City planning staff is recommending that councillors who sit on the planning committee approve a proposed development by Claridge of 6 towers at the site which was the Doodh Milk Inc. Current plan allows for 9 or 10 storeys, but the builder proposes 22 to 39 storeys. More here.

For a moment the building which houses the Mayfair Theatre was for sale. Seems no one had notified the tenant that the building would be for sale. An uproar quickly formed and now the building is no longer for sale. One of the cities favourite cinemas narrowly escapes once again. The Bytowne Cinema of course has come close but there is a love in this city for these two cinemas.

The NAC is back! How exciting! Click here to see upcoming events.

Jennings Real Estate plans on developing the site of 18 Louise Street with a 139 unit, 12 storey building. The plan is to keep the existing structure intact. How lovely! A rarely used concept that I can definitely get behind.

An 18 storey tower is proposed at the corner of Hamilton Avenue and Wellington Street. The site is currently the home CornerStone House of Refuge Apostolic Church, it was formerly the Elmdale Theatre. The tower is twice the height of what the official plan allows. But this city tends to run on exceptions! As a nod to the landmark building the developer plans on reproducing the shape of the marquee at its entrance. More here.

My new neighbourhood! Chinatown is undergoing some change, but is desirous of retaining its character. Alas, that’s a problem with development or should I say over-development. Developers move into an area because of its desirability and the next thing you know the spirit of what attracted the developer there has been zapped out. I love tall buildings, but they do change the character of an area, plus of course, I would not want to live in its shadow. As for infills I definitely believe they should be of their time, we should not be reproducing victorian style homes, BUT, to me, it is their footprint and volume that can be offputting. Why is it smaller families are getting such large homes? All of that being said I like what I read about Chinatown and I look forward to living on top of Nanny Goat Hill aka West Centre Town. It truly is a vibrant, eclectic community.

The Prince of Wales Bridge, which spans the Ottawa River, will be renamed after an Algonquin elder, Chief William Commanda, and will be rehabilitated for multi-use. The project will cost $22.6 million. Currently off-limits it has nevertheless been the site of tragedies over the years. Ultimately it could one day once again be rail bridge. Read more here, or on the City of Ottawa website.