Claridge's Brown-Green Roof

mid-May

mid-June

Claridge is the developer of phase one, LeBreton Flats. They have half of the first building on Lett Street is constructed and many suites are occupied. The NCC landscaped the area to the north of the building, running up to the new Wellington Street, with paved bicycle path, benches, garbage cans, trees, shrubs, and grass. The did a significant chunk of this work in mid-winter.

Claridge is responsible for doing the landscaping immediately behind the current condo building. The top picture shows truckloads of sand put on the gravel on top of the parking garage roof. They did this in mid-May. One might be forgiven in expecting the green roof of this LEED development to be in place by now. But picture two shows the site as it is today - the only work done is to spread the sand with a tractor. No plants, no grass, no sign of the artistic landscaping consisting of artwork-like paving strips laid through the velvet lawn. And on the roof, where there are several planters so the building could boast a green roof to absorb run off and reduce urban heat effect ... well, nothing green up there yet that I can see.

What must those people who paid a premium on their units to look onto greenroofs be thinking? (Would it be printable?). And to think the developer still has units in the finished building for sale ("immediate occupancy" - with view of dustbowl at the back and Beirut-style crators at the front...) and many units in the second of the building - yet to be constructed - remain unsold. And in early July, tens of thousands of Ottawans will be swarming around the site for Bluesfest. Most developers would see this as a marvelous sales and awareness-raising opportunity.

LEED? More like a LEAD development.

But Claridge is present on the site - they appear to be preparing the hole for the second half of the building, also a 6 floor podium building in yellow brick with another 7 storey yellow brick tower on top.