Converting federal office buildings to housing ‘realistic’: Ottawa Community Housing
Posted Apr 12, 2022 05:52:00 PM.
The president of the Treasury Board, Mona Fortier, has been floating the idea of converting federal office buildings in Ottawa's downtown core to housing, and a local community organization thinks the suggestion is achievable.
Stéphane Giguère, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Ottawa Community Housing (OCH) feels the idea is realistic, but acknowledges some office buildings might not be able to be properly retrofitted into housing.
He adds it is do-able to subsidize the buildings following conversions, in order to ensure rent affordability within someone's structure can be offered.
According to Giguère, similar models have proved successful in other cities.
“Lately in Calgary, they have a high vacancy rate on the commercial side, and it has worked out,” he told The Sam Laprade Show on Tuesday, April 12.
However, Darren Fleming, the CEO of the real estate firm Real Strategy Advisors, feels a switch can't be flipped to turn the office buildings into attractive, affordable housing.
“It doesn't have balconies, it doesn't have windows that open, it's probably got some asbestos in it,” Fleming told The Rob Snow Show on April 12.
He feels at best, the buildings would likely be gutted down to its steel. Fleming anticipates the conversion would be more of a wholesale development, but feels the federal government isn't interested in that sort of business.
