Opening of new luxury apartment building marks major step in revitalization of downtown Ottawa

Relevé is made up of two luxury apartment towers the corner of Albert and Lyon streets. One of them officially opened Sept. 10, 2025. (Kimberley Fowler/CTV News Ottawa)

Downtown Ottawa is getting a new look.

Relevé is made up of two luxury apartment towers the corner of Albert and Lyon streets. One of the buildings officially opened on Wednesday, marking a major step revitalizing the downtown core.

“We wanted to bring a building that would bring people back downtown,” says Rick Iafelice, Main+Main CEO and founder.

Main+Main along with Westdale Properties and Centurion Asset Management Inc., make up the ownership group that developed and built the luxury apartments.

The 29-storey and 23-storey buildings are breathing new life to the neighbourhood. It has struggled to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic that saw many businesses shut down or relocate out of the downtown core.

“This building is one of the first buildings to come here (after the pandemic),” says Iafelice, “and we’re trying to make it fun and where people want to live here and come back to work downtown.”

The goal for the ownership group is to tailor the apartments to the needs of anyone living and working in the area. A new Food Basics is now open right across the street, and the Lyon LRT station is steps away.

The buildings also come with upscale shared amenities including a state-of-the art fitness centre, yoga studio, and golf simulator. There’s also an ‘Entertainment Zone’ with a pool table and karaoke machine, a catering kitchen, meeting and dining rooms, and a co-op space for residents who work remotely.

“We have an open communal workspace for people that are working from home,” explains Michael Kazarian, Main+Main director of construction. “It allows an individual to go down, take a meeting from there and really lock down in that space.”

There’s also an outdoor swimming pool, lounge area, and communal BBQ stations.

The Ottawa Board of Trade expects the buildings to provide boost to the city’s downtown core. Mallory Clyne, Directory of Advocacy & Economic Development, says, “It’s great news for the downtown because it means that the downtown won’t shut down at five o’clock when you know office workers go home. There will be people living here there will be people going to the new grocery store to the Food Basic right across the way and they’ll be enjoying downtown. They’re going to increase foot traffic they’re going to patronize local businesses.”

Studio apartments, and 1, 2 and 3-bedroom units cost between $1,900 and $3,300 a month.

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