Committee approves converting Kanata office building for residential use

The Planning and Housing Committee today approved a zoning amendment to facilitate converting an existing 11-storey office building to a mixed-use building. The Planning and Housing Committee today approved a zoning amendment to facilitate converting an existing 11-storey office building to a mixed-use building. The property is on Legget Drive, in the Kanata Research Park, and the proposed building would have 115 dwellings as well as ground floor office space. The applicant plans to reclad the building, add Juliet balconies and provide communal amenity space. A connection to the nearby Brookstreet Hotel is also proposed. The proposal aligns with Official Plan policies that seek to maintain the Kanata North Economic District as an economic generator while encouraging its transformation from a car-oriented business park to a mixed-use innovation district. The amendment would change the parent zoning from Business Park Industrial to Mixed Use Centre and would remove minimum parking requirements for residential and office uses, retaining only the visitor parking requirement. Car-oriented uses, including drive-through facility, service and repair shop, and parking lot would also be prohibited. The Committee also approved a zoning amendment to facilitate a development of 18 semi-detached homes and 12 townhomes on two properties in the Greystone Village community of Old Ottawa East. The properties are on the eastern side of the C-shaped Deschâtelets Avenue and separated by the Grand Allée entrance to the future Forecourt Park. The amendment is primarily needed to reduce setbacks, which would ensure a symmetrical development. The proposed setbacks maintain the tree-lined Grand Allée and views of the historic Deschâtelets Building. The Committee also received a presentation on the state of student housing in Ottawa. The University of Ottawa Students’ Union has compiled a report offering analysis of a survey conducted by the Student Housing Exploratory Caucus – a student-led caucus of the University of Ottawa Students’ Union Board of Directors. The report offers policy recommendations on student housing for all levels of government. Recommendations from today’s meeting will rise to Council on Wednesday, May 28.