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On May 6, the city’s finance and economic development committee will be asked to make a recommendation to the council on the OSEG proposal, as well as any city-led improvements to the city park.
Depiction by an artist at the event center presented in “Lansdowne 2.0”. Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group offers a new facility with 5,500 seats, which is more suitable for today’s market. Photo from OSEG / Distribution
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The next transformation of Lansdowne Park will include a replacement arena in the property, new grandstands on the north side and 1,200 additional housing units if the city council accepts a $ 330 million proposal from Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group.
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Mark Gaudi, president and CEO of OSEG, said the company has unveiled a “Lansdowne 2.0” plan that meets city council criteria for another phase of reconstruction of the historic property.
“They asked us to come back with a proposal that updates their facilities, which follows the Lansdowne guidelines, which are still relevant now, as in 2012, and to do so on a self-financing basis,” Goody said. “A lot of hard work has been put into this with our partner, but I’m really excited about how far we’ve come.”
Goody said the proposal was designed to protect municipal taxpayers and ensure the site’s financial viability.
On May 6, the city’s finance and economic development committee will be asked to make a recommendation to the council on the OSEG proposal, as well as any city-led improvements to the city park.
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In July 2021, the council instructed staff to work with OSEG on the next Lansdowne revitalization plan, understanding that the proposal would not harm the city financially and would not require city tax money to support OSEG’s operations.
Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group CEO and CEO Mark Gaudi looks over the icy surface of the current arena in Lansdowne Park. Photo by ERROL MCGIHON / Postmedia
The Lansdowne 2.0 proposal aims to tackle key projects left out of the first $ 425 million redevelopment, most notably an aging structure that holds both the stadium’s north stands and the arena, which opened in 1967.
The city’s partnership with OSEG lasts until 31 December 2054, reflecting a 10-year extension approved by the council in 2020. The two partners are working to improve their financial sustainability, especially as sporting and recreational events return during COVID -19. 19 pandemic.
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Part of the solution is to refresh and weaken the city’s sports facilities for a better fan experience.
The proposed arena of the event center will have 5,500 seats for hockey and a larger capacity for concerts, compared to 9,500 seats under the current roof of the arenas. OSEG has taken advice from consultants who have evaluated the Ottawa market.
The green roof of the event center would follow roughly the highest point of the berm as it exists today. The facility will be inserted into a replaced berm so that it looks aesthetically pleasing as a continuation of landscaping. (The Moving Spaces art installation on the berm will be preserved).
However, the green roof would not be designed to be accessible to the public. OSEG found that additional load-bearing infrastructure would increase the cost of construction.
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As part of the next phase of Lansdowne Park renovation, Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group is proposing to relocate the event center arena near the stadium’s eastern end and build new grandstands on the north side, while adding 1,200 housing units in three towers. Photo from OSEG / Distribution
The new north stand with 11,200 seats, but capable of accommodating 12,000 spectators, will be the other half of the upgrade of sports facilities. The demolition and construction schedule would mean that there would be two football seasons without the north stands; OSEG will use temporary rostrums to take over 35 per cent of the northern side’s current capacity.
The 1,200 new homes will be built in a configuration that has not yet been determined, but three towers are currently included in the plan. Two towers will have units for rent, and one tower will have apartments. OSEG classifies 10% of housing units as “affordable”, created in partnership with an affordable housing provider. The sale of “air rights” will be the subject of a competitive public procurement process led by the city.
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The proposal includes 720 additional underground parking spaces for housing units.
The current 41,000 square feet of retail space behind the north stands will be replaced by 100,000 square feet of mixed-use retail space in the tower podium. The podium will be pulled off the sidewalk, creating a clearer view of Aberdeen’s pavilion on Bank Street.
Housing construction would help fund most of the larger redevelopment project thanks to air building rights and increased property taxes. A third stream of revenue will be event ticket fees.
OSEG and the city are also talking about revising the financial waterfall scheme to ensure an even distribution of net revenues from Lansdowne.
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The city will continue to own sports facilities.
Hobin Architects and Brisbin Brook Beynon (BBB) have teamed up with OSEG on the proposal. BBB designs municipal facilities, and Hobin takes care of the site plan and mixed-use buildings.
Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group says 1,200 housing units above a new shopping podium could be built in the next phase of Lansdowne Park renovations. Photo from OSEG / Distribution
OSEG is ready to launch a new event center in November if the council gives the green light. The 23-month project will be the first phase of Lansdowne 2.0.
Phase 2 will include the grandstands on the north side, the podium and the car park, lasting from December 2024 to May 2027. The residential towers are planned as Phase 3, starting in 2024 and ending in 2029, although the first occupants will arrived in 2027
Part of the Great Lawn will be needed for construction.
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There is still a lot of public consultation needed for the project, especially when it comes to housing, as this will be the subject of a land use planning process.
Anthony Caricato, who chairs a committee of the Glebe Community Association in Lansdowne, said he was disappointed that there was no further consultation leading to a proposal for consideration by the council.
While the community association supports the city’s intensification goals, it questions how much housing density is appropriate for Lansdowne Park and whether there will be enough housing at very affordable prices, Caricato said.
Caricato said the community association still has big concerns about transport to and from Lansdowne, and members also wondered why the city and OSEG are rushing to get a plan approved when ideas need to be debated during the municipal election campaign.
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“There is no faith that it will work this time,” Caricato said. “Concepts need to come with alternatives, not just” Here’s the best option. “
On the other hand, the main travel agency in the city likes what OSEG has prepared.
“Every part of it has some possibilities,” said Michael Crocat, president and CEO of Ottawa Tourism.
OSEG’s proposal is “so well in line” with Ottawa tourism, said Krokat, who spoke about the potential for attracting new events with improved amenities in Lansdowne.
“The events that are coming to Lansdowne cannot be held anywhere else,” Crocat said.
The Lansdowne business is looking forward to a new round of improvements.
Sunset Grill franchise owner Dean Stressman said the business will benefit more people living on the site. Many of his most loyal clients live in the Rideau apartment tower next to the stadium.
Stressman said residents need something to get excited about after more than two years of living overturned by COVID-19.
“It gives the whole city of Ottawa something to look forward to,” Stressman said.
jwilling@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JonathanWilling
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