The Ottawa Citizen building in Ottawa’s west end could one day be replaced by six buildings with a total of 1,400 residential units. The City of Ottawa has received a draft plan to build four 30-storey towers and two “modestly high-rise structures” at 1101 Baxter Road, the former home of the Ottawa Citizen. The location is next to the Ikea building and across the highway from the new O-Train LRT station. The plan of subdivision application submitted to the City of Ottawa, from Baxter Regional Group and Neuf Architect, proposes seven blocks on the 31.300 sq. metre property, with 354 metres of frontage along Baxter Road. There will be a public park and a multi-use pathway as part of the development. “This project is a multi-phase, mixed-use residential development located south of Highway 417 in Ottawa, within walking distance of the new Queensview LRT Station via a pedestrian footbridge,” said the Urban Design Brief submitted to the city. “The taller towers along the site’s north edge form an acoustic buffer against the highway, creating a quieter, pedestrian-focused environment at the core. The design emphasizes connectivity and livability, with a looped green pathway, limited surface parking on a new private street, and podium-level circulation linking the community directly to the LRT station.” The plan says the proximity to the new O-Train Line 3 station is a “significant opportunity to explore a pedestrian driven urban design approach.” According to the documents, the development concept will have off-street parking that will be “primarily located within the building envelope or underground.” Staff note the site is currently zoned as Mixed-Use Centre, which allows for mid and high-rise apartment buildings and a variety of non-residential uses.
