5-storey condos in new Lansdowne plan

There will be no big-box stores at Lansdowne Park under a revised redevelopment planfroman Ottawa business group but there will betwo five-storey condominium towers, CBC News has learned.

Thetowers will make up for retail revenue lost because of the removal of the unpopular big-box stores that werein the original plan, according to sources who have seen the new Lansdowne Live plan, which will go to city council on Wednesday. Lansdowne Park is on Bank Street on the north side of the Rideau Canal in Ottawa's Glebe neighbourhood, a little south of the downtown area.

The first version of the plan was brought forward last October by Jeff Hunt, owner of the Ottawa 67's Ontario Hockey League Team, and local developers Roger Greenberg, John Ruddy and Bill Shenkman. The new planretains some original elements, such as a boutique hotel in the northwest corner of the park near Bank Street and Holmwood Avenue, and a row of 22 townhouses along Holmwood.

In the new plan:

• The big-box stores are replaced by a row of boutique-style shops along Bank Street. Overall there will be 300,000 square feet of retail space, including a possible movie theatre.
• The 19th-century Aberdeen Pavilion will house restaurants.
• Frank Sullivan's Horticulture building will become an indoor market that one city councillor is comparing to Faneuil Hall in Boston. It will be moved to make it the centrepiece of the site and to make more room for retail space.
• The Ottawa Farmer's Market will have a permanent home in front of the Aberdeen Pavilion.
• There will be underground parking for 1,200 vehicles and very little surface parking.
• The north side stand of Frank Clair Stadium and the Civic Centre beneath it will be renovated, while what remains of the south side stand will be demolished, making way for new stands.

Proponents of the plan believe the plan overall will be revenue neutral for the City of Ottawa, as the new residential space will generate extra property taxes.

The Ottawa Airport Authority is currently considering a partnership to develop new trade-show space near the airport to make up for such space that would not longer be available at Lansdowne under the proposal.

NCC involved in green space plan

The National Capital Commission, the federal agency in charge of Crown lands and buildings, is working with the City of Ottawa to integrate federal and municipal public lands involved in the project, it confirmed in a statement Tuesday. The statement clarified that the NCC will not be involved in the commercial portion of the project.

Sources said the NCC will lease from the city 5.6 hectaresof property adjacent to Queen Elizabeth Driveway and turn it into parkland that could include features such as a reflecting pool or an outdoor theatre. The park will make use ofporous paving technology that lets grass grow through, so the green space could be converted to parking for large events.

The NCC will also allow the city to use Queen Elizabeth Driveway for buses and other traffic during major events.

The City of Ottawa is expected to help the Central Canada Exhibition or SuperEx, which has been held at Lansdowne Park since 1888, move to its new permanent home on Albion Road.

The group behind Lansdowne Live announced Tuesday that it is applying for a United Soccer Leagues First Division (USL-1) franchise, and that the team would play at revamped stadium at Lansdowne Park.

The most recent push to redevelop Lansdowne Park beganafter cracks were foundin 2007 inthe lower southside stands of Frank Clair Stadium, which had supported thousands of fans during the sold-out FIFA U-20 World Cup soccer games just months before. The stands were later demolished.