HERITAGE OTTAWA
The City of Ottawa has received a Site Plan Control application for construction of a new addition to the Château Laurier Hotel, a National Historic Site of Canada and a designated heritage building under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.
The proposed addition as presented in the application bears substantial similarity to the designs presented by hotel owners Larco Investments in September and November 2016 which sparked widespread public outcry. Many compared the exterior of the proposed addition to a barcode pattern. Heritage Ottawa penned statements in September and November 2016 stating its concerns that the design of the proposed addition resembles a contemporary condominium, is inappropriate to the original heritage structure, and stands to compromise iconic views in the Capital.
The proposed addition consists of 218 long-stay hotel units contained in two tall buildings, an 11 storey (33.25 metres) building on the east side near Mackenzie Avenue and a 12 storey building on the west side, overlooking the Rideau Canal lock station at the Ottawa River.
The application also proposes construction of five levels of new underground parking with 385 parking spaces to replace the existing parking garage, and construction of a new interior courtyard. The hotel owners are proposing these changes "to address the growing need for long-term stay accommodations in Ottawa" and to replace the old parking garage. The existing hotel has 426 hotel units which would not be affected.
The City has setup a website at www.ottawa.ca/chateaulaurier to provide information about the application and collect public feedback by March 14, 2017.
Several levels approval are required for the project to proceed. The hotel site is subject to various zoning regulations, including a Heritage Overlay, and is within the Rideau Canal Character Area of the Central Area Secondary Plan. While the proposed design appears to satisfy certain zoning regulations, obtaining the required approval under the Ontario Heritage Act will pose a more complex challenge.
Recognition as a National Historic Site of Canada carries no specific protections at this time, but the Château Laurier's designation under the Ontario Heritage Act requires the property owners tosubmit a detailed heritage application for consideration by city staff, the Built Heritage Subcommittee (BHSC) and the Planning Committee. Their recommendations will be supplied to Ottawa City Council which, under the Act, has power to approve or deny the application based on whether it satisfies heritage criteria.
A heritage working group comprised of architects and landscape architects, including a representative of Heritage Ottawa, has been formed to provide advice to the City of Ottawa, Larco Investments and the National Capital Commission. The group expects to meet at the end of February and will consider numerous matters including the proposed addition's windows, roofline, and relationship to Major's Hill Park.
See the PDF links below for more information about the application timeline.
Have Your Say
The City of Ottawa has setup a public information website with details of the proposed Château Laurier expansion proposal. The website includes an area for collection public feedback by Tuesday, March 14.
Heritage Ottawa encourages all concerned citizens to review the information on the city's website and to make their views known.
If an addition to the Château Laurier is to be built, getting it right is of critical importance.
Heritage Ottawa will continue to advocate for a solution of architectural excellence that honours the building's heritage value and contributes to further enhancement of the national capital.
Related Reading:
https://heritageottawa.org/news/heritage-ottawa-remarks-proposed-addition-chateau-laurier
