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| Site Plan, bbb architects / VanierNow (September 2013) |
Rumours about redevelopment on the Eastview Shopping Centre site have circulated for a few years; last week, we learned that a (ambitious) development application for the site has been formally submitted to the City of Ottawa by Osgoode Properties. If built, the current one-storey strip mall (and its vast surface parking) will be demolished to make space for a new retail, office and residential development totaling 92,000 square metres.
Most will likely agree: the proposal will bring renewal to Montreal Road, arguably transforming this portion into a truer representation of a dynamic mainstreet. The Eastview Shopping Centre appears to have been developed when prosperity meant parking (!), and one can imagine that during a different time, the strip-mall had been more complementary to a vibrant street environment. In the early 1960s, when Montreal Road bustled, the plaza held (among other stores) a Steinberg, Woolworth, Laura Secord Candy Shop and Reitmans. Into the 1970s and 1980s, new stores met neighbourhood needs, including Le Paradis De Livre, Katie’s Bakery, Spic & Span Cleaners and the Plouffe Barber Shop. While the plaza today still includes valuable retail and eating options, the single storey structure and vast surface parking lot serve as poor demonstrations of urban development.
Osgoode’s development application is limited in detail; without architectural renderings, we are left with several studies and preliminary site plans. Clearly, the proposal reflects direction for urban intensification. At the southern edge of the property, along Selkirk (site of today’s strip mall), we would see construction of two towers (Buildings 2 and 3, above), at 24 and 27 storeys, creating over 600 condominium units on five-storey podiums. A new cross-street would bisect the property connecting North River Road and Montgomery. The area today mostly covered by surface parking would become a separate, mixed-use building, with groundfloor retail, and variations in height ranging from 2-5 storeys (Building 1, above). A smaller, 11-storey section (shaded in light blue, above) would line a portion of Montgomery, including either offices or condominiums. Parking would be provided in two or three underground levels, with some along the new cross street.
There are exciting elements. With groundfloor retail along Montreal, Montgomery, North River and (even) Selkirk (where live/work units could be constructed), one imagines more animated streetscapes and a stronger pedestrian appeal. The 11-storey portion on Montgomery addresses the angled street more directly than many current buildings, and, with the Sonia development near McArthur, may contribute to stronger feelings of enclosure on Montgomery.
The timing of the application is interesting; today, direction for the site’s development stems from the Site Specific Policy for “Downtown Vanier” written in the late 1980s. Within weeks, a new Secondary Plan for the Montreal Road District is expected to be passed by City Council (with Planning Committee having given the Plan its approval on September 24). Assuming that the Plan is approved, the development will be subject to the new Secondary Plan. With that in mind, and noting that the Plan’s goals are to “be achieved through the [project] development application process [and] the provision of funds collected under Section 37 of the Planning Act in accordance with the City’s guidelines,” it may be beneficial to consider a few aspects of the present application:
- Gateway development: In the application, Osgoode suggests that “the architectural language for this important gateway site should be decidedly Modern” (Zoning Rationale, p7); details, however, are scarce. Undoubtedly, the site holds visual impact from the Cummings Bridge (see how the angled intersection allowed for the old Steinberg and Woolworth to be visible from the bridge). Will the gateway be more than retail or commercial facades? Could the 2nd floor rooftop garden (proposed over elements of Building 1) extend to the corner of Montreal and North River? How else might we encourage a new landmark, or bold entrance to Vanier?
- Intersection repair: The revised Secondary Plan stipulates that a Master Concept Plan for the entire site be developed as part of the development application process, and that a plan for improving the intersection of Montreal and North River Roads, prioritizing pedestrians and cyclists, be included to minimize pedestrian crossing distances (Section 1.2). This is not yet evident.
- Public art and gathering areas: Section 1.3.1 of the Secondary Plan also states that “the design of the site will include public art reflecting the history of the District and a publicly accessible gathering area for public functions.” This could be an exciting discussion. One idea might be to incorporate the vaulted roof line, or sculptural elements along Montgomery, of the former Steinberg (today’s Emerald Buffet). Discussion on other ideas would be welcome. While the proposal emphasizes that the “expansion of the river parkway landscape” is a priority, what does this mean? Will the small City parkette, at the corner of Montreal Road and North River, be enhanced? Might we envision a contemporary monument to commemorate the lives of former Governor-General Georges Vanier, Charles Cummings, or others?
- Cycling, Sidewalks and Transit: The Secondary Plan calls for 5.0 metre-wide sidewalks on Montreal and North River Roads, and for improvements in cycling facilities; development at this site creates numerous opportunities to leverage investments towards these ends and towards enhanced links across North River Road to the NCC recreational pathways. Transit enhancements will also need to be leveraged to carry extra demand (transit riders will know that the #12 westbound during rush hour is often full already before even reaching the Eastview Shopping Centre).
- Vehicular access: In order to distribute the added traffic the development would bring, the transportation study (page 3) notes that “full movement garage access is proposed via connections to Montgomery Street and to the ‘new’ on-site road, and a right-in/right-out connection is proposed to North River Road.” Would the cross-street, exiting to North River, be permitted under the new Secondary Plan, where North River Road is designated a traditional mainstreet, and where new vehicular accesses are prohibited? It is noteworthy, as well, that loading docks are not identified on the current site plan.
- Height (foremost on the minds of many): A zoning by-law amendment would be required for 27 storeys (90m) as the site is currently zoned to allow buildings up to 42m (approximately 12 storeys). However, a 28-storey height limit is already included in the new Secondary Plan. Recognizing this fact, the location of the 24- and 27-storey towers – across from the two 18-storey Place Vanier towers - may be optimal, with their thin, slender form (likely with balconies) softening the Place Vanier towers and creating a small cluster. Situated at the southern edge of the site, shadowing on residential areas north of Montreal Road would also be minimized. In exchange for approving the additional height, the City may still be able to require, through Section 37 of the Planning Act, that the developer provide certain community benefits (though as this is a Gateway site, the process is not entirely clear).
- Phasing: Details of the phasing of the development are also required in the new Secondary Plan (Section 1.3.1). The proposed development is ambitious; should all elements (Buildings 1-3) not be developed at the same time, how will development be phased? What arrangements / site conditions may result in the interim? Will two, or even three, levels of underground parking be developed at the outset? It is important to note that the revised Secondary Plan prohibits new surface parking lots (and surely discourages parking garages).
- The ESSO site: The development site is separated from Montreal Road by a vacant site – a former ESSO station. Including this site in the proposed development makes sense, given that site remediation may be significant, and only feasible in the context of a larger development. While the Zoning Rationale confirms that Osgoode Properties has first right of refusal on the parcel, it is unclear where negotiations stand.
- Existing businesses: Understanding that existing businesses have been informed of the future redevelopment, will efforts be made to retain existing businesses? As one side note, it is interesting to see Recovery Ottawa currently establishing a location in the plaza; have leases been given end-dates?
Redevelopment of the Eastview Shopping Centre site has long been anticipated, and, if done appropriately, will improve the urban environment and support economic renewal. Let’s get it right. All members of the public are welcome to comment to the City on the proposal; details on doing so can be found here.
The views expressed represent only those of the authors; discussion is encouraged.
The views expressed represent only those of the authors; discussion is encouraged.