Demolition of West Annex building begins

Jul 16, 2021

The Sir John Carling Building, including the West Annex, was designed by well-known Canadian architect Hart Massey.

Demolition of the West Annex building has begun.

The building demolition follows the Sir John Carling Building demolition, completed in 2014. The West Annex building sits on the north-west portion of new Civic development site on Carling Ave.

Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) is responsible to coordinate the demolition as this commitment was part of the lease signed between The Ottawa Hospital and PSPC.

In May 2021, following an open tendering process, PSPC awarded the construction contract to Demolition Plus. The project consists of dewatering and demolishing the West Annex building. The work includes the removal of the piles and grade beams supporting the structure and special measures will be taken to protect natural elements on the site.

The completion of the demolition will allow The Ottawa Hospital to begin additional site preparation and soil remediation work for the next phase of construction.

The Sir John Carling Building, including the West Annex, was designed by well-known Canadian architect Hart Massey. It was built as part of the Gréber Plan, a mid-century urban plan for the National Capital Region that aimed to decentralize federal office complexes and encouraged the development of urban greenspace.

The project architects are exploring ways to honour Massey, the spirit of the Gréber Plan and the design of the former Sir John Carling building. This could include design elements that echo the architectural detailing, scale and palette of the original structure.