September 19, 2024
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Ottawa approves plans for Carson, Woolworth buildings; mural will need to be relocated

Woolworth Building will open onto Jackson Street with glass doors

By Michael Urbanec

The Woolworth building (front) will be turned into an event space with glass windows on the side facing Washington Square. The Carson Building is between the Woolworth and the Lone Buffalo. CL Real Estate is working with the mural committee to find a suitable home for the Lincoln-Douglas mural on the north wall of the Woolworth Building. (Michael Urbanec)

CL Real Estate can move forward with plans for the Carson and Woolworth buildings now the Ottawa City Council has approved conditional use permits for the two La Salle Street buildings.

The first phase of the project will adapt the former Woolworth Building into a rentable event center operated by Tangled Roots, which will include renovations to the building that open it to adjacent Washington Square with large glass openings. The space already was used as a venue in 2021 for Oktoberfest.

The former Woolworth Building will be turned into a rentable event center operated by Tangled Roots, which will include renovations to the building that open it to adjacent Washington Square with large glass openings.

The former Woolworth Building will be turned into a rentable event center operated by Tangled Roots, which will include renovations to the building that open it to adjacent Washington Square with large glass openings. (Julie Barichello - jbarichello@shawmedia.com)

CL Real Estate said in a Tuesday news release it is working with the Ottawa Mural Committee to relocate the Lincoln-Douglas debate mural along the building’s north side on Jackson Street.

Ottawa's popcorn wagon is on Jackson Street, across from the mural painted on the north side of the 822-824 La Salle St. building.

The Carson building will have about 4,000 square feet of retail space open on La Salle Street, which is available for lease, and future phases will see an expansion of Tangled Roots’ brewing operations and the conversion of the upper floor of the Carson Pirie Scott building in to a large assembly space with four hospitality suites on the third floor.

CL Enterprise’s Nathan Watson presented the plans in front of the Ottawa Plan Commission before the company was able to receive approval from the City Council.

The conditional use permits were needed in order to allow building for the event spaces.

A notice was placed in front of the Woolworth and Carson buildings in downtown Ottawa notifying citizens of the permits requested by CL Enterprise.

A notice was placed in front of the Woolworth and Carson buildings in downtown Ottawa notifying citizens of the permits requested by CL Enterprise. (Julie Barichello - jbarichello@shawmedia.com)