The SOHO Italia Controversy

By Chris Carlin

Our writers leave the everyday ordinary and seek out the strange, and the provocative

A metal arch stands as the gateway to Preston Street. Across it, “Little Italy” is spelled out with lush red characters. The eyes are immediately drawn to it. This is the southern gateway to Ottawa’s Little Italy.

Preston Street, known also as Corso Italia, may appear quaint at first glance, but it is known as the heart of Ottawa‘s Italian Culture. Every June, Preston Street houses a week-long celebration of Italian heritage, ending with a Mardi Gras-style party for which the street is closed to traffic.

It is on this street, on an empty lot near the southern gateway, that Mastercraft Starwood has planned an ambitious condominium complex: the SOHO Italia.

The proposed building features wavy, plate-like balconies for each floor. This would create a ribbed effect that runs down the suites, to the parking lot floors. The parking lot (which would be several stories above ground) would be covered with a sleek siding which has the word “ITALIA” in vertical, white lettering. This would draw a sharp contrast to its black background.

Currently, the developer is cleared for a 22-storey building, which will already tower over its immediate neighbours. The new proposal calls permission for a 35-story condominium complex to be built. Such a height for a residential building, especially one outside of the downtown core, has many citizens voicing their concerns.

“Cool building, and I'm all in favour of going up rather than out, but poor location for it,” one resident claims. This is one of the more common objections that pop up whenever the SOHO Italia is discussed, as many feel the size and shape of the building doesn‘t blend with the local architecture of Preston.

Kitchissippi Councillor, Katherine Hoobs, supports the architect’s design. Hoobs says that Ottawa needs more stunning architecture, and that the SOHO Italia’s museum would attract Italian tourists.

Others who support the construction share a wish for Ottawa to “grow up” as a city. With Ottawa’s population being only 870,762 (according to a 2006 estimate), Ottawa has a difficult time being seen as a healthy rival for much larger Canadian cities like Toronto and Calgary.

At present, the city is at a crossroads between a potential future (albeit, a distant one) as a metropolis, and a quainter homage to its Bytown roots. This decision is pressured even more by critics of both the architectural identity, and the structural progression of the city.

“Stand at the corner of Bank and Laurier and it looks like some tired little Prairie town on its last legs," claims architectural critic Ryan Phillips. (Canada.com)

If Ottawa is facing such tight competition from fellow Canadian cities, what is motivating detractors to oppose developments like the SOHO Italia? Some believe it’s NIMBYism.

NIMBYism

As the controversy continues, it’s inevitable that the term “NIMBY” be used.  In this case, the term was levied against Ottawa Citizen editor Ken Gray.

“What kind of city and city editor is afraid of a 35-story condo? Ken, can't you find something else to NIMBY about,” asked Mark, who is just one of the many respondents in Gray’s comment section.

NIMBY is an acronym for “not in my back yard,” and used as a pejorative used to describe locals who oppose development of a certain structure in their neighbourhood. Traditionally, these structures would be power plants, prisons, airports and other structures that inconvenience residents or diminish real estate value.

NIMBY, however, is a suspect term.  Blogger Gian-Carlo Carra described the original purpose of the term NIMBY as a way to “paint all challenges (and challengers) to projects as unreasonable, un-publicly-minded, disingenuous, anti-civic, etc.”  However, he does admit that not all community-based objections to new structures are noble ones.

So, is this phenomenon taking hold of some of the residents of Preston Street? Given the fact that Preston Street is so iconic for Ottawa’s Italian culture, the interest seems to run much deeper than one’s own back-yard preferences. In light of this, much of the objection to the building’s location can’t be chalked up to NIMBYism.

Regardless of the cause of this opposition, developers of the SOHO Italia are taking steps to engage the public and, ultimately, change minds.

Reaching out

In an attempt to win over the community, the developers of the SOHO Italia have used methods like blogging and community outreach through the proposed construction of a museum for Italian culture. This would be situated within the building, in an attempt to warm people up to the idea of such an ambitious construction.

The blog provides periodic updates on news, including perspectives on the proposed building, both in favour of and opposed to. The site’s deck invites people to have their say, and while the majority of the comments seem to support the building of the SOHO Italia, there is still some descent among the respondents.

The museum is to be located beneath the apartment complex and is meant to keep the building relevant to its cultural surroundings. While enthusiasts like Hobbs support the idea as a potential tourist attraction, detractors are skeptical, seeing the museum as unsustainable.

“It’d be cool if they would [build] a mini-mall in the bottom, but how much stuff could they really put in a museum?” remarks an anonymous follower of the SOHO blog.

I wanted to see for myself, and more in-depth, how dissenters to the building felt.

A personal perspective

I recently had the pleasure of meeting with my co-worker and fellow architecture enthusiast Marcelyne Cross to discuss the building. Marcelyne has been an Ottawa resident her entire life, and knows several restaurant owners on Preston Street.

“For me, it’s a bit of a disappointment,” she says, reflecting on the size and shape of the building, especially given the modest location.  She does, however, recognize the benefits of constructing the building.

“On an environmental level it’s great, because you’re fitting more people into a smaller space.”

Marcelyne has torn feelings on the building, overall. Growing up in Ottawa, she saw the downtown core grow into what it is today, but she notes that business has largely remained downtown, instead of growing with the urban sprawl. To her, Ottawa has missed many opportunities (constructing buildings like the war museum, which she finds visually unappealing) to grow in new and more aesthetically pleasing ways.

Marceyne’s friends, on the other hand, view this development through a much different lens.

Good for business

Although she believes that the cons outweigh the pros, Marcelyne says that her business-owning friends are excited about the project.

“They’re looking at it through a financial perspective.”

It could very likely follow that an increase in tenants will lead to an increase in business, as many of the SOHO Italia’s residents will opt for Preston’s notable cuisine in lieu of their own cooking.

Ottawa’s direction

As the future of the condominium complex rests on a foundation of uncertainty in public opinion, what will this mean for Ottawa’s architecture? Will the construction of the SOHO Italia be a beacon of inspiration for ambitious architects who are thinking of investing their efforts in Ottawa? Or will it set a precedent for over-the-top architectural displays that will end up harming the city more than helping it?

All of these answers will come with time. The only sure thing is that, one way or another, Ottawa must grow with its population and the times.