Developer ordered to rethink Centretown heritage district demolition

A developer hoping to build a four-storey apartment building on Kent Street has been ordered back to the drawing board to prevent the structure from looming over the sidewalk in a heritage district.

The building would replace two homes at Kent and McLeodstreets in theCentretownheritage conservation district. As it's designed now, the building would be only 30 cm from the property line.

"I am gobsmacked that in the year 2018 we are even talking about inflicting this on our city," said Jack Hannaofthe Centretown Citizens Community Association.

Hannahit the street with a clipboard and a tape measure to see how the proposed building compares to others on the street, and said he didn't find any other buildings of the same size and scale so close to the sidewalk.

'Tremendous negative impact'

The wall facing Kent Street will be articulated, so it's "not just a monolithic wall on Kent Street," said Matt McElligot, a planning consultant for the owner,Roca Developments.

Even so, erecting a wall so close to the street would have "a tremendous negative impact on the street," said built heritage sub-committee member Sandy Smallwood.

The sub-committee told the developer to work with city staff to find a way to move the building farther away from the street.

That could mean making the building smaller and shrinking the number of units, sub-committee member Coun. Marianne Wilkinson said.

The developer and the city have a month to come up with a new proposal.

2 homes likely to be demolished

The sub-committee seemed less concerned about demolishing the two homes. There are many examples of similar architecture in the city, and a number of alterations to the houses also limittheir heritage value, according to city staff.

But some people in the community argued the buildings should be saved.

"This will irrevocably change the historic character of the neighbourhood," said Mindy Sichel, who lives across the street from the homes.

One of the homes has deep roots in the history of the punk music scene in Ottawa, having served as a live venue that's hosting Polaris Prize-shortlisted acts.

The project does propose to preserve another building with more heritage character on McLeod Street. Character-defining elements of the semi-detached house will be repaired and new windows will be installed.

The built heritage sub-committee will consider the revamped proposal in June before it goes to planning committee and council for final approval.