Ontario Construction News staff writer
OTTAWA – A controversial development project that triggered a decade-long legal battle over Ottawa’s planning powers is finally moving toward construction after clearing its final committee hurdles this week.
The city’s Planning and Housing Committee has recommended approval for a revised proposal from Taggart Realty to build two highrise towers at 267 O’Connor St., a site that has been at the centre of a dispute over building heights in Centretown since 2015.
The latest plan, designed by international architecture firm UNStudio, features two mixed-use towers of 27 and 25 storeys. The development is slated to include 513 rental apartment units and approximately 4,000 sq. ft. of ground-floor commercial space.
The project reached a significant milestone last Wednesday (April 15) when the committee approved a heritage permit for the site, which sits within the Centretown Heritage Conservation District. This follows a March 11 decision by the same committee to support the necessary zoning and Official Plan amendments.
The approval marks a turning point for a property that once represented a major setback for city planners. In 2015, the City of Ottawa sought a judicial review of an Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) decision that overturned the city’s nine-storey height limits for the area. At the time, city officials argued that the OMB’s ruling undermined the Centretown Community Design Plan, which had undergone years of public consultation.
However, the courts and the OMB ultimately sided with the developers, ruling that the site’s “strategic location” and “large size” made it suitable for significant density. The OMB noted in its historical ruling that the site should not be strictly limited to nine storeys, provided a proposal made a “significant contribution” to the urban fabric.
To bypass current zoning that still technically limits the area to nine storeys, Taggart Realty applied under the city’s “landmark” building policy. The policy allows for “iconic architecture” and increased height if the project provides exceptional public benefits.
According to planning documents, the Taggart proposal includes a significant public realm contribution, with approximately 40 per cent of the nearly one-acre site dedicated to publicly accessible park space.
“The design intent is to propose a landmark building that sensitively fits within the local Centretown context,” the developer stated in its submission to the city.
The plan will replace a six-storey office building and a surface parking lot located between Gilmour and MacLaren streets. The development also includes an underground garage with 319 parking spaces and 514 bicycle spots, reflecting the city’s push for transit-oriented, walkable density.
While the project has faced past opposition from residents concerned about the “canyon effect” of highrises in the heritage district, city staff now describe the neighbourhood as “well-served by transit” and appropriate for the proposed scale.
The proposal is scheduled for a final vote at Ottawa City Council on April 22. If approved, the heritage permit will be issued with a six-year expiry date, clearing the way for one of Centretown’s most significant residential additions in recent years.
Project at a glance: 267 O’Connor St.
- Developer: Taggart Realty
- Architect: UNStudio
- Height: 27 storeys (North Tower), 25 storeys (South Tower)
- Residential units: 513 rentals
- Public space: 40% of site area
- Current status: Recommended for approval; final Council vote scheduled for April 22, 2026.
