They’re big. They tower over the city. They cast shadows over our streets.
They are condominiums and they’re taking Ottawa by storm.
Centretown alone has eight condominium projects on the go. And more are sprouting up like weeds before our very eyes.
Stanley Wilder, housing policy planner with the City of Ottawa, says the city is a “hot condominium market” and we shouldn’t expect that to change any time soon. The condos are part of the city’s vision to change the demographics of the downtown core and create more of a big-city feel.But that vision brings with it consequences that may not appeal to everyone.
In the short term, the construction creates disturbances – which usually last 18 months, according to Wilder. Residents who live near a site are continuously awakened by (or must try to fall asleep to) the sound of a jackhammer, or bulldozer or other heavy machinery. And this goes on until every last brick is laid.
Not only is construction distracting and an inconvenience, it creates eyesores all over the city. The view of the immense hole in the ground at 700 Sussex Drive, what is soon to be a luxurious condo near the Fairmont Chateau Laurier, was unavoidable. The barricades erected there to conceal the hole made the vicinity look even worse.
Once the condominium tower is built and is no longer as much of a blemish on the city scape, more problems arise. With respect to 700 Sussex Drive, the grandiose building blocks the majestic Chateau Laurier from the east and the Connaught Building from the south. Both are beautiful edifices that are overshadowed by the condominium. It’s not an ugly structure, but it simply doesn’t fit in with its surroundings.
Once completed, the Opus condominium, on the corner of McLeod and O’Connor Streets, will sit across the street from the Victoria Memorial Building, also a treasure in Ottawa’s architectural trove. Adding what will be a modern-style condominium so close to this gem will strip the block of its beauty.
Finally, in the City’s attempt to “rejuvenate and revitalize” Rideau Street, the Claridge Plaza’s two towers will force out well-established businesses such as restaurant Mexicali Rosa’s and uproot one of the city’s few concert venues, the Capital Music Hall.
The City and condo developers expect the Plaza and its neighbouring condominium tower at 90 George St., to rid the area of its many piercing and tattoo parlours.
Consequently, the character of Rideau Street will be changed. Boutiques and generic coffee shops will be common place to suit the new demographic, while the fringe flavour the street is known for will be displaced or erased.
Brick by brick, condominiums are stripping Ottawa of its charm. While the condo market may be hot, the effect it’s having on the city is definitely not.
—Tia Goldenburg