Dow Honda preparing for move to Merivale
Nepean Barrhaven News, Mar 27, 2014
By Adam Kveton
After decades at its current location, Dow Honda is preparing for the move south in the hopes of installing its dealership in Nepean late this year.
The move would make way for Richcraft Homes to build the tallest building in Ottawa on the current Dow Honda site at 845 Carling Ave., near Dow's Lake.
A proposal for the dealership dated March 4 confirms the sign that has been hanging on the corner of Merivale and Colonnade roads: the dealership is planning a move to 15 Colonnade.
The new site would represent more than a doubling of space for the dealership over its Carling location, which has been eaten away by the widening of Carling Avenue. Media reports cite poor customer access as a major reason for the move.
The 1.8 hectare Colonnade site would provide road frontage on both Colonnade and Merivale, as the proposal outlines the intention for a 4,445 square metre dealership on its southwest corner.
The dealership would include a showroom, 16 service bays, an office, storage and waiting areas. One-hundred and seven parking spaces are also proposed to the northeast of the main building.
The proposed dealership would also require roadway modifications, with access from Colonnade and a right-out only egress onto Merivale.
The Dow Honda website indicates a plan to move to the new site in late 2014.
The move has been in the works for several years, with Richcraft buying the dealership's Carling property in the summer of 2012. The developer's plans for the location would set a new precedent for tall buildings in Ottawa.
Three mixed-use buildings are planned for the site: two 48-storey residential buildings and one 18-storey building adjacent to the Carling O-Train station.
The future development would contain 1,123 residential units and about 80,000 square metres of space for retail, amenity and residential uses. Six levels of underground parking are listed in the application. Main vehicle access would be from Sydney Street, with secondary access from Adeline and Carling.
Since Richcraft's application, community members in the Little Italy area near the Carling location have expressed concern over preserving the community's low-rise buildings. Kitchissippi Coun. Katherine Hobbs has pushed for "neighbourhood lines" that would protect low-rise neighbourhoods while allowing taller building development outside of the boundary.
With files from Steph Willems and Laura Mueller
http://www.ottawacommunitynews.com/news-story/4434786-dow-honda-preparing-for-move-to-merivale/
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