City Living, drug issues, hintonburg, housing policy, transitional housing

Conversion to Transitional Housing

Westsideaction

This elderly blue-clad apartment building on Holland Avenue just north of the Queensway has been purchased by the Ottawa Mission for use as transitional housing. Acording to Ms Vicki’s neighborhood blog the Mission intends for its clientele to occupy about half the units. She does not identify who will occupy the other half – presumably it is market rentals. I support the move to transitional and supportive housing. I strongly feel they need close supervision and much more “tough love” than laissez-faire. I have three “second hand” experiences with apartment buildings undergoing similar changes. In one, my aunt was a long term … Continue reading Conversion to Transitional Housing

little Italy, Preston street, streetscaping

Landscaping takes root on Preston

Westsideaction

One of the true joys of the new streetscaping on Preston street in Little Italy is the abundance of landscaping. The architect has done a marvellous job of squeezing in hundreds of trees (many of small mature size, to fit into small pockets of space) and generous shrub beds. This bed was installed in the spring 09 on part of the street already rebuilt. The rich green shrubs in the foreground are backed up by bright red taller shrubs in the back. This is a pattern repeated in a number of blocks along the street, and is rich in colour … Continue reading Landscaping takes root on Preston

little Italy, Preston street, streetscaping

LaRoma patio

Westsideaction

La Roma restuarant on Preston Street in the heart of Little Italy applied to the committee of adjustment to open a patio on the small rear upper deck of the premises, facing the residential portion of the side street. It was approved by the CofA for a 12 seat deck, provided they put up a higher fence (the original metal railing is visible) and allow patron access only from the interior, not the firestairs. Meanwhile, millions of dollars of your water bill payments are being spent to redo Preston Street at the front of the building, where the restuarant has … Continue reading LaRoma patio

Dalhousie, infill

Infill on Bell & Christie Streets

Westsideaction

This infill project in Dalhousie is just about all complete. The sod is down, slender tree saplings planted, backyard fences completed. The building faces Christie and reads as semi-detached. The presence of side doors that are celebrated with wide steps, fancy door sets, and a little peaked roof suggest otherwise. In fact, the units can be used as a three storey unit with large ground floor rec room or the ground floor can be closed off leaving a two storey unit above with a balcony, and a small independent unit on the ground floor with its own door to the side … Continue reading Infill on Bell & Christie Streets

little Italy, Preston street, streetscaping

Specimen Testing on Preston Street

Westsideaction

I know an Olympic medal triathlete who complains not about the training, the odd hours, the inhospitable facilities, etc, but about the random pee tests. The testers come any day, any time, although she thinks they have a preference to come Saturday nights right after she has just had a potty break. Then they get to sit around for an hour in her apartment while she drinks water until they can observe her fill a specimen bottle. Sidewalks and curbs on Preston Street also undergo specimen tests. Here are three containers of concrete taken from sidewalk pours on Preston at the … Continue reading Specimen Testing on Preston Street

little Italy, Preston street

“Cafe” update on Preston

Westsideaction

The house conversion at 424 Preston to a “cafe” continues. Notice that since the pictures last week, the front foundation wall has been insulated and back filled, and insulation placed on top of the new floor. The presence of rebars suggests that concrete stairs and and concrete floor are to poured in place. This foundation finishing work has all been done since the photo posted last Friday which clearly shows the paper in the front window. The paper in the window is a city “stop work” order, as the renovation lacks building permits, approvals, etc. A portion of the interior … Continue reading “Cafe” update on Preston

intensificatioin, little Italy, Preston street

Infill Mixed Use development

Westsideaction

Watching construction on Preston Street itself is further complicated by the similtaneous construction of this infill mixed-use development. There will be storefronts along the Little Italy widened sidewalk, and six apartments (rentals) above. The building is steel frame with wood construction. Along with the camera-person, there was the usual collection of sidewalk superintendants out all day, every day, ensuring that someone else gets to work. And there is lots to see. This photo shows a three-wheeled fork lift that came piggy-backed on the long flatbed truck, it has picked up a load of floor trusses and is carrying them over … Continue reading Infill Mixed Use development

Bayview-Carling CDP, intensificatioin

Underutilitzed lot on Champagne

Westsideaction

Half way along Champagne Avenue is this drastically underutilized lot behind a 1960’s-era apt building. The lot is used for surface parking, and is not a desirable long-term use of valuable urban land. Given that it has street frontage along Champagne, I expect someday the owners will apply to relocate the parking underground and build condos — either apartment condos or townhouse condos — along the street. Depending on the condition of the existing apartments, they may even demolish the building and start anew. Continue reading Underutilitzed lot on Champagne

bikewest

BikeWest on CKCU radio

Westsideaction

I was interviewed by Danny Ghosen   of CKCU radio (Carleton U), on BikeWest, a week or so ago. Danny is from The Netherlands, the world’s most condusive nation for cycling. He is in a state of shock at the conditions cyclists are supposed to ride in here. “Riding a bike on Bronson Avenue … you’ve gotta be nuts” he told me in a conversation before the interview. Click the link to listen to the interview. Unfortunately, the first few seconds and intro are not on the tape:http://www.ericdarwin.ca/CKCU_Interview_1.mp4 Continue reading BikeWest on CKCU radio

855 Carling, Bayview-Carling CDP, Carling Ave, condos, Dows Lake, infill, intensificatioin

Out with the old, in with the condos

Westsideaction

The printing establishment currently located at the corner of Hickory Street and Champagne Avenue is the only remaining industrial use in this section of the Bayview-Champagne corridor. It once was an industrial heartland of the city, with convenient rail access (the tracks were relocated into the cut in 1963, before that they ran at street level). The old Sunoco fuel depot site has been cleaned up and is currently zoned for a 40,000 sq ft building. The former Campbell Iron and Steel plant at the corner of Carling/Champagne (now a satellite parking lot for the Civic Hospital) is in process to become … Continue reading Out with the old, in with the condos

Bayview-Carling CDP, intensificatioin

East Side of Champagne Avenue

Westsideaction

The park at the corner of Beech and Champagne. It has bocce courts, playing fields (shown with ice-rink boards just delivered), a bicycle-polo park, and on the far side a play structure. The line of trees in the background is along the OTrain cut. Most of these trees will be lost when the cut is widened for the second phase of LRT construction, should the SW LRT service actually get built. This park could easily be expanded to the east by covering the cut with concrete girders and a playing field. The area on the other side of the cut … Continue reading East Side of Champagne Avenue

little Italy, Preston street

Another house becomes a “cafe”

Westsideaction

The conversion of residences to commercial continues in Little Italy. This house has had its front yard blown out and an enlarged basement put in. Presumably some new building will appear on top of the new foundation. I hear it will be another “cafe”, a number of which exist already on Preston Street. I am especially amused by the cafe’s that do so little visible business during the day but draw curtains over the windows and seem to be busy well into the night. In the picture above, the black landscaping fabric is being installed in excavations being dug for tree planting … Continue reading Another house becomes a “cafe”

855 Carling, Bayview-Carling CDP, infill, intensificatioin

Champagne Ave condo site on the market

Westsideaction

The Acquerello condo was in pre-sales several years ago but did not sell enough units to go ahead with construction. It was located at  the corner of Hickory Street and Champagne Avenue, one block south of the Carling Avenue O-Train station. The proposed building was quite large and offered nice layouts with views of Dows Lake and the downtown plus easy access to rapid transit. The lot is now back on the market. Domicile has proved there is a market for condos at this location, with his first tower at “Merion Square” built, and another two condo towers nearing construction. … Continue reading Champagne Ave condo site on the market

little Italy, Preston street, streetscaping

More Concrete Progress on Preston Street in Little Italy

Westsideaction

On the residential portions of Preston Street the streetscaping is less fancy. A monolithic (one piece) concrete sidewalk + curb is poured in one go using wooden forms that were pegged in place a few hours before. The old lampposts are now in the middle of the new sidewalk. They won’t be pulled out until the new lamp posts with efficient “shoebox” overhead light fixtures and lower level decorative lighting fixtures are connected and working. Until then, the missing concrete squares will be filled with temporary asphalt patches. Then in Spring 2010, at the same time as the crosswalks are … Continue reading More Concrete Progress on Preston Street in Little Italy

little Italy, Preston street

Preston Street

Westsideaction

Until those new sidewalks are completed, pedestrians take their life in their hands to pick their way through the muddy construction sites to reach their homes or schools. I am constantly amazed at how fast drivers go through the utter chaos that is Preston Street — one lady I saw yesterday was actually dialing her cell phone while driving too fast through the Gladstone-Preston intersection which was being dug up for the 45th time this year. Continue reading Preston Street

oc Transpo, Transit

Goodbye Baseline Station

Westsideaction

The old Baseline transitway station has been retired, replaced by one immediately to the west. The old location will become the site of new building with the transitway underneath it. The glazing was removed from the station shelters and the steel is being scrapped. The shelters are 25+ years old and not worth relocating. Demolition of the concrete central structure at the station. Steel and concrete and asphalt are separated for recyling. The new station has side platforms rather than a centre-island design. A regular user of the station told me this morning that she much prefers the new side … Continue reading Goodbye Baseline Station

little Italy, Preston street, streetscaping

Concrete Progress on Preston Street in Little Italy

Westsideaction

In the commercial parts of Preston Street the sidewalks will consist of pavers and concrete squares, so curbs are poured first and the walks built later. Where parking insets are provided, the drainage continues to catch basins along a “flat curb” that helps define the travelled portion of the street (sometimes streets with bulb outs get visually confusing to motorists), and keeps water accumulation away from the sidewalks and snow-blocked road edges. Metal stakes with a string are placed with the aid of survey equipment. The curb placement will be about 2m outside the string line. The new streetscaping will provide … Continue reading Concrete Progress on Preston Street in Little Italy

Ottawa

Main Stream Media (MSM) and Blogging

Westsideaction

I received one email and one phone call from readers yesterday. Both were excitedly telling me that info I had blogged on had been picked up by MSM without credit to me. I tried, somewhat inarticulately, to explain why that didn’t bother me. Since I started blogging last April, several stories I wrote about promptly appeared in MSM, twice as headlines. I like to think my content is useful and fun, maybe that’s why the site gets more than 3000 hits a month ( I want it to be higher, recommend the site to your friends !!).  I have a … Continue reading Main Stream Media (MSM) and Blogging

bixi bike, Cdn War Museum, cycling in Ottawa

Bixi Bike Service Expanding in Ottawa

Westsideaction

  The experimental bike share/rental system in Ottawa-Gatineau will expand next year. There are currently 4 stations – including the NAC, Musee de Civilization, and ByWard Market. The sleek bikes have 3 speeds in an internal hub (protected), an internal chain (no greasy stains on your pants or sox), adjustable seats, head and tail lights, and of course a distinctive shape. The system will be expanded to 50 sites, but whether this is all next year or over several years is not yet clear. Sites have to be reasonably close together to be useful, frequent, and at desired destinations. Presumably the operators want … Continue reading Bixi Bike Service Expanding in Ottawa

Albert St, Booth St, Dalhousie, DOTT, LRT

DOTT plans affect west side residents (xii): Booth Station

Westsideaction

The Booth Street station is location directly under the new elevated Booth Street overpass. The overpass crosses over the station and the aquaduct. The new LRT alignment is a few meters south of the current transitway which is closer to the aquaduct. Most frightening about this drawing is the abundance of car traffic lanes on Booth, the awful manoevering required to get buses from the Booth St bus stop over to the centre lane to turn onto Albert to go uptown, and the generous addition of lanes to Albert Street in both directions. Somehow, a transit project is providing lots … Continue reading DOTT plans affect west side residents (xii): Booth Station

Booth St, Chinatown, Dalhousie

New Residential Building, Booth near Somerset

Westsideaction

Shown is a interim elevation of the new senior’s residence building proposed for the corner of Booth and Eccles Street, just south of Chinatown’s main drag: Somerset Street. It has 42 residences, common facilities, a brick and well-detailed exterior finish. It complements the Somerset West Community Health Centre across the street. It should give a real boost to the appearance of Booth Street and the Dalhousie neighborhood as a whole. Anthony Leaning is the architect. Construction beings in 2010 for completion in 2011. Continue reading New Residential Building, Booth near Somerset

Bayview, bike path, bikewest, DOTT

DOTT plans affect west side residents (xi): BikeWest

Westsideaction

The city cycling plan includes conceptual improvements for cyclists heading west from the core towards Westboro. Councilor Leadman is fighting for improvements to the ill-designed Scott Street mixed-use path and a connection to the downtown. Cycling advocacy groups want better cycling facilities. The BikeWest plan proposes a segregated bi-directional cycling path on the north side of Albert and Scott from the downtown (Bronson Ave) to Westboro. One of the original purposes of the BikeWest plan was to tie into all the construction projects planned along the Albert-Scott corridor. It is important not to construct anything that permanently blocks cycling improvements, … Continue reading DOTT plans affect west side residents (xi): BikeWest

DOTT, LRT

DOTT plans affect west side residents (x): Campus Station

Westsideaction

The Ottawa U station on the new DOTT system will be located near the location of the current surface transitway Campus station. Recall that early plans had a new surface station here, but it made more sense to keep the LRT service in the tunnel longer to avoid having the trains climb to the surface and then descend again towards Lees Avenue, and the underground option also facilitates surface car traffic on the roads. This logical change to a better plan is, of course,  headlined as an example of wildly escalating DOTT costs, overruns, etc.  (Note that this and other benefits to … Continue reading DOTT plans affect west side residents (x): Campus Station