The NCC Selects RendezVous LeBreton to Redevelop LeBreton Flats

In their public board meeting this afternoon, the National Capital Commission's evaluation committee presented the results of their selection process for the redevelopment of LeBreton Flats, recommending the selection of the RendezVous LeBreton Group's submission. The board themselves were briefed with technical details and the intended choice on Tuesday so they could be prepared, however the discussion on the topic among the board members was forbidden until it was fully presented in the meeting.

According to Mark Kristmanson, the NCC CEO and member of the evaluation committee, the decision in the end was unanimous among the committee members and it was a clear winner. Some of the key things mentioned were covering the LRT line through LeBreton Flats, the central location of the major anchor (the arena) as well as the overall design of the arena.

Some concerns were the financial viability of the SensPlex and Abilities Centre, an overly optimistic outlook on the demand for retail and residential space, and the lack of contingency plans.

You can find the details of RendezVous LeBreton's bid here, though the finer details are likely to change at least somewhat between now and the first shovels hitting the ground.

Despite the selection, this is not a done deal just yet. There will be months of negotiation still to come over the fine details, followed by final approval from the Federal Government. If those negotiations falter, DCDLS could still end up being the final selection.

Finally, they presented an updated timeline. The process from here on is now expected to take longer than originally thought. Rather than the final announcement expected in early 2017, it's now on the timeline for sometime between 2017 and 2018. The following municipal process would keep shovels from hitting the ground until sometime in 2018 or 2019.