A new look and a new price tag for Lansdowne 2.0

The price tag for the redesigned Lansdowne 2.0 has increased by $87.5 million, while the new plans scrap one of three proposed residential towers and scales back retail space on the property in the Glebe.

The Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group unveiled plans last year to tearing down and replacing the north side stands at TD Place Stadium, build a new 5,500-seat arena outside the east end of the stadium and construct residential towers.

• IN PICTURES: The latest proposal for Lansdowne 2.0

City staff held a media briefing Friday to outline the updated Lansdowne 2.0 plan.

The price tag for the project has increased from $332 million to $419.5 million, due to inflation and rising interest rates. The report shows the cost of the new event centre has increased from $183.5 million to $249.6 million, while the north side stands will cost $169.5 million, up from $139 million last year. 

OSEG 2022 concept vs. 2023 City proposal

The plan now calls for two residential towers, 25 and 40 stories, with a maximum of 770 residential units. The previous plan called for three towers of 29, 34 and 40 stories with 1,200 units. The grassy green roof for the event centre has also been scrapped.

"I promised to listen to the community and there were a lot of concerns about that third tower, how much density it was creating, how tall it was, how much it was distracting from the Aberdeen Pavilion, so we took that out," Mayor Mark Sutcliffe told Newstalk 580 CFRA's The Morning Rush with Bill Carroll.

The 2023 Lansdowne 2.0 concept calls for 336 residential parking spaces, 35 parking spaces for the event centre, 27,900 sq. ft. of new public realm and 49,000 sq. ft. of retail space (down from 108,000 sq. ft. of retail).

The new revised concept for Lansdowne 2.0 includes 2 mixed-use towers of 40 and 25 stories with a maximum of 770 residential units and 336 residential parking spaces. (City of Ottawa)

The proposal calls for the new north side stands to have 11,200 seats with capacity for 12,000 spectators.  In 2021, the city confirmed the aging north side stands and the Civic Centre would need to be replaced. Built in 1967, the structures, while sound, have experienced leaks, mould outbreaks and other issues over the last half-century.

The Lansdowne 2.0 project, if approved by council, would be built in three phases. Construction of the new event centre will run from 2024 to 2027, while the new north side stands will be completed by mid-2029. The city says construction on the residential development will run from 2030 to 2034.

Construction timeline of the revised concept. (City of Ottawa)

Sutcliffe says Lansdowne is a project that should be important to all residents of Ottawa.

"The facility is getting used; it is our facility, we own it, it belongs to the people of Ottawa and if we don't invest in it we're going to end up with something like 24 Sussex Drive where it just crumbles and falls apart and it ends up costing us more," Sutcliffe said.

Area councillor has mixed reviews

The councillor for the area Shawn Menard says the new proposal doesn't go far enough. "I would say there is good, some bad and some ugly aspects as to what has been released," he says.

Menard says he is glad that the third tower has been removed. "I think some of the good as that the heritage Aberdeen building isn't going to be in as much shadow, in terms urban look and feel in terms of that third tower being removed, which a lot of urban design consultants had also recommended."

But there are changes Menard says does not make for a better proposal. "I think there is a lot of concern of the proposal given the $419-million price tag, the lack of affordable housing compared to the original plan, and I think a lot of concern over the fact there is no transportation plan."

Menard also points to changes around major events in the stadium and new events centre, as well as a ticket surcharge. "If you are sports fan, and I am one of them, there is going to be high ticket prices, fewer seats in this proposal. Also, the green berm area, where you can sit with your family and friends and enjoy the soccer game and visit some local businesses, that is going to be gone and there is no green roof on the events centre anymore. So a lot of changes for sports fans, no north side stands roof anymore, which they currently have, so if you are a sports fan, some concerns."

Menard says he hopes there will be more extensive consultation on this proposal before it goes to council. He says the community association is planning an open session next week.

OSEG president excited for plan

OSEG president Mark Goudie says this plan strikes the right balance from feedback from residents. Mark Goudie says he is feeling "excited." He says "it feels like we are coming down the home stretch now and I am excited about what we are going to be able to do here over the next couple of years."

Goudie points to the importance of investing in city assets, and says the current arena is no longer sustainable.

"This sets us up for where we go the next 50 years. I think there was some assumptions about how long this facility would last and they are not reasonable. The standard of the facilities need upgraded, and are going to be upgraded to something that matches the site, so we are excited to offer that to the four-million visits to the site and hopefully more over the next couple of years."

Goudie says, "Investment in our city is important. There are not many things that the city owns and operates that have the ability to fund themselves like here. It is an investment in our community," he says.

Goudie says Lansdowne is one of the most important tourism destination in the city. "We draw more people annually than the CN Tower and Parliament Hill, two iconic places in Canada, so we are an important fabric of our city. We are super proud of what we have been able to do in terms of establishing ourselves as Ottawa's gathering place and this just means we can continue to be that and make it more awesome." 

With files from CTV News Ottawa's Leah Larocque and Ted Raymond.