Note from Heritage Ottawa - After the heritage structure at 7 Clarence Street was demolished in 2014 due to structural concerns, Heritage Ottawa worked hard to convince the NCC that the initial "glass box" design proposed as a replacement was out of character with the traditional brick and stone architecture of the Byward Market Heritage Conservation District. The NCC listened and came up with a more suitable design that also earned approval of the local community. The building at 7 Clarence is part of a massive stabilization project involving several NCC properties.
Construction will begin in January on a new building at 7 Clarence Street in the ByWard Market as well as restoration work on nearby heritage buildings on Sussex Drive.
The National Capital Commission, which owns the properties, announced Tuesday that the work, which includes changes to improve universal accessibility in the Tin House Court, will take a year to complete.
Businesses and residents in heritage buildings between 445 and 465 Sussex – the block between Murray and Clarence streets – and 13-15 Clarence St., which houses the Black Thorn Café, will have to temporarily close or move to other quarters until the work is completed.
The NCC told residents at an information session Tuesday that it would do everything it could to minimize the project’s impact on local residents and businesses.
The new building at 7 Clarence St. replaces a 135-year-old building, demolished last year, that formerly housed Memories restaurant.
The original “glass box” design of the new building ignited opposition from neighbours and area businesses, who objected that it was not in keeping with the area’s heritage character. That led to a redesign by the architect, CSV Architects of Ottawa, that was much more favourably received.
The new two-storey building, which will be completed by December 2016, will be used as one of the NCC’s Confederation Pavilions in 2017. Several diplomatic missions have expressed an interest in presenting public events and programs there during Canada’s 150th birthday year.
The building’s longer-term use hasn’t been determined, but the NCC has said it will not be leased for use by a restaurant.
The work on the Sussex buildings and at 13-15 Clarence St. will include the restoration of facades, repairs to foundations, interior renovations and the replacement of roofs, windows and outdated electrical and mechanical equipment. It will be completed by January 2017.
The NCC plans to go to tender on the two projects this fall. For that reason, it would not provide an estimate of the total cost, but the project is likely to cost several million dollars.