Towers proposed for Gladstone Avenue arts mecca

A developer is proposing to build three towers at the future Gladstone light rail station in Hintonburg, on a site that currently houses the largest concentration of artist studios in the city.

Those artists and Kitchissippiward's councillor are pushing Trinity Development Group Inc. to incorporateaffordable studiospaceasthe siteoverlooking the O-Train tracks which also includes a brewery and a music venue is redeveloped.

Trinity is alsobehind what will be thecity's tallest building: a 65-storey towerto be built one station down the line atBayview.

MathewLaing,Trinity's senior vice-president of development and planning,spoke about the two projects at a recent economic development luncheon in Ottawa.

The goal, Laing said,is to create dense communities where people can live and work while havingquick access across the city bytransit,said Laing.

"Obviously the idea of these developments, in particular, is [to build on] thatLRTconnection," Laing said.

"There's definitely a focus by the development community on these locations. Absolutely."

Hopes to preserve bread factory

On the other side of the tracks from Trinity's land, Ottawa Community Housing is already planning Gladstone Village, a community made up of subsidized housing and market-value housing.

That means the area around thefuture Gladstone station could soon be transformed, with hundreds more residents, businesses and a French public school.

Trinity, which has only just filed its application with the City of Ottawa, is proposingthree buildings with floor space totallingonemillion square feet.

Right now the idea is to keep as much of that building as possible, but to bring it back to life.- Mathew Laing, Trinity Group

The lower floors of the towers would be linkedand would hold offices and retail.

As for the former Standard Bread Company factory, Laingsaid Trinity first thought it might only be able to keep the faadebut now hopes to restorethe painted white brickanduncoveritsboarded-up windows.

"Right now the idea is to keep as much of that building as possible, but to bring it back to life," saidLaing.

'Less interesting' without artists

Most people don't realize how significant the spaceis for the city's artists, said Daniel Sharp, a painter andpresident of the Enriched Bread Artists collective.

The former bread factoryhas housed 22 of the collective's studios for the past26 years, with another18 artists working in the Loft Art Studios on the top floor.

GladstoneClayworksCo-op is housed on the bottom floor. Artists also have studios inside other buildings on the property, with the strip mall next door housing the Gigspace concert venue and a glassblower's shop.

Sharpsaid the future light rail station made the property's developmentinevitable. But he hopesartists mightbe providedaffordable studio space in a gleaming new building,and not have to disperse and seek more affordable digs in Gatineau or the surrounding countryside.

He'd also like it ifTrinity sees the potential in having on-site artists hosting pottery, painting and glassblowing classes.

"It's a great neighbourhood," said Sharp. "If you lose those artists, the place becomes a little less interesting."

Affordable housing a priority

Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper saidTrinity has been open-minded about keeping artists on the site.

The city can also negotiate the inclusion of affordable studio space, Leiper said, in exchange for additional storeys and density.

"We want the artsin the downtown area," said Leiper.

Leiper and Coun. Catherine McKenney, whose ward is on the other side of the tracks, will also push for the Trinity development to include more affordable housing.

"We really do want both. We want to have a lot of affordable housing in this development, using every power the city has to leverage that," Leiper said.

"Atthe same time we don't want to have arts groups pushed out by the neighbourhood gentrification."