As attested to by the number of daily flights and trains between the two cities, Ottawa is the next best known and visited major Canadian city by Torontonians after Montreal. As the nation's capital, decisions made in Ottawa affect the lives of all of us, and more directly than anyone else, those involved with policy at the country's major corporations, many of which are headquartered in Toronto. Add the pull of history, culture, and a scenic location to the mix, and you have a lot of back-and-forth between the two cities.

Torontonians who frequent Ottawa will know that the capital shares many traits with our city, including great restaurants and a lively cultural scene. Ottawa has begun to share another trait over the last decade—one of an increasingly dense and lively central city—as younger generations and empty nesters alike seek to limit commutes and spend more time enjoying street life from the sidewalk. Walking distance from Parliament Hill, the bustling Rideau Centre, and the famous Byward Market, a new mixed-use public gallery, hotel, and luxury condominium complex is proof of that. At Waller Street and Daly Avenue, construction is already pressing forward at the site of DevMcGill's ArtHaus Residences at Arts Court.

Rendering of ArtHaus Residences, image courtesy of DevMcGill

Designed by Régis Côté et Associés along with Barry Padolsky Associates Inc., Architects and KPMB Architects, the 23-storey, 74-metre high tower will rise to the immediate east of the Ottawa Arts Court on former green space and surface parking that up until recently served the historic 1870-built facility, which was originally constructed as the Carleton County Courthouse.

Rising from a 2,758 square metre footprint on the northeast corner of the site, the tower will contain a luxury Le Germain Hotel reaching the 14th floor, while the residential component will include 89 suites occupying the top 9 floors of the tower, from 15 to 23. Residents will enjoy a suite of amenity spaces and hotel services.

Existing Arts Court building, image by Jack Landau

Integrated with the hotel and condo tower are also a new live theatre space connected with the University of Ottawa, (the campus begins just across the street), and new gallery spaces for the Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG). The new galleries will connect directly with the existing Arts Court Building to the west, where the OAG's cramped current digs call out for this major expansion.

Rebar rising from below grade and future Arts Court connection, image by Jack Landau

With rebar for the building's below-grade levels now sitting just one storey shy of grade, we look forward to witnessing this mixed-use development rise above street level as the year progresses.

Rebar taking shape for below-grade levels, image by Jack Landau

If you want to know more about ArtHaus, you can visit our dataBase file for the project, linked below, or read the introductory article from 2015 here. If you would like to get in on the conversation, you can click on thethread link which will take you to our sister Forum at SkyriseCities.com, or you can always leave a comment in the space provided on this page.