Shrinking Lansdowne shop space OK: developers

The developers behind a plan to build shops, restaurants and condos at Lansdowne Park say they are open to cutting back the amount of shopping at the site and changing their plans to fill the historic Aberdeen Pavilion with large restaurants after public criticism.

Roger Greenberg, CEO of Minto DevelopmentsInc. and one of the four Ottawa businessmen proposing the Lansdowne Partnership Plan, confirmed he met with Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien and city manager Kent Kirkpatrick Tuesday to explore major changes to the plan.

Greenberg said his group may:

• Reduce space devoted to stores and restaurants at the site.
• Change the use of the Aberdeen Pavilion and the Horticulture Building.
• Build offices, a hotel and condos in the first phase of the plan instead of the second phase.

"I think that's something that would probably be very attractive to most people," Greenberg said.

No more consultations

However, he made clear that any changes would not go to a public consultation, as his group needs a "definitive answer" from city council at its November council meeting.

"We've been at this for quite a long period of time already, and we've spent a considerable sum of money on our proposal," he said.

"I think we would like some very, very clear direction from the city: Do they want to go ahead with this or do they not?"

He added that his group will not allow the debate to drag into next year and become a political football for candidates in the 2010 municipal election to toss around.

Public consultations ended Sunday on the plan to redevelop the park on Bank Street, north of the Rideau Canal, as a public-private partnership between the City of Ottawa and the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group that Greenberg is part of.

During the consultations, residents of the surrounding Glebe neighbourhood were vocal in their opposition to the massive amount of retail space in the plan.

Alta Vista Coun. Peter Hume said it's incumbent on council to mould the Lansdowne plan "into something that is reasonable and the public can accept."

Currently, the plan calls for 320,000 square feet of space for stores, services, restaurants, a cinema and the Ottawa Farmer's Market.

However, Coun. Clive Doucet, who represents the ward that includes Lansdowne Park, still wants the proposal scrapped and replaced with an open design competition.

He said Greenberg and the others are there to make money, not to protect the public interest.

"And good for him. I want him to make money," Doucet said. "But not at the public expense "