uOttawa Campus Master Plan

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by OTSkyline

Nice little additions.

Has the university made any progress on redeveloping all of the empty, asbestos-plagued residences lining King Edward?

No.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/university-ottawa-mouldy-brooks-residence-housing-1.6959759

https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showpost.php?p=10033955&postcount=18

I don't think it's "asbestos plagued". Don't think that was still used when it was built in 1987. Issues is water seepage/mold.

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

Originally Posted by OTSkyline

Nice little additions.

Has the university made any progress on redeveloping all of the empty, asbestos-plagued residences lining King Edward?

I posted at the same time as J.OT13 above , so there is some redundancy here.

Asbestos was not the main problem. These buildings were poorly built (defunct Perez Corp.) and allowed water infiltration . That led to mold and they were condemned by the health Dept. The university said a few times that they would soon be demolished, but they were not. I get the impression that they have decided to wait until they are ready to put up a new building there. That is probably a long way off. In the meantime it is costing the university a lot of money to keep them standing, so it does not make a lot of sense to me to not pull them down.

Putting a new residence there would be an obvious choice. uOttawa has been talking to the Montreal developer will build at 2 Robinson Av. about including student residences in their development. I have a gut feeling that decisions about Brooks have been put on hold until they see if they can get a deal at 2 Robinson.

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

This from Global News




https://globalnews.ca/news/10414592/onta...t=Publicly%20assisted%20universities%20w

Special rules for student accommodation

The province is also proposing to give university-led housing projects special status and exemptions to build student accommodation faster.

Publicly assisted universities will be exempted from the Planning Act, the provincial rules that govern housing construction in Ontario. That means universities could push through projects without the need to request new zoning for the area or certain site plan requirements.

The government said the move would bring universities in line with publicly assisted colleges. The changes would allow projects to sidestep the majority of municipal bureaucracy around homebuilding, potentially saving years of planning consultations and requests.

As housing minister, Calandra said he retains the power to step in if he feels a university is misusing its powers. The aim of the new powers handed to universities was to build student housing, not to allow post-secondary institutions to become real estate developers, he added.

The new rules to sharply boost the provision of student accommodation come as Ontario weighs adding student housing to its definition of new homes.

It came to my attention recently, that uOttawa ,starting with the 130 million dollar FHS that has been built, will spend 4 billion dollars on construction over 20 years. A new athletic facility on Mann avenue, to replace Montpetit Hall , is probably 5 to 10 years away.

[White Pine]

Originally Posted by LeadingEdgeBoomer

This from Global News




https://globalnews.ca/news/10414592/onta...t=Publicly%20assisted%20universities%20w



It came to my attention recently, that uOttawa ,starting with the 130 million dollar FHS that has been built, will spend 4 billion dollars on construction over 20 years. A new athletic facility on Mann avenue, to replace Montpetit Hall , is probably 5 to 10 years away.

Will this be a problem given the international student situation?

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

Originally Posted by White Pine

Will this be a problem given the international student situation?

Not directly. University financing is very complicated. It functions with different envelopes and money often can not be transferred from one envelope to another.

Tuition, domestic and international. goes into the operating fund that meets daily expenses, such as paying staff. So does government funding earmarked for operating expenses. uOttawa has a $10 million deficit in its operating funds this year. Queen's has a $45 million dollar deficit. Both universities have endowment funds that are much larger than those deficits but they can not use the endowment funds to offset it.
If I donate $100,000 to endow a perpetual scholarship, that money must legally remain to do as I intended and not used to offset the operating deficit.

Money to build new infrastructure is similar. If I donate 100 million to build the new AMRC ,or a government does, then it must be used for that purpose and not diverted to operating funds. Otherwise I can take it back. Universities have to lobby governments and private interests to get the money for new infrastructure.
Sometimes they can borrow money against future revenue. This is common for students residences where the students are charged rent that can pay down the loan. The AMRC is expected to produce revenue and money has been borrowed.

I am sure it is all much more complicated than I can grasp.

[J.OT13]

Cross-post because it's relevant to the overall campus.

Major new student housing project at uOttawa



A major new student housing project at the University of Ottawa promises to elevate the student experience on campus.

The University is planning a major project that will include 2,600 residence beds, along with new classrooms and study spaces, a dining hall and new green spaces. The goal is simple: to bring more students back to the heart of campus and create spaces that improve how students live, study and connect.

What’s coming

The project, developed in partnership with Integrated Campus Solutions, a consortium of four private companies, will move forward in three phases:

• Phase 1 (starting summer 2026): Redevelopment of the former Brooks Complex, between King Edward Avenue and Louis Pasteur Private (near Fauteux Hall, Montpetit Hall and the Learning Crossroads)
• Phase 2: Redevelopment of the 90U parking lot, known as Lot K
• Phase 3: Redevelopment of a Stewart Street site
• All phases are expected to be completed by 2032.

Once finished, the expanded housing portfolio will strengthen uOttawa’s commitment to guaranteeing residence space to all first-year students and create more opportunities for students to live on campus beyond first year.

Before designs are finalized, the University wants to hear directly from students who live in residence or have lived in residence, as well as a randomized sample of the general student population.

Check your @uOttawa email inbox on January 19 and have your say by completing the Student Accommodation Preference Survey.

The survey will ask about residence room options, including one-bed units, shared rooms and multi-bed suites. All units would be fully furnished and include air conditioning, utilities, high-speed Wi-Fi and free shared laundry.

Students will also be asked what matters most in shared spaces and amenities, such as study areas, community kitchens, large lounges, outdoor spaces, gaming rooms and recreation facilities.

The survey will also identify features students would rather avoid, such as 12-month leases versus 8 months, shared communal kitchens or limited internet access.

“We want to hear from the people who know student life best,” says Patrick Genest, senior director of client relations. “The room types and amenities are not final yet. Student feedback will help shape residences that feel welcoming, social and supportive.

Cobalt on Sidetrack RFC Community posted a map of where he thinks these phases will be.