Transforming Urban Spaces: A Sustainable Approach to Housing

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Reimagining Existing Spaces

A key solution lies in repurposing large, single-story retail spaces, commonly called "strip malls", into vibrant mixed-use developments. These commercial areas are already economic hubs, centrally located in urban centers, and often connected to public transit, making them prime candidates for transformation.

Historically, integrating residential spaces above workplaces has been a successful urban strategy. Howard Davis's book, "Living Over the Store," provides compelling historical examples of this practice, advocating for the revival of this approach in modern cities. This strategy not only saves on construction costs by utilizing existing foundations but also increases city tax revenues through densification.

Reviving this model today could yield multiple benefits:

• Cost efficiency: By reusing existing foundations, construction costs are reduced.
• Economic growth: Increased urban density leads to higher municipal tax revenues.
• Improved connectivity: Mixed-use developments foster walkability and access to transit.

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Environmental Benefits

Adding residential units above retail spaces offers environmental advantages as well:

• Mitigating heat islands: The increase of green canopy in those areas helps mitigate the heat island's effect by using native plants.
• Improve insulation to reduce energy consumption in existing buildings.
• Promoting density: Concentrating housing near commercial zones minimizes urban sprawl.

These solutions not only address the housing crisis but also help mitigate the environmental impact of urban density. By implementing such strategies, we create a blueprint for sustainable development that combines ecological responsibility with community resilience.

This approach also reduces the reliance on cars for daily errands and purchases. Connecting living environments to commercial areas encourages walking, over driving, and creates a circular economy where residents are supporting the business that are in their communities, not driving out of them.

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Q4A is creating vibrant communities

The Shops on The Preserve exemplifies a mixed-use development serving as a community hub for The Preserve and Dundas Urban Corridor. Situated in Oakville, it provides convenient access to retail, commercial areas, social services, and local job opportunities. Each townhouse features a one-story commercial storefront with two stories of residential space above. As a central destination, large exterior landscaped areas and pavilions allow for public gathering (farmers markets, holiday celebrations…), creating a hub for social activities and connecting all typologies of the community.  

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Mount Pleasant Village, one of Ontario’s first Transit Oriented Development, is another good example of how this sense of community is enhanced by the presence of mixed-use Live/Work units which allow local entrepreneurs the opportunity to setup locally supportive businesses.

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A Path Forward

Sustainable housing solutions demand bold, innovative thinking. By repurposing existing urban spaces, we not only meet housing needs but also create vibrant, resilient communities.

The entire country offers the possibility to address this challenge. In Ottawa, for example, Q4A is positioned to lead by example and help redesign and re-think the suburban landscape. We envision this rapidly growing municipality as a launch pad for change, where we lead projects that would allow adding two residential levels to the commercial ground spaces. As part of our explorations, we developed some conceptual renderings that showcase what this transformation can look like in a typical Ottawa commercial setting.

Canada has the opportunity to lead the way in sustainable urban development, redefining how cities grow for a greener, more livable future.

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