Real Estate
Revision of Ottawa Zoning Sought
by Charles Lynch
For the first time since the end of World War II apartment renting in Ottawa is on a most competitive basis. Renters can pick and choose with accommodation aplenty. The highest heard of is $550 a month for the deluxe suite placed in a building at the specification wanted by the renter.
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Ottawa real estate men are calling for a complete revision of Ottawa’s zoning. They criticise present zoning regulations because it is felt they will make Ottawa into “a one-horse town”. What the realtors want is integrated zoning covering single homes, doubles and apartments. They point with satisfaction to high-rising apartments on Sussex Drive.
The real estate men feel that zoning is most important and should really come from the public rather than technicians. Cost of sewers and other services today are a compelling factor in the spread of subdivisions.
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Bert Katz, Ottawa realtor, made a film of 1,200 feet on housing overseas. He is vice-president of the Canadian Association of Real Estate Boards and the International Federation of Real Estate Boards. He represented Canada at the federation convention in Salzburg, Austria. Eighteen countries were represented.
Mr. Katz laughs when he hears of difficulties in Canada about financing and buying of a house. In Europe sometimes three mortgages are necessary.
In Leningrad, Mr. Katz filmed the building of a 20-suite apartment assembled by five people with a crane and welder. The pre-fabricating technique was used by the Russians with great success. Even the bathrooms were installed complete.
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The Ottawa Real Estate Board was established in 1921 as a business of trust and its 300 members have endeavoured to be worthy of public confidence and good will. First board president was James J. Leddy with W.J. Best as vice-president, Alex H. Fitzsimmons, J.M. Ross, F.X. Laderoute, A.E. Beach, Wm. A. Cole, A.D. Helmer and Frank E. Ault as directors. A charter member of the board was Nelson D. Porter who was mayor of Ottawa in 1915 and 1916.
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Worried about a hot water tank that suddenly springs a leak? An aluminum window that doesn’t fit? Or a cement sidewalk cracked within a year or two of being laid? You can find out why it happened and gain a good idea of how to prevent recurrence through the Building Research Division of the National Research Council in Ottawa.
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Expenditures on the three-and-one-half acre Lincoln Heights subdivision adjacent to the Richmond Road and close to the Carling intersection will total $5,400,000. This includes $400,000 for the four-building 32-unit, terraced housing project.
Tom Assaly of Assaly Construction Limited said that Architect O. Tarnowski was completing the plans for the building of three high rise apartments involving an expenditure of $5,000,000. If civic approval is granted, the first building comprising 150 suites would go up in the Spring, the next in 1962 and the third and last a year later. This major project involves the building of a closed in mall with shopping facilities, swimming pool and other features.
Mr. Assaly said the area had already been zoned though the 450-unit project had to go to the city for approval. Outlay for the first unit would be the heaviest as it also includes the mall with its special features. Mr. Assaly said the mall would link the three divisions of the project.
Clayton A. Fitzsimmons, prominent Ottawa realtor, is setting up new records with deals far afield. He has made large purchases of properties in Calgary and Toronto, in the latter city more than $1,000,000. The purchases represent investment capital in Canadian real estate.
Source: Ottawa Journal, August 27, 1960, p. 28.