Ottawa City Council has given the go ahead to developers for the massive trio of towers at 900 Albert Street only 24 hours after the application for the complex was approved according to Global News. The highest of the three buildings will be 65 storeys high and will make it Ottawa's tallest high rise. The proposal was submitted by TIP Albert GP Inc. who also owns the 1.44 hectare site.
The proposal was voted against by five councillors: Somerset Councillor Catherine McKenney, Kitchissipi Councillor Jeff Leiper, Rideau Rockcliffe Councillor Tobi Nussbaum, Rideau Vanier Councillor Mattieu Fleury and Capital Councillor David Chernushenko. Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson gave his support for the application and called the project a "vote of confidence" in the redevelopment of LeBreton Flats. He stated that this project will add much needed rental accommodation, office and retail space. The five downtown area councillors were extremely frustrated again on Wednesday due to the fact that the tallest skyscraper will more than double the 30 storey building height limit for the Bayview area. Mayor Watson pointed out that an amendment to the city's official plan allows buildings to exceed the 30 storey height if they meet three specific criteria and he stated that 900 Albert met those requirements. The city's plan also "envisioned taller buildings" near the Bayview Station.
"These things are not cast in stone, circumstances change." Each one of these projects goes on its merit. The vast majority of members of council thought this was a good project."
Mayor | Jim Watson
According to the mayor, 900 Albert was a contaminated site which was never going to be developed without council support.
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Councillor McKenney, who represents residents in the 900 Albert Street area, stated that the site plan as it is right now, "really does fail the mark." She has an issue with the height of the towers but is more disappointed with the south facade of the site which will have giant loading bays and a separated pedestrian pathway. The Councillor did get support to redirect a portion ($450,000) of the benefits the developers are paying in exchange for an increase in density towards community gardens and parks. The motion also encourages the developers to make a portion of the rental units affordable.
The complex will be located at the southwest corner of Albert Street and City Centre Avenue, just east of the O-Train tracks. The Bayview Station will be about 140 metres walking distance from the planned site and will soon become the junction of the Confederation and Trillium LRT lines.
According to CBC News, the developer will receive more than $9 million in incentives from the city in exchange for cleaning up contaminated land across from the Bayview LRT station. Trinity Group stated that the three condo towers which will be from 50 to 65 storeys, will contain 1,632 residential units, not counting the office and retail space.
"This development truly is council's poster child of fulfilling Ottawa's official plan and transit-oriented development
Director of Planning Services | Lee Ann Snedden
To help with cleaning up the contaminants on the site, the project qualified for $8,255,397 in Brownfield Development grants over 10 years. The city has also agreed to waive a $920,000 fee which would allow the developer to move municipal pipes that currently lie under the lot onto city land. The city can expect a $5 million increase in municipal taxes from the development.
