that the City will approve their request to build a major development on this tiny piece of land. The sewer relocation is being done by developer Trinity Developments at their expense.

On April 13, 2018, a notice was sent out from the Planning Department that Trinity has changed their proposal again and they are now proposing greater height.

The changes are numerous, so the main points are copied from the City’s communique: Summary of Revisions.

Building heights: Tower 1 has increased in height from 55 to 65 storeys; Tower 2 has increased in height from 50 to 52 storeys; Tower 3 has decreased in height from 59 to 32 storeys with a larger floorplate for offices on the first 15 storeys;

A hotel component has been added, with 150 guest rooms;
The number of residential units has decreased from 1,632 to 1,232 units.
The amount of retail GFA has increased from 10,864 square metres to 11,926 square metres; The amount of office GFA has increased from 17,442 square metres to 18,332 square metres;

The parking layout has been revised. Previously five (5) levels of above-grade parking were proposed within the podium, and four (4) levels were proposed underground. The revised plans include seven (7) levels of underground parking and no parking within the podium.

The proposal also states 1,153 parking spaces and 749 bike parking spots.
This newest application can be seen at https://app01.ottawa.ca/postingplans/home.jsf?lang=en where the address to enter is 900 Albert.

How things change over a few years. Fifteen years ago the proposal was for 24 townhouses and 32 condo apartments. Thirteen years ago the proposal for this site was for a new Ottawa library on the first 6-10 storeys with a tower above with 140 residential condominiums and a restaurant, the total height was to be 24 or 25 storeys.

The plan then changed to office and residential use with two 30 storey buildings plus a third 8 storey building.

In 2016 a new owner of the property, Trinity Developments came forward with a new plan that again included a new Ottawa library on the main floor, retail space larger than at Landsdowne Park, some office space and three towers of residential that were 55 storeys high and would contain about 1,500 rental residential units. They also wanted to build overtop of the O-Train line and connect to Albert Street at the edge of Tom Brown Arena. The proposal then changed to three towers that were 59, 55 and 50 storeys.

Will it stop here? 75 storeys anyone?

Photo Caption: Tall buildings in tiny spaces reflect multiple changes in developer plans as the site at City Centre reaches for new, record heights for Ottawa highrises. This image from the City Hall web site gives a view from the northeast.