After purchasing the former Greyhound bus station in downtown Ottawa in 2021, the Brigil group is planning to build 1,000 rental units, retail spaces, and a public park. The only issue is that the three towers planned by the real estate developer at this location are 26, 36, and 40 stories tall, whereas the height limit for the area is set at 25 stories.
The real estate company has recently submitted a request to the City of Ottawa for a zoning variance to seek a change in zoning. “We’ve already had many discussions with the City about how to optimize the project for its submission,” says Brigil’s Vice President of Design and Development, Jessy Desjardins.
Long before this submission, Brigil organized consultations with local residents. “We really took the time to talk with people, present concepts, and gather each element regarding the details of the experience that people were looking for around the site,” explains Mr. Desjardins.
According to him, the project addresses several concerns raised by citizens during the consultations.
“We really want to work with the community to develop the local services they need and meet those needs,” says Jessy Desjardins, Vice President of Design and Development at Brigil.
Contacted by Radio-Canada, Jeff Leiper, President of the City of Ottawa’s Planning and Housing Committee, expressed eagerness to familiarize himself with Brigil’s plan. The City Councillor for the Somerset ward, Ariel Troster, was unavailable for comment on the matter.
Project Details
Brigil’s real estate development will include three towers, featuring rental units with 1, 2, and 3 bedrooms, as well as townhouses. Retail spaces and a public park designed to enhance the pedestrian experience will also be part of the development on this corner of Catherine Street.
For the 1,000 units in the project, only 400 parking spaces will be available. The idea is to reduce reliance on cars. “We really want this to be a project where people can use public transit, walk, and bike to get to their destinations,” says Jessy Desjardins. He adds that having a lot of accessible public space on the site will help improve sidewalk conditions, similar to what’s seen on Arlington Street.
“We’ve really worked hard on creating human-scale podiums, which will set a precedent for Catherine Street, so that […] future development projects along the street can be inspired by this project,” hopes Mr. Desjardins.
Source: Radio-Canada
