ARTS COURT HISTORY

July 2011: City council approves the $36.1-million redevelopment of Arts Court, subject to funding from other levels of government and fundraising in the arts community. Plan envisions tripling the space for the Ottawa Art Gallery and includes a residential tower, with profits to be used to help defray the rest of the costs.

November 2011: City officials say redevelopment project is two to three months behind schedule due to slowerthan-expected process of determining how much space current Arts Court tenants would need in the new building. Despite the hold-up, city officials still say formal tendering of construction work will happen in 2012, so the building would be ready for occupation in fall 2014.

July 2012: City council puts project on hold for remainder of the summer while it waits to hear if the federal government will chip in $9 million.

July 2013: Federal government informs city it will not fund Arts Court redevelopment. In an unrelated development, the planning committee approves rezoning for the site to accommodate a 23-storey tower.

October 2013: City officials scale back proposed redevelopment by shrinking public component, collapsing a small and a large theatre into one medium-sized one, and devoting more space to the University of Ottawa (in exchange for more money). Project cost now set at $34 million.

March 2014: Ontario Municipal Board dismisses appeal over proposed condo tower, saying residents’ objections were not compelling enough. City has shortlisted three consortiums to complete the project to its specifications.

September 2014: Council approves a consortium to complete project, now estimated at $100 million ($41.7 million from the city and University of Ottawa, and $60 million from the private sector). Approved timeline sees construction begin in late December, with completion of the Ottawa Art Gallery and University of Ottawa spaces for February 2017.