Katie Daubs , The Ottawa Citizen

Published: Friday, May 08, 2009

OTTAWA - On a recent grey day, seagulls and a beaver shared a rocky bit of land that will soon become the second phase of a housing development at LeBreton Flats. It is dismal and windy outside, and a solitary Claridge condo sits in the middle of a construction site.

On the 10th floor of the blue glass tower, Doug Hunter surveys the scene, joking that some of his friends say it looks like a war zone.

"I don't see that," says the triathlete and newcomer to the first tower in what will become an urban village by the Ottawa River. "I have a vision."

Hunter, who works for IBM Global Technology Services, is still settling into his new space. His 18-speed bike rests on a rolled up area rug and there aren't any curtains on the floor-to-ceiling windows, but then there aren't any inquiring neighbours able to see into his new condo.

"I can see the future. It's going to be vibrant and nothing's going to be blocking the view."

The first time Hunter looked out the window over to the Canadian War Museum, Ottawa River and Gatineau Hills, his condo was under construction, a puzzle of concrete walls.

Today, the condo boasts a granite breakfast bar, stainless-steel appliances, hardwood floors, and lots and lots of sky on the other side of the window. "Downtown, you're staring at other buildings," he says. "There are none I know that have a view like this."

By 2014 or 2015, Claridge plans to build four more blocks of townhouses and condo towers in LeBreton Flats.

The first building - with the six-storey brick base and seven-storey glass tower, is almost sold out and most buyers have moved in. The second phase, which will also have a tower, is 40 per cent sold, and construction is set to begin this spring.

The most expensive condo in the first tower is close to$1 million, but 95 per cent of the units in all phases are priced between $200,000 and $500,000.LeBreton Flats is similar to other Claridge condominiums in its efficiency and luxury.It is also modern in its design, thanks to Dan Hanganu, the award-winning architect who designed 700 Sussex for Claridge Homes.

"The building exemplifies simple and European elements, and open-concept design," says Neil Malhotra, vice-president of Claridge Homes.The project is built to silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified standards, including high-efficiency designs, local recycled materials, and natural green space.

"Right now, people just see a building on its own, but you'll be in the neighbourhood," says Malhotra "There's more down here than people realize. ByWard Market, Bank Street, Booth Street, and Preston Street are all pretty close."

In 2004, three companies competed in an National Capital Commission contest to redevelop the prime piece of land which was once home to modest housing and shops, but two dropped out at the last minute, leaving Claridge Homes as the sole bidder: 4.4 hectares of LeBreton Flats for a little more than $8 million, with Montreal architecture firms Dan S. Hanganu Architects and Daoust Lestage at the helm.

Some questioned the default win and called the Claridge proposal bland, institutional and ordinary.

At the time, the NCC said the proposed design was excellent, but lacked poetry and needed revision.

The NCC reminded the public that a detailed design for each building had to be individually approved by their national advisory committee before anything was built.

"It's a process," Malhotra says of the experience "It's been beneficial, and at times, you know, you're just arguing about pointless things."

As he stands in the sales centre, Malhotra shakes his head at the bland and ordinary labels."If you want someone to say something positive, you can find them; if you want someone to say something negative, you can find them. It's the same guys critiquing the NCC and us. But people know what it is," Malhotra says.

Cindy Sezlik, a well-known Ottawa realtor and condo guru, calls it "the gateway to the western section of the city."

"Heritage Hintonburg, Wellington Village. It's the beginning of Ottawa's transformation."

The first person to lay claim to a condo was a retired Kanata high school teacher attracted by a corner condo with a view of the Parliament buildings and the Gatineau Hills.

Amid the flurry of parent-teacher interviews, she sent Sezlik a cheque to take to the private launch party. She had her condo before sales officially opened.

So far, half of the buyers are twentysomethings and thirtysomethings, first-time buyers who want to be close to work. The other half are baby boomers with active lifestyles who like being close to downtown. Many choose to live in the units, rather than rent them out.

From Hunter's condo, it's a 10-minute bike ride to the Gatineau Hills. Endless paths provide all sorts of running routes for training.

"I love the access to the park, and it's close to all outdoor things," says the avid skier, runner and cyclist."A lot of people say, ‘Won't the noise from Bluesfest bug you?' " he says. "Geez, it's over by 11 p.m. anyways. I don't know what the big deal is, and I'm probably the one most affected as my place faces right on to it."

Besides, he says as he looks out the window, "I plan on going."