James M. Flaherty Building (90 Elgin) | 17 Fl | Completed

[c_speed3108]

Supposed to be vacated this spring. Construction complete 2014.

Arnon, GWL low bidders for Lorne Building redevelopment

Peter Kovessy RSS Feed
Ottawa Business Journal

Construction still scheduled to be completed by end of 2014

Ottawa developer Arnon Corp. and Canadian insurance giant Great-West Life are rumoured to be the low bidders in a federal competition to turn an aged government building on Elgin Street into a 17-storey office tower.

Public Works declined to identify the front-running redevelopment team, but said in response to questions that a contract is expected to be awarded March 31. The recent correspondence contains the first mention of the new building’s proposed height.

The seven-storey Lorne Building is located at 90 Elgin St., between Albert and Slater streets across from the National Arts Centre. Public Works plans to demolish the 50-year-old building and construct a new 489,000-square-foot office, with ground-level retail, on the site and adjacent surface parking lot.

An Arnon official contacted by OBJ referred questions to GWL, which did not return messages left at its Ottawa office or Winnipeg headquarters.

The federal government first announced its intention to redevelop the Lorne Building in late 2009. Solicitation documents published at the time showed the government planned to use a “lease-purchase approach.”

Under that model, a private-sector proponent would design, construct, finance and manage the building. Public Works would continue to own the site and would lease it to the proponent for 25 years, plus the allotted time for demolition and construction. The developer would then, in turn, sublease the space back to Public Works.

Those solicitation documents named the Department of Finance and Treasury Board as the future tenants of the building. Both are currently housed in L’Esplanade Laurier, which is in need of extensive renovations and was purchased by the federal government last summer.

A contract to redevelop the Lorne Building was initially expected to be in place by last fall. Despite the procurement delay, Public Works said it still expects construction to be completed by the end of 2014.

The government pre-qualified three developers and ultimately received two bids. While Public Works will not name the companies involved in the procurement process, OBJ has learned Morguard was the other bidder.

Sources say Brookfield was pre-qualified, but opted not to submit a bid.

Artistic renderings of what the new building will look like will be released after a contract is awarded.

The government previously said it expects the office tower to be a “jewel” befitting its prominent location.

Public Works said the Lorne Building will be vacated this spring.

[blackjagger]

I like the use of the word "Jewel" in the article. We can only hope that means more than just government jargon for glass box.

Cheers,
Josh

[robertR]

The Lorne Building is one of my favourite modernist buildings in Ottawa :-(

[rde84]

Really Really hope they come up with an outstanding design for this building. It's not that often that you have the chance to do something of note in a location like this in a G8 capital. It will be interesting to see who the Architect is.

[jcollins]

Not too sad to see this one go. I am curious what kind of design they'll go with here. The current building is kind of wide and "fat". Wouldn't want to see that happen again.

Maybe with the added height that'll change things.

At a minimum hopefully they go with a design as good as EDC.

[blackjagger]

Originally Posted by jcollins

Not too sad to see this one go. I am curious what kind of design they'll go with here. The current building is kind of wide and "fat". Wouldn't want to see that happen again.

Maybe with the added height that'll change things.

At a minimum hopefully they go with a design as good as EDC.

If I remember the RFP correctly I believe that were looking for a building with around 425,000 to 450,000 SF. The design will incorporate the parking lot behind the building making it a bigger lot the EDC. So at 17 floors with ground floor retail (as per the RFP) I think they have lots of room to play with to get a thinner building. When I first heard the numbers I estimated a 12-14 storey tower built out to the street would get the space they wanted. So add a couple of floors put it on a substantial podium and it could really be a "Jewel".

Cheers,
Josh

[McC]

Originally Posted by hackunion

The Lorne Building is one of my favourite modernist buildings in Ottawa :-(

It's no Brooke Claxton or British High Commission, but it does have it's charms, the copper and sandstone are a nice understated combination. It's too bad it has to be levelled (I was hoping they might just gut it and put a new tower in behind, like the Chambers buildng a few blocks north). It's one of the few modernist buildings in Ottawa that actually played a little with the vocabulary of materials and lines from the older marquee buildings, and it keeps a nice height line from the old Post Office, Chambers, and High Commission to the Lord Elgin. If we had managed to convincingly develop and maintain an "Ottawa style" of public architecture, it would be an important building (like the Memorial buildings) a modernist bridge between the old 'railway castle' styles of the Chateau, Justice and Confederation buildings and po-mo additions like RMOC/City Hall, National Gallery, and even the grotesque US Embassy. oh well. what might ahve been.

[reidjr]

I take it there is not set plan for this building as of yet?

[blackjagger]

Originally Posted by reidjr

I take it there is not set plan for this building as of yet?

Define set plan? A RFP was issued and two proposals submitted which would have included costing, terms, design, and timelines. So by the end of the month or early April I would expect to see a rendering.
Cheers,
Josh

[rocketphish]

Can anybody come up with examples of a "low bid" process resulting in a jewel of a development?

[Davis137]

Wow, 17 floors is certainly taller than 7...wonder what older buildings might be razed next...maybe the Fuller?

[Cre47]

Sure a lot of the surrounding buildings are ugly. The Fuller is one, ditto its next door neighbor, but the 66 building (which I work there for some time) just across from the Lorne and beside the Lord Elgin is rotten despite being still taller (22 stories) then the proposed new Lorne (which hopefully will masked it almost completely from the north/northeast) and in dire need like L'Esplanade for some extensive renovations especially when I've heard about asbestos and poor heating/ventilation in the building last year.

[blackjagger]

Well the design is in for 90 elgin. Urbsite has the renderings.

http://urbsite.blogspot.com/2011/05/90-elgin-street.html

Other then the "T" shaped upper section of the building I like the design, street interaction and material use.

Thoughts?

Cheers,
Josh

[AuxTown]

Originally Posted by blackjagger

Well the design is in for 90 elgin. Urbsite has the renderings.

http://urbsite.blogspot.com/2011/05/90-elgin-street.html

Other then the "T" shaped upper section of the building I like the design, street interaction and material use.

Thoughts?

Cheers,
Josh

Now, if it looks half this good I'll be happy. The first rendering conjures memories of Central Park. I love all the clean vertical lines, very international-style. It's been a while since the feds have built something this nice.

[reidjr]

I really like it no question a very sharp looking building.

[kevinbottawa]

I'm not a design expert, but I'm not completely sold on the design. It's not horrible but the quotes from Public Works in the media said it would be a "jewel". That really got my hopes up. In my opinion I wouldn't say it's a jewel. There's no wow factor for me but it's good that they thought outside the box. To me the Eddy St. building in Gatineau is more of a jewel.

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

I like it. The green copper around the top is anice touch to keep it in sync with parliament and other nearby buildings.

[drawarc]

RON Engineering website for 90 Elgin:
http://www.roneng.com/project_detail.asp?p=103&c=1&s=0&t=1&f=1&pg=1

[cityguy]

it not a jewel,but it's ok.

[S-Man]

Not sold on this - it somehow just looks awkward. Is there a reason the 'podium' facing Elgin had to be the exact dimensions of the Lorne?