Three LRT sites on track for buildup

Pinecrest, Cleary, Baseline would be intensified, but Gladstone on hold

Three stations in the Stage 2 LRT expansion are being eyed for welldesigned developments to build density in the western leg of the extended rail network and potentially generate revenue for the city.

Pinecrest, Cleary and Baseline stations could see new developments around, or even on top of, the LRT stops as the city tries to quickly open up opportunities to create residential density through the next rail construction contract.

However, the city isn’t pursuing a similar chance to transform land around the future Gladstone station on the Trillium Line, even though a consultant shortlisted the property as a fourth-best bet for quick development on the Stage 2 project.

The study by N. Barry Lyon Consultants points out the huge amount of empty federal land near the future Gladstone station in Little Italy, which is starting to see more infill and intensified residential buildings. There was a public works warehouse on the land just south of Somerset Street before the building was demolished, leaving a big, empty field. The city has done work on a Gladstone station community design plan, foreseeing the eventual transformation of the 16.7 acres of federal land.

Chris Swail, the city’s director of O-Train planning, said that while the Gladstone site is a “significant” transit-oriented development opportunity, the city won’t have ownership or control of the land.

“Future integration opportunities will be considered in the development of the Gladstone station design,” Swail said.

In contrast, the city would have fewer barriers to get moving on developments at Pinecrest, Cleary and Baseline stations.

There’s plenty of empty land around Baseline station, one of the end points of the forked LRT service in west Ottawa, but Swail said the city will focus development opportunities on lands it already owns. That means about 2.6 acres of land at Baseline Road and Woodroffe Avenue and 2.7 acres of an existing parking lot along Woodroffe.

Building on the property could further the city’s goal of developing a Centrepointe Town Centre as envisioned through a concept plan.

The Pinecrest lands at the northwest corner of Highway 417 and Pinecrest Road are owned by the province, but Swail said the city would either pay market price for the 4.7 acres or pitch a land swap.

Since the city wants to buy a plaza property at 747 Richmond Rd. to build the Cleary station, it figures it’s a good chance to get moving on potentially allowing something to be constructed above it.

The city likes the opportunity for synergy if LRT stations and neighbouring developments are designed together, complementing each other.

If there can be more property taxpayers living near stations and buying transit passes when the LRT extensions open, it’s a big bonus. Just as good, the city could rake in revenue through selling the development rights on its land.

According to the city, bidders for the first phase of LRT construction asked about station-specific development opportunities along the Confederation Line, but the city couldn’t respond because of the structure of the tender.

This time, the city is looking at the development potential around stations as part of the Stage 2 tendering with the goal of having those developments ramping up within five to 10 years of LRT operations on the western extension.

Council’s finance and economic development committee is scheduled to debate the entire Stage 2 plan during a meeting Friday.