This project consisted of a project viability exploration using government funding.
CÉSOC (Le Conseil Économique et Social d’Ottawa-Carleton)is a non-profit that aims to support the settlement of francophone immigrants in the Ottawa, Carleton and Hawkesbury areas. They provide a variety of different settlement services and wrap-around supports. This Board was interested in taking on its first-ever housing project.
In fall of 2023 they hired an independent planning firm to complete a feasibility study for a housing project St.-Joseph Boulevard. The interest was to develop a multi-use building that includes primarily affordable housing for immigrant families (they wanted to prioritize 2-, 3- and 4- bedroom units), space for a new head office for CÉSOC, and ground-floor community/commercial space.
Their board proposed exploring the design of a 6-story building with a 13,250 sq. ft. footprint. The bottom floor would be reserved for the office space, community space and amenities, and the five floors above would be for 90 units. This project served as a development work analysis. The lot was not ultimately acquired for the purpose of this project, but this exploration remained a fruitful endeavour.
