'It's time to consolidate NDHQ' & 'DND to take-over Nortel Campus' (Merged threads)

[George Wallace]

Wait, is this the same complex I keep hearing they were going to build out here in Orleans? Or have they scrapped that plan? All that's been built on the site is a wooden fence in the middle of a field. It's not even a whole fence, it's just one side.

Nortel Campus is not in Orleans.  It is on Modie Drive, north of Bell's Corners and the 417.

The proposal for a site in Orleans, with a Developer willing to bid was shot down a long time ago as it is on the Approach Path to the Airport.  Remember 911?

What you may see in Orleans on Mer Bleue Rd is the new site for an extension to the hospital that DND saved, the Montfort.  It is to be a Family Health Care Annex.

 

[Edward Campbell]

Given the relative locations of e.g. the Pentagon and Ronald Reagan/Washington National Airport I'm not so sure that being on a flight path is a critical issue.

All buildings, including e.g. Cheyenne Mountain, are vulnerable to a whole host of threats; it's part of the problem of being in the world.

 

[HavokFour]

Nortel Campus is not in Orleans.  It is on Modie Drive, north of Bell's Corners and the 417.

The proposal for a site in Orleans, with a Developer willing to bid was shot down a long time ago as it is on the Approach Path to the Airport.  Remember 911?

What you may see in Orleans on Mer Bleue Rd is the new site for an extension to the hospital that DND saved, the Montfort.  It is to be a Family Health Care Annex.

Ah, I see. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[Captsapper@gmail.com]

I bet the soccer field gets turned into a parking lot though.  >

I wonder how much they are going to charge for parking?

 

[captloadie]

There are some Trades that are wholly centered in Ottawa.  Some of these Trades only have small Dets across the country, or leave for short periods on Tasking or Tours, but are basically centered on their 'unit' in Ottawa.

Remember, Ottawa is not solely an "Officer Posting".  They have staffs who work under them to get things done.  I am sure that an RMS clerk can be posted from one "Dept" to another within Ottawa and have a "No Cost Posting".  I am also sure that many have pulled off "Compassionate Postings" to stay in Ottawa for their whole careers. 
 
I am sure you will find some pers who have spent twenty or more years posted to Ottawa. 



[

So these members are probably not worried about Equity losses in their homes, as they really have no intentions of moving. If they bought in Orleans and only intended in selling to trade up, that's a personal decision, not forced on them by the military.

For the rest though, it will be a tough pill to swallow, but not worse then those being posted out of Edmonton or Victoria at the moment.

 

[McG]

I wonder how much they are going to charge for parking?

If there are no comercial parking alternatives (as exist in the current downtown location) then it would be possible to charge 0$ and comply with PWGSC policy.

... unless someone decides parking is in competition with bus ridership, in which case the cost might become equal of a monthly OC Transpo express bus pass.

 

[Occam]

Parking at Shirley's Bay is in the "No market" category (meaning no cost), so it would not be a stretch at all to do the same at Nortel Carling, which is only 3 km away.

 

[Edward Campbell]

CBC Radio is now (1000 Hrs, 19 Oct 29) reporting that the Government of Canada has, subject to court approval (bankrupty proceedings), agreed to pay $208 Million for the old NORTEL campus.

 

[yoman]

OTTAWA — Nortel Networks has sold its huge campus at Carling Avenue and Moodie Drive to the federal government for $208 million.

The deal with Public Works Canada, which is to close at the end of the year, is one of the biggest real estate plays in Ottawa in recent years. Although not mentioned in Tuesday's news release, the deal is thought to pave the way for the Department of National Defence to move out of at least some of its many locations throughout Ottawa, and into the Nortel campus.

The campus is lon 370 acres of land in Ottawa's National Capital Commission greenbelt, and consists of 11 interconnected buildings totaling more than two million square feet.

The sale agreement provides for Nortel to continue to occupy parts of the Campus for varying periods of time to facilitate Nortel's continuing work on its global restructuring, including work under the transition services agreements with the various buyers of Nortel's sold businesses.

All other existing leases will be assumed by Public Works, including leases with buyers of Nortel's businesses. With respect to the lease with Ciena, the purchaser of the Optical Networking and Carrier Ethernet (MEN) business, Nortel is directed by Public Works to exercise, on closing, Nortel's early termination rights under the lease, shortening the lease from 10 years to five years.

This will result in the repayment to Ciena of $33.5 million U.S.
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen


Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Public+Works+pays+208M+Nortel+campus/3693483/story.html#ixzz12oVulh27

 

[Matt_Fisher]

So will the move to Kanata result in an increase in real-estate sales in the Arnprior market which is commutable to the new NDHQ complex, and 'somewhat' commutable to Petawawa whereby a member can do an IR posting from NDHQ up to Pet and still be home for supper most evenings of the week? 

 

[acooper]

Egads, I sure hope they don't get rid of Uplands SHHO/PMQs as part of this. To me (living in Windsor), the real estate prices near this new complex are expensive! I would not be surprised in the least to see the MCE move out there - the bldg they are in currently has several problems (as in don't use the water fountains problems!). But trying to afford a place out towards this new possible complex after selling the house in Windsor below appraised cost (and barely above what's owed on the mortgage) will be awful...

 

[Captsapper@gmail.com]

the real estate prices near this new complex are expensive!

I understand your dilemma, but in comparison with other area's of Ottawa you are getting what you pay for.  Here is an article from the CBC last year describing the effect that the demise of Nortel was having on the immediate area.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2009/09/14/ottawa-nortel-crystal-beach.html

The article spells out doom and gloom but it is not really the case, the neighborhood is nice and vibrant, people are friendly and all the business mentioned are still there.  With respect to the housing costs the neighborhood is somewhat expensive but it is my argument that you are getting much larger lots than you would in the "new" suburbs.  I know, I recently moved to that area in order to get a bigger backyard for the kids and to shorten my commute to work.  The houses are primarily bungalows and split levels built in the mid 60's on decent size lots compared to new developments.  As for the price, it is a balance, you can get a bigger house on a postage stamp in the newer developments for the same price as a smaller house with a bigger lot in these neighborhoods.

 

[acooper]

Oh, I get that they are roughly in line with Ottawa - I'm comparing to WINDSOR's expenses. I find Ottawa real estate VERY expensive, in general, and thank my lucky stars that my husband got a place through SHHO. Our finances can't handle anything much more expensive until he's done with his QL5A course, gets back to MCpl rank, and gets spec pay...

 

[dapaterson]

Oh, I get that they are roughly in line with Ottawa - I'm comparing to WINDSOR's expenses. I find Ottawa real estate VERY expensive, in general, and thank my lucky stars that my husband got a place through SHHO. Our finances can't handle anything much more expensive until he's done with his QL5A course, gets back to MCpl rank, and gets spec pay...

Side note:  Spec pay comes in for Cpls who are QL5 qualified.

 

[acooper]

Yep, I understand that. I just know our budget numbers, and while spec pay at Cpl will help, we really need him back to MCpl to be in good shape.


My husband has heard it's going to be something like 5 years to get everything and everyone moved. Does that seem realistic, optimistic, or pessimistic?

 

[dapaterson]

Very realistic.  Thousands of people to move to a facility that will have to be refitted, all currently in other buildings with leases that expire at different times, into buildings with some current tenants, and the deal closes in 2011.

I don't expect to see the "new" building fully occupied before 2016 or so.  However, people will probably begin the migration in 2012.

 

[Captsapper@gmail.com]

It is not going to be tomorrow or anything like that.  According to the Ottawa Citizen article the deal is not supposed to close to the end of the year subject to regulatory approval.  Then Nortel has to exercise the early termination clause of Ciena's lease shortening it to 5 years, considering that deal only happened in the last year Ciena will contractually have space there up until approximately 2015 unless the government does something additional to the lease.  There are other companies located there as well probably with shorter lease arrangements as they are not mentioned.  My assumption would be that as these leases expire the occupants move out and the space is prepared for the new occupants and any move is done in stages.  2016 sounds about right.  There is a lot of empty space over there currently so retrofit could start quickly after closing.

 

[Matt_Fisher]

Lets not forget too that DND will have to either exercise early lease terminations (with financial penalties) on the non-government owned commercial property they are located in around the NCR or stay onsite until the leases expire. Additionally a significant amount of renovation work will likely have to be done to the Nortel property as well as likely upgrades to the property's physical security, i.e. perimeter fencing, access control points, etc. which will all take some time to sort through the contract tendering and course of work, etc.

The 2016 date for moving the majority of NDHQ and its' minions into the new facility is likely very much realistic.

How about the idea of turning the Connaught Ranges & Primary Training Centre into a giant PMQ townhouse subdivision, along with several high rise apartment buildings for single/IR type quarters?    Less than a 10 minute commute to work for those at the new NDHQ complex.
Even better yet, build a paved walking trail from Connaught to the new NDHQ with a pedestrian overpass on Carling Ave to promote physical fitness of the NDHQers by walking, running or bicycling to and from work.

 

[George Wallace]

How about the idea of turning the Connaught Ranges & Primary Training Centre into a giant PMQ townhouse subdivision, along with several high rise apartment buildings for single/IR type quarters?    Less than a 10 minute commute to work for those at the new NDHQ complex.
Even better yet, build a paved walking trail from Connaught to the new NDHQ with a pedestrian overpass on Carling Ave to promote physical fitness of the NDHQers by walking, running or bicycling to and from work.

Don't forget to install a set of traffic lights to control the intersection of Carling Ave and Rifle Rd.    ;D

 

[dapaterson]

Yes, pave over Connaught, because why would a military HQ really need to train on weapons?

Er...