The National Capital Commission has approved the disposal of seven federal properties in Confederation Heights, including two heritage office buildings, as part of a plan to transform the underutilized area into a mixed-use community.
Board greenlights disposal and master plan
At a meeting on Tuesday, June 23, NCC board members voted to allow the disposal of the lands and approved a master plan to guide the redevelopment of Confederation Heights, the federal office campus near Hog's Back Park. The plan aims to replace the current mix of federal office buildings, large parking lots, highway-style ramps and low-quality green space with a thriving, connected and sustainable community.
NCC senior planner Marion Gale described the area as currently underutilized. “Proposals for a new master plan and disposal of surplus federal property have the goal of redeveloping the site into a thriving, connected and sustainable mixed-use community,” Gale said.
Properties approved for disposal
Public Services and Procurement Canada, the department managing federal property, has been selling or transferring surplus buildings in the National Capital Region to trim the federal office portfolio. With the NCC's approval, two key properties can now be transferred to the Canada Lands Company: the former CBC building at 1500 Bronson Ave. and the Taxation Data Centre at 875 Heron Rd. Both are included on the Canada Public Land Bank, a list of federal properties identified for their potential to support housing development.
A third heritage building in the area, the Sir Charles Tupper Building at 2720 Riverside Dr., was approved for disposal by the NCC last fall.
Heritage status and condition
Gale referred to the former CBC building, also known as the Edward Drake Building, as the “jewel” of Confederation Heights. According to Gale, the building earned a heritage designation due in part to its status as “one of the best examples of Canadian modern architecture.” The Taxation Data Centre, an 11-storey office building that houses Canada Revenue Agency workers, is considered a heritage asset for its architectural value and “its historic association with the growth of the public service,” she added.
Both buildings are in “critical condition,” according to the Treasury Board’s property directory, which rates government buildings on a four-point scale ranging from “critical” to “good.”
PSPC portfolio reduction targets
PSPC is not on track to meet its goal of shedding half its office portfolio over a decade. The department said in March it was “adjusting” those plans due to the looming four-day return-to-office mandate for most public servants. Nevertheless, the NCC's approval allows PSPC to remove two properties from its surplus list.
