Cohere Centre (former EY Centre) | Completed

[Ottawan]

Does anyone know what the CE in CE Centre stands for?

[waterloowarrior]

Capital Exhibition?

[Richard Eade]

Well, it looks as if things are moving ahead with this project. Sounds like lots of new road lanes. I can't say for sure who is paying the tab, but the City is giving notice that it is approving roadway modifications: (from http://ottawa.ca/home_page_feeds/meeting_notice/index_en.html)

Uplands Drive/Lester Road from Research Road to 300 m East of Alert Road/Airport Parkway Northbound On-Ramp
Pursuant to by-law 2002-522, the City of Ottawa is providing notice to the public of its intention to approve roadway modifications at the following locations in accordance with By-Law 2001-12.

Research Road and Uplands Drive

• A new traffic control signal
• Single northbound and southbound left turns
• Single northbound and westbound right turn lanes
• Dual westbound left-turn lanes

Uplands Drive from Research Road to Airport Parkway Southbound Off-Ramp

• Widen to accommodate two southbound lanes.

Uplands Drive Split and Capital Exhibition Centre Southern Site Access

• Single northbound, southbound and westbound left-turn lanes
• Northbound right-turn lane

Uplands Drive and Airport Parkway Southbound Off-Ramp

• Extend the southbound right turn lane
• Provide dual southbound left turn lanes
• Widen to accommodate two eastbound through lane

Uplands Drive/Lester Road and Alert Road/Airport Parkway Northbound On-Ramp

• Extend the eastbound left turn lane
• Widen to accommodate two eastbound through lane

[YOWflier]

I drove by the site on Saturday and I think it's safe to call this one "Under Construction"; the structure is mostly if not entirely erected, the parking lot is mostly paved ... heck, they've even done some landscaping.

[McC]

saw it on Thursday, what a hideous sea of surface parking: godawful!

[kevinbottawa]

The CE Centre's facebook page has some recent construction pics.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/CE-Centre-Every-Event-is-Better-Here/221720191174836

[waterloowarrior]

Nice shot by southfacing
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23575605@N08/6370761935/in/photostream

[Cre47]

Also on the concerts thread.

deadmau5 at the CE on December 27. They will also be performing at the Juno Awards

http://www.deadmau5.com/shows/ce-centre-ottawa-on/.

[Anson]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

Nice shot by southfacing
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23575605@N08/6370761935/in/photostream

Looks like a 900 cars parking lot

[waterloowarrior]

good OBJ article on how the CE Centre came to be
http://www.obj.ca/Real-Estate/Constructi...ade-show-space-ended-up-at-the-airport/1

Didn't know that Trinity was also part of the funding

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by McC

saw it on Thursday, what a hideous sea of surface parking: godawful!

Amazing, isn't it. Exactly the kind of thing that all our phatic, empty, pointless planning documents supposedly are trying to steer the city away from, and yet we keep getting more and more and more and more of the same damn crap.

Couldn't they at least have sited the damn building so its entrance would be close to the existing bus route (and the airport LRT line that'll be built in 2254?)

[citizen j]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

Amazing, isn't it. Exactly the kind of thing that all our phatic, empty, pointless planning documents supposedly are trying to steer the city away from, and yet we keep getting more and more and more and more of the same damn crap.

Couldn't they at least have sited the damn building so its entrance would be close to the existing bus route (and the airport LRT line that'll be built in 2254?)

No, you've missed the point entirely. The developers have created a very forward-thinking example of TOD by providing parking space out front for three air ships. (I hear they're scheduled to erect the mooring masts next month).

[umbria27]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

Amazing, isn't it. Exactly the kind of thing that all our phatic, empty, pointless planning documents supposedly are trying to steer the city away from, and yet we keep getting more and more and more and more of the same damn crap.

Couldn't they at least have sited the damn building so its entrance would be close to the existing bus route (and the airport LRT line that'll be built in 2254?)

Just drove the girls out to the Lululemon factory sale at the Cretinous Exhibition Centre. First of all, I'm annoyed that I had to drive them out there. I moved downtown so I wouldn't have to experience the existential nausea of suburban parking lots, but it seemed unfair to make the girls walk the length of the airport parkway and public transit seemed to require 2 connections and an hour each way. Trinity must be very proud of the Walmartization of our Trade Show space. I hope I never have to go there again.

[reidjr]

Originally Posted by umbria27

Just drove the girls out to the Lululemon factory sale at the Cretinous Exhibition Centre. First of all, I'm annoyed that I had to drive them out there. I moved downtown so I wouldn't have to experience the existential nausea of suburban parking lots, but it seemed unfair to make the girls walk the length of the airport parkway and public transit seemed to require 2 connections and an hour each way. Trinity must be very proud of the Walmartization of our Trade Show space. I hope I never have to go there again.

Trade show space needs to be big and really you can't have it downtown.

[KHOOLE]

"Trade show space needs to be big"

The place looks like an out of place airport hangar with a Zeppelin landing berth. Not much of a visual impression for anyone flying in to Ottawa for the first time.

[reidjr]

Originally Posted by KHOOLE

"Trade show space needs to be big"

The place looks like an out of place airport hangar with a Zeppelin landing berth. Not much of a visual impression for anyone flying in to Ottawa for the first time.

I think when and if more gets built around there it will be better be it the movie studio etc.

[umbria27]

Originally Posted by reidjr

Trade show space needs to be big and really you can't have it downtown.

That's nonsense. There are plenty of downtown trade show facilities.
The Javits Center is 675,000 square feet in Manhattan. That's 3 times the CE Centre size. Philadelpia's is 600,200 square feet. If they can find the space in Manhattan, they can find it in Ottawa. This was just lazy planning.

[reidjr]

Originally Posted by umbria27

That's nonsense. There are plenty of downtown trade show facilities.
The Javits Center is 675,000 square feet in Manhattan. That's 3 times the CE Centre size. Philadelpia's is 600,200 square feet. If they can find the space in Manhattan, they can find it in Ottawa. This was just lazy planning.

Its not so much lazy planning yes there is room it has more to do with the anti devlopement mind set by some if they said were going to build a 222,000 sqaure foot trade centre right downtown you would have a fair amount of people up in arms crying about traffic etc.

[umbria27]

Originally Posted by reidjr

Its not so much lazy planning yes there is room it has more to do with the anti devlopement mind set by some if they said were going to build a 222,000 sqaure foot trade centre right downtown you would have a fair amount of people up in arms crying about traffic etc.

Indeed, it would have been more difficult to build downtown, so the city and developers didn't try. Isn't that the definition of lazy?

If we accept this argument for trade show space, are we going to accept it for housing and retail and office development. This is how sprawl happens.

[acottawa]

Honestly, I don't see a lot of advantage to having it downtown (although perhaps closer to downtown might have been better). As far as I can tell, this thing caters to local residents going to travelling sales/shows, so there is no particular need for the facility to be close to restaurants, bars, tourist attractions, etc. like a convention centre catering to our of town visitors.

Besides, it could probably be used as a shelter if the airport has to close for some sort of emergency.