Minto Group is looking to build a 19-storey apartment tower near the corner of Bank and Isabella streets in the Glebe, just south of the Queensway. The firm recently filed documents with the city, outlining a plan for the 0.6-acre site at 178-200 Isabella St. The proposed building would include 229 residential units, from studios to three-bedroom apartments. According to the project’s urban design brief, prepared by Ottawa architecture firm Project1 Studio, the proposed site is challenging to build on due to a lack of pedestrian infrastructure as a result of its proximity to busy arterial roads such as Bank Street and the Queensway. Still, Minto believes the site has potential. “Where there are challenges, we see opportunities,” the design brief said. “The pedestrian realm is an immediate challenge where the intent is to take what is currently a hostile pedestrian environment and to transform it into an engaging and welcoming pedestrian realm.”The site is located on the northern edge of the Glebe, close to multiple restaurants and retailers, as well as the Rideau Canal. To the west of the property is a shopping plaza that includes a grocery store, LCBO outlet and a bank branch. To the south is a residential neighbourhood of semi-detached, low- and mid-rise homes. The area “forms a distinct transitional zone between the pedestrian-oriented character of Bank Street and the transportation-dominated corridor shaped by the Queensway,” the document said. “This established mainstreet condition provides a vibrant urban backdrop for the development and frames a key gateway into the Glebe.” The design for the building includes a three-storey podium, which cantilevers over Isabella Street. Additionally, there would be about 17,000 square feet of amenity space, including nearly 6,000 square feet on the rooftop. Renderings of a development proposal from Minto for 178-200 Isabella St. Photo credit: Project1 StudioThe site was formerly occupied by a five-storey office building and a single-storey commercial building, both of which were demolished several years ago. Planning documents said the project would contribute to the “ongoing revitalization” of the neighbourhood.The application also calls for an underground parking garage with 99 spaces for cars and 242 spots for bicycles. Minto previously filed a proposal to build a smaller mixed-use project on the same site in 2020. That plan called for a 16-storey mixed-use tower with 251 residential suites and 4,000 square feet of commercial space. The design brief said the new proposal “significantly improves” on previous iterations, making the development more efficient for vehicles by relocating entry points and enhancing the experience for pedestrians along Isabella Street.
