Representatives from Ashcroft Homes aren’t happy with city council’s decision to rezone a heritage property at 330 Gilmour St. to a residential complex of seven storeys – two storeys lower than Ashcroft Homes had originally requested.
“We were side-railed by short-sighted councillors,” said Paul Rothwell, director of planning and development at Ashcroft Homes.
Proposed to council as a nine-storey senior citizens’ home, Rothwell said the loss of those two floors means Ashcroft Homes must revisit the plan entirely.
The old Ottawa Board of Education building is designated as a heritage building and as a result, needs city council approval to be developed higher than four floors, according to Coun. Diane Holmes.
“Nine would have been overwhelming,” she said.
Holmes, alongside the Centretown Citizens Community Association urged the council to respect the original zoning permits.
“The original proposal [of nine storeys] was inappropriate and was not supported by the association,” said David Blaine, president of the CCCA.
The CCCA is unsure of its position on councils’ decision to allow Ashcroft Homes to develop the seven floor building. Members will decide on January 20, if they will bring the matter before the Ontario Municipal Board – a third party board that examines conflicts that deal with land and development in municipalities.
“Nobody has yet explained to me why the existing building can’t be re-developed,” said David Gladstone, a concerned neighbour, as well as an active participant in the CCCA. “This is not an issue of height; this is an issue of respecting heritage designations.”
The building itself was constructed in three stages, in 1922, 1956 and 1962.
Although the entire building is considered heritage designate, it is only the 1922 portion of the building that is seen to have historical significance.
Rothwell said the 1922 portion was incorporated into the plans. The two block-like sections built in 1956 and 1962 would have been demolished.
“I don’t think it’s necessary to disappear into the landscape,” said Rothwell. “We were sensitive to the people and the heritage of the building. Aesthetically, the building would have matched.
“But a new building is a new building,” Rothwell continued. “And I think [the architects] balanced it nicely.”
Plans for the senior citizen home included approximately 120 rooms, a floor dedicated to the care of those suffering from dementia, a full cafeteria, dinning hall, chapel, and entertainment facilities.
All nine storeys worked together seamlessly, said Rothwell.
“We need big floor space for senior citizen activities,” he said. “We’re quite serious in our needs, despite councillors pooh-poohing it.”
The future of 330 Gilmour St. is uncertain. Upon losing council support on nine-storeys, Ashcroft Homes automatically lost the right to demolish a part of the building, according to Rothwell.
Possibilities of appealing the council’s decision or reworking the plan entirely are being discussed by developers.
This is the second time that Ashcroft Homes has brought a motion before council regarding 330 Gilmour St.
In 2002 a proposed 20-storey building was shot down as being inappropriate for the area.
“This developer always comes in at 20 storeys,” said Holmes. “It’s totally unreasonable and totally unrealistic.”
This time Ashcroft Homes seemed to have been serious in its demand for nine storeys, but opposition to this was still strong, said Holmes.
“There are quite a number of neighbours in and around that site that are opposed to anything but four storeys,” said Blaine, speaking for CCCA members.
However, according to Rothwell, Ashcroft Homes hired the Corporate Research Group – a private pollster – to canvass the neighbourhood. The poll found that a majority of neighbours were in favour of the nine storey complex.
These results were brought before city council, said Rothwell. However both Holmes and Blaine said they’ve never seen this poll, and therefore could not comment.