ByWard Parkade | 4fl | Proposed

[waterloowarrior]

existing


Proposed















http://ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/citycouncil/a-lacac/2007/11-22/ACS2007-PTE-APR-0209.htm

The ByWard Parkade, 41 George Street, is located in the ByWard Market Heritage Conservation District. It is a four-storey, five level, parking garage, constructed in the late 1950s that occupies a through lot between George and York Streets

The current proposal is to alter the structure through the addition of one storey of office space and three two‑storey residential units on its roof that will bring the building up to the same height in its centre as the centre of the adjacent Clarendon Lanes development completed in the late 1990s.

In order to construct the addition, the fifth level of parking, currently open to the sky, will be enclosed and the addition will be built on top of it. This intervention will mean that the current view from the east of the cars lining the side of the open deck and the chain link fence that surrounds the open roof will be replaced. As the structure is designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act and located within the boundaries of the ByWard Market Heritage Conservation District, an application to alter under the Ontario Heritage Act is required.
....
The proposed project will involve the re-cladding of the Parkade in contemporary materials (aluminium siding, stone and stucco) that are more compatible in colour with the surrounding historic buildings. The building will be renewed at grade; a new retail outlet will be added to the George Street façade and the existing retail outlet facing York Street will be renovated. In addition, the entrance lobby will be improved and will offer separate entrances to the Parkade and new uses located in the rooftop addition.

The office addition will cover most of the existing upper level of the Parkade but will be setback from George and York Streets. It is entirely clad in glass at the streets to reduce its impact on the views in the area, while the portion beneath the apartments is stone and stucco. The apartments are set back much further from the George and York Street facades to further reduce the impact of the new construction (see Elevations, Document 3 and Perspectives, Document 4).

Definitely an improvement ! not sure if these are the final renders, b/c the staff report talks about plans received October 23/07

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Looks kinda weird, but it's not a total eyesore...

[movebyleap]

Nah. Sorry. Hate it!

The only way they can improve the look of this place is by totally removing the parkade altogether.

Put in a big underground garage. In Europe it's quite popular to build huge underground parkings under old towns. No eyesore lots or "parkades".

But of course this is Ottawa. It would be too EXPENSIVE!!

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

It's actually not so much about being expensive, but where to find parking in the market in the meantime?

It's more about cars than money...

[movebyleap]

ummm..couldn't you just keep the present parkade until a new garage was completed?

[keninhalifax]

Nifty "adaptive re-use" project -- sans, of course, a total "re-use".

[the capital urbanite]

...those condos on top will have some pretty sweet views.

[salvius]

In Europe this in Europe that... they've got plenty of parkades, especially of the courtyard type.

No, the real problem with this one is that it's just not very nice. Nicer than what was there? Oh yes, it's one of the most obvious eyesores in Byward! But it's still ugly.

[Coldrsx]

pretty bad attempt at doing the right thing...

[AuxTown]

If it really turns out anything like the render then it is 100x better than what is there now. It will blend in much better with the surrounding area and who can argue with a little bit of Byward Market infill? I know our job here is to critisize everthing that is posted (or so it seems) but I like the vision shown here. From Byward St. it's gonna be hard to tell that it is even a parkade at all.

[salvius]

Originally Posted by O-Town Hockey

From Byward St. it's gonna be hard to tell that it is even a parkade at all.

I think that's a stretch...

[movebyleap]

[QUOTE]...those condos on top will have some pretty sweet views[/QUOTE]

I was actually passing in front of the parkade today and the sign states that the top levels will be office space. There was no mention of condos.

It's such an unattractive solution to the problem. At the very least they could somehow cover up the ramps instead of leaving them exposed.

In Europe this in Europe that... they've got plenty of parkades, especially of the courtyard type

That is true. But not in the "old town" areas where the parking lots tend to be hidden from view so as not to be eyesores. Is the market not Ottawa's equivalent of an "old town"?

[salvius]

Originally Posted by movebyleap

That is true. But not in the "old town" areas where the parking lots tend to be hidden from view so as not to be eyesores. Is the market not Ottawa's equivalent of an "old town"?

There are some (and admittedly, not in your typical perfectly preserved cities; but then again, I don't consider Byward that kind of 'old town' either). They are, however, much better designed. Much of the time it doesn't look like a parkade at all.

Originally Posted by movebyleap

I was actually passing in front of the parkade today and the sign states that the top levels will be office space. There was no mention of condos.

It's such an unattractive solution to the problem. At the very least they could somehow cover up the ramps instead of leaving them exposed.

Yup... it's unattractive. The more I look at it, the more I dislike it. And this thing is one of my pet peeves of Byward as is... And indeed, why do the ramps have to be exposed??? Is that really such a necessity? Cover the sucker up!

[movebyleap]

And this thing is one of my pet peeves of Byward as is..

Heh, heh...I bet I can guess another one! How about the Great Wall of Bay?

(but that's an entirely different thread, I suspect!)

[AuxTown]

Originally Posted by movebyleap

Heh, heh...I bet I can guess another one! How about the Great Wall of Bay?

(but that's an entirely different thread, I suspect!)

Ah, HBC's achitectural version of a kick in the junk.

[agrigentum]

Originally Posted by O-Town Hockey

Ah, HBC's achitectural version of a kick in the junk.

I just walked by that brown wall of crap today...it really pisses me off. If the company has any hope of re-branding itself, it can start by making its stores the hallmarks of good downtown rivitalization...like Timothy Eaton's original vision for his company when he built all of these grand structures (I know the Bay was originally Freiman's but I'm referring to all the original Eaton department stores). Even the Queen St. store in Toronto lacks...more people walk passed it than go inside.

I know I know, Eatons tried this in the late 90's and it failed...but I'd like to think that HBC could succeed at revitalizing it's culturally significant network of businesses.

[ungodlycrosscheck]

The proposal is an improvement to what's there presently, but aesthetically it's just further validation of the old adage that you can't shine shit.

[the dude]

i've always loathed that parkade. the proposal is better than a kick in the bag, though...marginally.

[osirisboy]

so whats going on with this project? is it starting anytime soon.

[waterloowarrior]

looks like they applied for some minor variances in January, dunno about the results. last time I visited the site they hadn't started construction yet.