Plans for city’s tallest building on hold

Plans to build a 42-storey condominium tower that would be the tallest building in Ottawa were put on hold Thursday, reports the Ottawa Citizen, as the city reviews recent interest in high-rise condo buildings in the Preston Street area.

Neil Malhotra, vice-president of Claridge Homes, the developer behind the condo, told the Ottawa Citizen that he was surprised at the city planning department’s decision, as the project seemed to be moving forward.

“The proposed project at 505 Preston is on hold as the city recently commissioned a review of development in the Preston Street/Carling Avenue area, near the O-Train, where there have been major proposals for new high-rise buildings,” wrote city planner John Smit in an email relayed to the Citizen through a spokeswoman.

Several other towers are under construction in the Preston area west of the train tracks, including a 30-storey building at 500 Preston St., which was recently approved by the city.

The city’s planning and growth management department, wrote Smit, may reconsider the 505 Preston St. proposal after the review is completed in 2013.