It was a packed house Tuesday evening at Saint Paul University for a meeting about the future of the Oblate lands in Old Ottawa East.
The site's main developer, The Regional Group, presented its plan for turning the prime space into a mixed residential and commercial area.
“We have a master plan for a new community, meant to integrate perfectly into an old, mature community, but has a pure mix of housing and land uses,” said John Kardish, a manager of land development with The Regional Group.
The plan would create more than 900 housing units.
The 10.5 hectares of mostly vacant land would be used for town houses, single family homes, low-rise and high-rise apartments, mixed use buildings, as well as commercial and public space.
There are plans for a grocery store, as well as room for restaurants, cafes and office space.
The historical Deschâtelets Building would be preserved as part of the plan, and could become housing for seniors or students.
Many residents at the proposal meeting were pleased with what they heard.
“I like…the fact that they’re encouraging public and private space,” one local resident said.
“'I’m a regular user of the lands, a dog walker, and basically I'm quite impressed,” said another.
There is no firm plan yet for when the redevelopment would get underway, but based on early timelines; housing construction could start late next year, with new residents moving in late summer 2016.
