The Evolving plans for Bronson and Cambridge South
A view of the proposal from Carling looking east, with the Cambridge Street building in the foreground and the tower at Bronson in the rear. (Source: Applicant’s Site Plan Proposal – Figurr Architects, Fotenn Plannina and Design and the Katasa Group, December 2022)
A view of the proposal looking Southwest at Bronson and Carling
The Evolving plans for Bronson and Cambridge South
Another turn in a long journey
By Sue Stefko
The proposed residential development at Bronson and Carling is getting a makeover – it appears largely unchanged on the outside, but there will be big changes inside, with about 22 per cent more housing units.
According to revised plans filed with the City last month, the developer Katasa Group wants to drop student housing and increase the number of residential units to 340 from 278. Building heights and the development’s footprint remain the same as in the previous plan, and the overall massing appears generally consistent.
After more than a decade of failed attempts at developing the land at 770 and 774 Bronson Avenue and 557 Cambridge Street South, Katasa purchased all three parcels and in 2021 proposed a 26-storey tower and a large podium stretching across the full site. The scale of the development – 328 units on a site zoned for six to 12 storeys – prompted significant neighbourhood concerns around height, density, traffic and lack of green space.
In response, the developer came back in 2023 with a revised plan. The tower was reduced to 22 storeys and the single large building was split into two, allowing more open space and larger setbacks along both Bronson and Cambridge. The number of units was reduced to 278 and parking was scaled back.
The increase in units in the most recent revision appears to be achieved through an internal reconfiguration of the tower in Phase 1, the taller building facing Bronson. The 2023 plan included a large block of student-housing suites, including 71 multi-bedroom units ranging from two to five bedrooms. The newest proposal abandons the student-housing model and replaces it with a fully residential building. The updated design introduces a broader mix of unit sizes, from studio up to three-bedroom. While the total number of units increases, the overall layout shifts toward smaller households (more one-bedroom units) and a more conventional rental market. Phase 2, the building facing Cambridge, is largely unchanged, with the same proposed unit numbers and unit types.
A chart showing the change in units in the overall project is shown to the right.
Neither the Katasa Group nor planning firm Fotenn responded to requests to explain the reasons for the proposed changes, although some of it may be explained by changing market conditions. While Ottawa’s student-rental market remainsstrong, particularly near campuses, it is no longer the guaranteed high return it was during the 2020–23 surge. Rising supply, federal limits on international students and higher operating costs have made the market more competitive and less lucrative.
Katasa also owns The Clemow, the apartment building across Carling, which is at the centre of a dispute over noise from its rooftop air conditioners. While efforts continue to find a solution, some community members want assurances that a similar situation will be avoided in the new development – and that any other concerns would be promptly addressed.
The parking configuration appears unchanged, with access from Bronson and exit toward Cambridge, although parking increases from 133 to 162 spaces to accommodate the increase in units. As with the last plan, the site’s location on two busy mainstreets may make site access challenging, particularly for vehicles travelling northbound on Bronson and those wishing to travel west on Carling. The plan also sees bike spaces increase from 221 to 291.
The revised proposal significantly increases amenity space from about 1,500 square metres to nearly 2,200, bringing it from below to above the required levels. Much of this comes from larger communal rooms and additional terraces throughout Phase 1, along with some expanded shared spaces in Phase 2. Although the 2026 plan adds several new shared terraces throughout both buildings, the number and distribution of private balconies appear largely unchanged, with balconies still limited to the upper floors of the Bronson tower and none provided in the Cambridge building. The updated proposal retains the planned commercial space.
After years of proposals, revisions and community negotiations, plans appear to be moving towards construction. However, these recent changes show how profoundly a site can change – even when the building appears largely unchangedfrom the outside.
Sue Stefko is vice president of the Glebe Annex Community Association and a frequent contributor to the Glebe Report.