Not content to leave the development riches of Westboro all to Ashcroft, it seems that Claridge has gained a toehold at the corner of Kirkwood and Richmond Rd, with a proposal currently in place to redevelop the existing commercial space into a mixed use project of 241 condos, ranging in height from 6 to 9 storeys.
As a local I'll come out and say that I don't feel good about this plan, having watched so many independent enterpreneurs relocate elsewhere as older commercial and light industrial spaces are re-developed, and leases skyrocket accordingly.
The irony is that it changes the fabric of a community significantly, and is a loss of the very diversity and mix that make these older neighbourhoods so much more appealing than life in suburban sub-divisions. Fingers crossed that urban life in Ottawa isn't destined to be the domain of Starbucks and Shoppers Drug Mart.
No doubt buoyed by the success of their first condo location in The Mondrian at Bank and Laurier, Shoppers Drug Mart has just opened in the ground floor of Westboro Station Phase III on Richmond Road.
Following the same formula as The Mondrian location, this outlet devotes a full third of its retail space to cosmetics and another third to groceries, including frozen and refrigerated items:
With this latest addition to its retail roster, Westboro Station would seem to be living up to the "shop" part of its Live-Shop-Work tagline with a healthy line up of commercial tenants including Bridgehead, Magpie Jewellery, Westboro Station Dental and the Clocktower Pub to name a few.
...now being offered at 101 Richmond:
Translation: the more expensive, two-bedroom plans haven't been selling well hence the need for a redesign. Note to buyers that changes to a building's original design are always a risk when buying pre-construction, although certainly the risk is greater in some projects than others.
Building condos in Westboro must be a license to print money these days: witness 101 West and 111 West, The Wellington at Island Park, Domicile's cash cow at 131-137 Holland, Ashcroft's former Convent on Richmond Rd and now, the vacant lot at 1946 Scott St, originally sold by the City to the nearby Buddhist Society in 1999 with the intention that it be landscaped and used as parking for their disciples... enlightening, no?
Fast forward to 2010 and a Committee of Adjustment hearing at City Hall where the lot's new owner/developer recently unveiled plans for a 6-storey condo and invited neighbourly comments.
By all reports an earful was heard from adjacent West Village Private residents (who even went so far as to retain the services of a professional planner), most unhappy at the idea of 6 storeys of condo dwellers peering into their backyards:
But such are the realities of urban intensification. The developer is actually abiding by guidelines set by City planners who hope to turn this part of Scott St into a "traditional mainstreet", an alternative to Wellington St West where we can sip our lattes and watch the strollers go by.
In keeping with the theme, this condo calls for a commercial storefront on the first floor (hopefully not a Mac's Milk, say the neighbours) and will be built right up to the sidewalk.Predictably, the end result was a common refrain here in Ottawa: City planners and current zoning by-laws are so much at odds that "clarification" is needed, and all plans have been put on hold. OMB anyone?
…the same folks who brought us the Central Park development:
Click here for more information from the Ottawa Citizen.
"With the start of "condo-mania" that is currently ongoing in Westboro there is less and less of the original charm left. Soon it will look like a tunnel of condos with all sorts of high end boutiquey places trying to sell $400 sweaters.
When I lucked into the neighbourhood about 10 years ago I fell in love with the "small town within a city" feel. It reminded me of Queens in New York City when I used to work there.
Unfortunately the trendyness has not only driven out the feel, but upped the property taxes and many of the new trend-oids who are now moving in are "living" in the neighbourhood but not "becoming part" of the neighbourhood. It's like they believe that the neighboourhood just happens without effort. A good neighbourhood is a collection of friends that happen to live in the same general area."
—Markcia
The local rumour grist has it that the Soeurs de la Visitation property on Richmond Road may be up for sale for as high as $10 million. This would be the long gray wall in Westboro directly across from the old Canadian Tire lot, now home to Ashcroft's impending 101 Richmond condos.
Being a long time resident of the neighbourhood, I for one would miss the sisters and the character their spiritual oasis lends the burgh, but more progressive types feel it is high time that we brought down the walls and opened up this prime development lot:
Reading through the City's planning bible (no pun intended, really), it seems that they too are leaning in this direction and possibly know something the rest of don't:"Should the Soeurs de la Visitation Convent site be redeveloped sometime in the future, the convent wall should be taken down and the convent building be adaptively used, with mixed- use/ground floor commercial along Richmond and residential behind, incorporating as much of the existing landscaping as possible and views of the convent building."
