THE MERIT
108 Lisgar St.

This granite 20-storey art deco building across from city hall is almost certainly the most successful condo tower ever built in Ottawa. Inspired by New York City’s skyscrapers, it was almost sold out the day Charlesfort Developments put it on the market in 2011. At that time, an apartment measuring 1,866 square feet sold for $861,000 and up. Recently, a huge penthouse — with 4,300 square feet of living space and four bedrooms, each with its own bathroom — was offered for sale for $5.5 million.

PRICES: The sky’s the limit
FLOORS: 20
UNITS: 74
SIZES: Up to 4,300 square feet
OCCUPANCY: 2014

ReRESIDENCES
101 Queen St.

A heritage facade will be retained on lower levels on the Sparks Street side of the site, which comprises two buildings with an inner courtyard. The first units should be ready for occupancy in 2019. The project, by Ashcroft Homes, is already 70 per cent sold. Amenities include a fitness centre, theatre, yoga studio, sauna, and party room with kitchen. The most spectacular feature will be the 12th-floor SkyLounge of the taller building, where residents will have an uninterrupted bird’s-eye view of outdoor events on Parliament Hill.

PRICES: $428,000 to more than $3.5 million
FLOORS: Six floors on Sparks, 16 floors on Queen
UNITS: 91
SIZES: 475 to 3,760 square feet
OCCUPANCY: 2019

THE RESIDENCES
1451 Wellington St.

This one in the trendy Westboro neighbourhood promises to rival The Merit in style and luxury.  Construction is due to begin this fall, with occupancy set for 2021. Already the building is about 50 per cent sold, with the smallest units going for almost half a million dollars. The super-rich can customize their penthouse up to 5,000 square feet, greatly raising the maximum price quoted below. The project, by Toronto builders Mizrahi Developments, features an entertainment suite, a saltwater pool, and a heated car wash.

PRICES: $489,990 to $2,979,990
FLOORS: 12
UNITS: Approximately 93
SIZES: 578 to 2,400 square feet
OCCUPANCY: 2021

ZIBI
Near Chaudiere Falls

Late this year, the first of thousands of people should move into new condos on and around Chaudière Island in the Ottawa River. The derelict former industrial site near Parliament Hill will be transformed over the next decade or two. The project is the first stage of a $1- billion-plus development by the Windmill Development Group. The first residents will live in low-rise apartments, some on the Ontario side and some on the Quebec side of the Bridge.

PRICES: $361,900 to $1,004,900
BUILDING TYPE: Low-rise apartments
UNITS: Total uncertain in this multi-year project
SIZES: 620 square feet to 1,894 square feet
OCCUPANCY: Late 2018 to early 2020

CATHEDRAL HILL
428 Sparks St.

The penthouses in this new condo tower at the western end of Sparks Street have a million-dollar view —almost literally. Owners gaze down on Chaudière Island, the Parliament Buildings, and the Ottawa River and across to the Gatineau Hills. The condo, by the Windmill Development Group, is named for Christ Church Cathedral next door. Features include a sauna and two deluxe guest suites. At last check, only about six units were unsold, including a $1.3-million penthouse.

PRICES: $364,000 to $1.4 million
FLOORS: 21
UNITS: About 140
SIZES: 639 to 2,146 square feet
OCCUPANCY: Open since 2015, a few units left

UPPERWEST
485 Richmond Rd.

It’s far too late to snap up a tiny apartment in a luxury condo tower in Westboro for the eye-catching low price of $229,900. That was the price Minto was asking in 2012 for a 547-square-foot apartment in UpperWest, a 25-storey building on Richmond Road. Still, it shows you can find affordable residences in high-end buildings. When we checked recently, the only unit left for sale in UpperWest was a 25th-floor penthouse with 1,835 square feet of floor space. The price: $1,139,900.

PRICES: $229,900 to $1,139,900
FLOORS: 25
UNITS: 175
SIZES: 547 to 1,835 square feet
OCCUPANCY: Already open and almost sold out

LA PLACE DES PEUPLES
Rue Laurier, Gatineau

If this project is approved, it will feature the most eye-popping building in the National Capital Region. The larger of two towers would be two-thirds the height of the Eiffel Tower in Paris and half the height of the Empire State Building in New York. It would have 55 floors of commercial space and apartments. But the would-be builder, Brigil, is facing stern opposition from Gatineau mayor Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin. The mayor feels the buildings are too tall for the site, which is across the street from the Canadian Museum of History. Brigil is reportedly seeking a compromise.

PROJECTED COST: More than $400 million
CONDO PRICES: To be determined

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