Committee approves 45-storey condo tower at Dows Lake

Ottawa's planning committee has approved a Preston Street high-rise at Dows Lake that, once built, would be the tallest building in Ottawa.

Claridge's mixed-use 'Icon' tower at Preston and Carling Avenue would be approximately 143 metres tall, would hold 250 condo units and have a nine-storey underground parking garage.

The building would be on the north side of Carling between Preston and Norfolk Avenue on a vacant site that was formerly a gasoline service station.

The lots are currently zoned for a building height of 25 metres, but the planning committee voted Tuesday to change the zoning to allow the building at its planned height.

While the building is tall, people in the neighbourhood have been mostly accepting of it because it is outside Little Italy, said councillor Diane Holmes.

"Generally speaking the businesses want to keep Preston Street as low rise, they want Little Italy to remain intact as do residents in the area, so there is acceptance of the height," said Holmes.

But some residents question the depth of the parking garage and worry ground water from Dows Lake will seep into the garage excavation and have to be pumped out, overwhelming nearby storm sewers.

City officials said they will consider water pumping surcharges as part of the approval process.

City council must still approve the zoning change.