Odenak (Dream LeBreton) [665 Albert St] | 105+120m | 31+36f | U/C

[Harley613]

Originally Posted by flavour_town

Or we could approach a moderate solution of low to mid rise at the good companions site.

30 stories WILL be a mid rise in this area in the not so distant future, relative to other developments over the years across the Flats.

If you are bemoaning living under the shadow of a 30 story building in the very core of a city of 1.5 million, you should realize that you're actually lucky while it lasts. 30 story buildings are not very tall, and buildings twice as tall are coming imminently.

[flavour_town]

Originally Posted by Harley613

If you are bemoaning living under the shadow of a 30 story building in the very core of a city of 1.5 million, you should realize that you're actually lucky while it lasts. 30 story buildings are not very tall, and buildings twice as tall are coming imminently.

The maximum height on the new ncc developments east of booth is 30 storeys, so I don't think you're getting your facts right. There will be a single 40 storey west of both though.

If you're referring to Trinity's plan, that is both considerably further away and also largely isolated from existing houses.

In light of all of that, 30 storeys could not remotely be considered mid-rise.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by flavour_town

The maximum height on the new ncc developments east of booth is 30 storeys, so I don't think you're getting your facts right. There will be a single 40 storey west of both though.

If you're referring to Trinity's plan, that is both considerably further away and also largely isolated from existing houses.

In light of all of that, 30 storeys could not remotely be considered mid-rise.

Page 87 and 92 speak to the height. Three buildings penned in as 40 floors, but more could be. The two that we're discussing on this page were set to be 30 tops, but will end up 31 and 36. We can assume that heights will probably increase across the board, as they are at Zibi.

https://ncc-website-2.s3.amazonaws.com/d...an-1.pdf?mtime=20210422120531&focal=none

[Kelnoz]

Originally Posted by flavour_town

Because God forbid someone not want to go from living next to a two storey building to living next to a thirty storey one.

It's really strange how much people care about this stuff, in most cases it won't have an impact, and in a lot of cases it brings advantages in the form of more amenities.

If you want your neighbour's land to look a certain way, buy it.

[Harley613]

Originally Posted by flavour_town

The maximum height on the new ncc developments east of booth is 30 storeys, so I don't think you're getting your facts right. There will be a single 40 storey west of both though.

If you're referring to Trinity's plan, that is both considerably further away and also largely isolated from existing houses.

In light of all of that, 30 storeys could not remotely be considered mid-rise.

Community Design Plans and NCC Guidelines mean very little. You can find exceptions all over this city. I hope I don't sound facetious, but those plans are partly created to placate the neighborhood until the next stage of city growth makes them irrelevant. Ottawa is expecting 400,000+ people in the next 25 years with very little expansion of the urban boundary. You will see 50+ story buildings on LeBreton Flats and at Tunney's Pasture in the not so distant future, I guarantee it.

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by Harley613

You guys are getting student residence vibes, meanwhile I'm getting strong Rotterdam/Frankfurt vibes. This project looks very Euro and Energy Efficient to me. It's unique in Canada, and I really appreciate that.

Naw, it looks like student housing complete with ACP cladding. Rotterdam is very hit and miss with their designs. Frankfurt adores glass.

[Harley613]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

Naw, it looks like student housing complete with ACP cladding. Rotterdam is very hit and miss with their designs. Frankfurt adores glass.

I don't agree. I have spent a lot of time in both, and this design somehow resonates for me. Hopefully these pictures speak for me. I feel like these buildings would be very at home in either skyline, but would stick out like a sore thumb in Edmonton/Calgary/Vancouver/Montreal/Toronto.

[flavour_town]

Originally Posted by Kelnoz

It's really strange how much people care about this stuff, in most cases it won't have an impact, and in a lot of cases it brings advantages in the form of more amenities.

If you want your neighbour's land to look a certain way, buy it.

This whole particular debate is particularly snide because we're talking about a lot where, literally across Albert, hundreds, upon hundreds of new high density units are going to be put in. But even in spite of that, someone not wanting to see a small side street that currently services a small number of vehicles, suddenly become inundated by a massive uptick in volume, that's treated as egregious.

We treat this debate like you're either pro-maximum density, or you're a monster, as though there's no middle ground in there. It's frankly disappointing and just polarizes our society.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by flavour_town

This whole particular debate is particularly snide because we're talking about a lot where, literally across Albert, hundreds, upon hundreds of new high density units are going to be put in. But even in spite of that, someone not wanting to see a small side street that currently services a small number of vehicles, suddenly become inundated by a massive uptick in volume, that's treated as egregious.

We treat this debate like you're either pro-maximum density, or you're a monster, as though there's no middle ground in there. It's frankly disappointing and just polarizes our society.

That's a fair point.

The transit line runs through LeBreton. As we get further, density should go down. I might be ok with towers on both sides of Albert, but beyond that, it should step down.

Similar to Scott, where the area immediately along the transit trench should be towers, but as we get towards the traditionally main streets of Wellington West and Richmond, height and density should go down.

[J.OT13]

No delegations, so no presentation. Recommendations for approval carried.

Disappointed, because I wanted to see the presentation. Staff and developer should still have to show the proposal for information purposes. Would salon be nice to have some comments from everyone to hear why this is a good proposal.

[rocketphish]

Dream LeBreton towers approved for LeBreton Flats
The site at 665 Albert St. sits between the city's new Ādisōke main public library, now under construction, and the Pimisi LRT station

Blair Crawford, Ottawa Citizen
Oct 27, 2022 • 45 minutes ago • 4 minute read



The city’s planning committee gave the green light Thursday to two high rises on LeBreton Flats, the first residential developments in 15 years on the troubled jewel-in-the rough property on Ottawa’s downtown edge.

The new towers by the group Dream LeBreton will stand 31 and 36 storeys and were designed by Perkins&Will and KPMB Architects. Combined, they will have a total of 601 rental units, of which 247, or 41 per cent, will be designated as affordable.

The site at 665 Albert St. sits between the city’s new Ādisōke main public library, now under construction, and the Pimisi LRT station.

In approving the project, the planning committee granted the builder an exemption to height limits that cap towers at 25 storeys. That decision must still be approved by city council, but Dream LeBreton was given the go ahead by the National Capital Commission last January.

Dream LeBreton bills the development as the largest net-zero carbon residential community in Canada, thanks to its “high-performance building envelope”, integrated solar panels and “natural daylight harvesting” using the towers’ orientation and sloped roofs to maximize solar energy. The design also taps into the Albert Street sewer trunk as a low-carbon energy source, leveraging the fact that the sewer is warmer in winter and cooler in summer to moderate the buildings’ temperature, said Justin Robitaille, Dream LeBreton’s VP of development.

The buildings will have 202 parking spaces for cars and 742 for bicycles. Each tower sits on a six-story stepped pedestal with commercial and community spaces.

Construction is expected to start next spring and the first units could be available for rent near the end of 2025, Robitaille said.

The 247 affordable units are to be earmarked for five target populations as defined by the national housing strategy: Indigenous communities; veterans; women and children; immigrants and newcomers; and adults with cognitive disabilities. The non-profit charity, Multifaith Housing Initiative, will own and operate 132 of the affordable units.

The affordable component is based on median income in the immediate neighbourhoods of Westboro, Hintonburg and Chinatown, not a city wide median as used in some other projects, Robitaille said. That means some units will be available for as low as half the regular rent.

“It’s a pretty significant discount,” he said.

That’s made possible by a forgivable loan from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation on the land purchase that will subsidize the company’s cost of renting below market rates, he said.

“That helped us really go to new depths of affordability that you wouldn’t otherwise see on new rental projects,” he said.

The affordability status is permanent for the 132 units owned by Multifaith Housing, and for 55 years for the remainder. In some other developments in the city, the affordable units have only been guaranteed for as little as 10 years.

Suzanne Le, executive director of Multifaith Housing Initiative, said she’s excited because of the possibility of community building at Dream LeBreton.

“It’s the idea that people who are low income shouldn’t be isolated or live in little enclaves away from the rest of the society,” Le said.

“What’s exciting for us is the community we’re going to build. Things like yoga classes, knitting clubs, homework clubs and sports clubs — all the programs we’re going to build at Dream LeBreton will be for everyone — all 600 units — and not just for our units.”

The development also includes a social development component, committing to giving 15 per cent of the overall value of contracts to companies that are at least 50 per cent owned or managed by “equity-seeking groups” including at least five per cent for Algonquin or Indigenous businesses. Similarly, at least 20 per cent of on-site employment hours will be going to equity-seeking groups with five per cent to Algonquin or Indigenous workers.

The Dream LeBreton project is another step in the development of the 21-hectare site, largely vacant since it was expropriated and bulldozed in the early 1960s. In June, the NCC announced it had reached memorandum of understanding to lease land west of Pimisi Station for a new hockey arena to be built by Capital Sports Development Inc., a company led by the Ottawa Senators. Work is continuing to develop another residential area across from the war museum that will be known as The Flats District.

A previous proposal for an arena and residential towers known as Rendezvous LeBreton that was fronted by former Senators owner Eugene Melnyk collapsed in 2018 because of a legal dispute between the investors. The last residential development on LeBreton Flats were a complex of mid-rise condos on the eastern edge built in 2007.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/dream-lebreton-towers-approved-for-lebreton-flats

[Harley613]

'the first residential developments in 15 years on the troubled jewel-in-the rough property on Ottawa’s downtown edge'

Huh?

That is some bad journalism.

I have updated the wiki

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Ottawa%E2%80%93Gatineau

[SL123]

Construction expected to start next spring according to the article! I'm excited that things are finally getting built there!

[Harley613]

I pointed out the three phases of Claridge Lebreton Flats, all built in the last 15 years, and the two Claridge towers under construction next door, on the Sun articles comment section. They deleted my comment . I guess they would rather stick with a lie than have it pointed out.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Harley613

I pointed out the three phases of Claridge Lebreton Flats, all built in the last 15 years, and the two Claridge towers under construction next door, on the Sun articles comment section. They deleted my comment . I guess they would rather stick with a lie than have it pointed out.

Journalistic integrity is dead.

[AuxTown]

Originally Posted by Harley613

I pointed out the three phases of Claridge Lebreton Flats, all built in the last 15 years, and the two Claridge towers under construction next door, on the Sun articles comment section. They deleted my comment . I guess they would rather stick with a lie than have it pointed out.

haha, that's amazing

[J.OT13]

Dream LeBreton unveils two-tower design for Ottawa project

Don Wilcox, October 28, 2022
Managing Editor, RENX

The Dream LeBreton partnership has unveiled the design plan for its two-tower-plus-podium residential and commercial development which will kick off a new phase of building at Ottawa’s long-vacant LeBreton Flats.

The partnership, which involves Dream Asset Management, Dream Impact Trust and local non-profit MultiFaith Housing Initiative, has also received approval from Ottawa’s planning committee. It plans to begin construction at the 2.5-acre so-called Library Parcel in 2023.

The two towers will contain 601 rental apartments, with 41 per cent (247 units) being affordable housing in line with a mandate from the National Capital Commission, the federal government entity which controls the property. Located just west of Ottawa’s downtown core, LeBreton Flats offers direct access to the Ottawa River and straddles the border with the city’s largely residential west end.

Ten per cent of the units in this phase will be three-bedrooms to accommodate families.

“Our vision for the Library Parcel exemplifies how we can meaningfully address the country’s affordability crisis while creating inclusive spaces that push the envelope on sustainability,” said Justin Robitaille, VP development of Dream Asset Management, in the announcement Thursday.

“We’re proud to work alongside like-minded partners, including MultiFaith Housing Initiative, the National Capital Commission and the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation, to deliver a community that’s deeply rooted in a mission of positive impact.”

Dream develops LeBreton, Zibi sites

Dream is essentially reshaping an entire swathe of land west of the core as it is also developing the master-planned 35-acre Zibi site which straddles the Ottawa River encompassing land in both Ottawa and the Quebec city of Gatineau.

Zibi borders the LeBreton Flats site, located just across the Chaudiere Bridge.

After years of inaction and aborted plans, it appears activity will now quickly ramp up at LeBreton Flats.

Separate negotiations have also resumed on another block of LeBreton land in an effort to have a new arena and entertainment complex constructed at the site to bring the NHL’s Ottawa Senators to the downtown.

The team currently plays out of a facility in the west-end community of Kanata.

A previous master-planned proposal involving the Senators and a consortium of developers fell through a couple of years ago due to internal disagreements among the partners.

The Library Parcel is designed as a transit-oriented development. The design is led by Perkins&Will and KPMB Architects and supported by Two Row Architect and Purpose Building.

Other collaborators include PFS Studio (landscape architect), EllisDon (construction manager) and Innovation Seven (Indigenous engagement consultant).

This parcel of land is connected to an LRT station and near both the city’s new central library which is currently under construction and the Canadian War Museum.

Street-level retail and commercial space is also included in the plan.

Design of LeBreton Flats Phase 1

The red facade of the towers was designed in collaboration with Canadian artist Margaret Priest and takes inspiration from the Laurentian Forest and the historical red brick homes in the neighbouring communities.

The colour is to lighten as it climbs up the towers, creating a slender appearance and drawing the eye to the sky.

The towers are rotated and offset to one another to offer the best views of Ottawa landmarks including Parliament Hill, the Ottawa and Gatineau Rivers and nearby Dow’s Lake.

“As architects, we have a unique responsibility to ensure projects at transit sites capture opportunities for density, equality and sustainability,” said Peter Busby, global design principal, Perkins&Will, in the announcement.

“The project will be very close to zero operational carbon, will have low embodied carbon,and will provide a significant number of affordable rental units directly on transit.”

Anchoring the buildings are six-storey podiums which will contain the amenities and terrace down to a large ground-level community space.

Envisioned as a central gathering place paying homage to Indigenous principles and history, the all-season ground level is designed to host ceremonies, events, public art and other social events.

Amenities will include child care, a programmed community hub, a workshop, a green roof and gardens, homework rooms, co-working lounges, a community kitchen and fitness centres.

“Collaborating with this extraordinary team led by Dream, we are creating a vibrant walkable and transit-oriented future for LeBreton Flats – and for the nation’s capital – that responds to the Albert Street District context and is welcoming, affordable and integrated” said Bruce Kuwabara, founding partner at KPMB Architects, in the release.

Sustainable development

Once complete, the community will be operationally net-zero carbon, LEED Gold and One Planet Living accredited. Dream has also attained One Planet Living designation for the neighbouring Zibi development.

Sustainability elements will include a high-performance building envelope, integrated photovoltaic solar panels and the “harvesting” of natural daylight via the buildings’ orientations.

In addition, natural plantings and non-toxic, regionally sourced materials will be used throughout the design.

“Dream’s plans for 41 per cent affordable housing, renewable energy and community amenities will help bring the National Capital Commission’s vision for a sustainable, inclusive community at LeBreton Flats to life,” said Bill Leonard, vice-president, real estate and development for the NCC, in the announcement.

“We are excited to continue working with Dream to advance the development of this important first phase of the Building LeBreton project.”

About the development partners

Dream Impact Trust is a Toronto-based, open-ended trust dedicated to impact investing via three verticals: environmental sustainability and resilience, attainable and affordable housing, and inclusive communities while generating attractive returns for investors.

MultiFaith Housing Initiative is a grassroots, federally registered charitable organization in Ottawa. MHI's membership includes over 70 faith communities, including Baha’i, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Unitarian and other faiths providing volunteers and resources that support its mission for creating more affordable housing in Ottawa.

Perkins&Will is an interdisciplinary, research-based architecture and design firm. With an international team of more than 2,000 professionals, the firm has over 20 studios worldwide.

KPMB Architects is an internationally recognized practice headquartered in Toronto. The firm’s wide-ranging work has earned over 400 awards for its 150 professionals.

https://renx.ca/dream-lebreton-unveils-two-tower-design-for-ottawa-project

[Harley613]

The base of Place de Ville C is 18 metres higher than the base of the taller Dream tower, meaning the top of PDV C is going to be 9 metres more prominent on the skyline. These will look tall from the flats, but they are really just extending the tabletop from most angles.

[J.OT13]

UDRP September report:

665 ALBERT STREET | Formal Review | Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment, and Site Plan Control Application | Dream LeBreton; Perkins & Will; KPMB; PFS Studio; Two Row Architect

Summary

• The Panel appreciates the changes that have strengthened the project, including changes to the towers, ground floor uses, the rhythm of storefronts, and the relationship to the escarpment. The Panel also appreciates the description of the coloration of the towers referencing maple trees in the fall.
• The Panel strongly supports the overall architectural and public realm design that creates a strong relationship with Albert Street, in contrast with a more traditional streetwall proposal.
• The Panel has some concerns with the childcare drop-off area and the podium treatment.

Site Plan

• The Panel appreciates the massing and level changes leading to the LRT station and the escarpment that integrate the site with the neighbourhood, but the Panel believes the proponent should explore a stronger through lobby condition to invite people arriving from the station into the site.
• The Panel appreciates the permeability of the canal edge connecting to the Pimisi Station and considers the permeability of the west podium connecting the lobby to Pimisi Station important.
• The Panel has concerns with the current layout of the childcare drop-off area and believes the drop-off area should be clearly protected and the turnaround configuration further explored.

Materiality

• The Panel appreciates the changes to the corner expression of the towers as they add lightness and emphasize the verticality.
• If the budget permits, the proponent should consider exploring natural stone for the podium as it would strengthen the relationship with the escarpment.
• The Panel notes the divider panels on the podium levels, rendered with the same coloration as the balustrades, work against the horizontality of the architectural expression.
• The proponent should consider minimizing the slab caps to make the building appear more sleek.
• The Panel appreciates the podium balustrade treatment, but expressed a concern that the podiums appear dark. This may be a rendering issue, but the Panel recommends the proponent continue to study the podium colour and underside of all projections.

Public Realm

• The Panel appreciates the treatment of the ground floor and the plaza. The strong landscape and planting treatment provide areas of comfort and opportunities for a range of programming.

https://ottawa.ca/en/planning-developmen...ion-2b3a2c0c-a011-4f40-8a41-c874d7b56f56

[J.OT13]

UDRP seems obsessed with the drop-off area. Is that the little lay-by on the street? Almost feels like they want a road through the site, which would be bad.

The Panel appreciates the permeability of the canal edge connecting to the Pimisi Station and considers the permeability of the west podium connecting the lobby to Pimisi Station important.

What "permeability "? There's a ditch and rail tracks cutting off both sides. UDRP should suggest covering the tracks to implement actual permeability and maybe a skywalk between the towers and the station.

The Panel appreciates the podium balustrade treatment, but expressed a concern that the podiums appear dark.

Do they? What do they want, a white podium?