Lansdowne Phase 2 and Development News: What's Changing in the Glebe
The Glebe is a neighbourhood with a strong sense of its own identity — and a community that pays close attention when development threatens to change it. The largest development story in the area right now is Lansdowne Phase 2, a significant expansion of the Lansdowne Park site that will add residential towers, commercial space, and redesigned public areas to the bank Street–Holmwood corridor.
What Is Lansdowne Phase 2?
Lansdowne Park, the mixed-use development that transformed the old Lansdowne Park fairgrounds starting around 2014, is now entering its second phase. The Phase 2 plans call for additional residential density — in the form of high-rise towers — along with more retail and commercial space, expanded public realm improvements, and upgrades to the existing TD Place stadium facilities.
The City of Ottawa approved the Phase 2 plans after a lengthy planning and community consultation process. Construction is ongoing as of early 2026, and the area around the south end of Bank Street at Holmwood is an active construction zone.
Community Response
The Glebe Community Association has been closely engaged with the Lansdowne development process, and community opinion has been mixed. Supporters of Phase 2 point to the economic activation it brings to the neighbourhood, the improved public spaces, and the additional housing supply in a high-demand urban location.
Critics have raised concerns about building heights and their impact on the neighbourhood's scale, traffic and parking during and after construction, and the concentration of residential density at this particular location. The Glebe Community Association's planning committee has been an active voice in negotiations over design and public realm requirements.
What's Changing on Bank Street
Beyond Lansdowne, Bank Street itself continues to evolve. The Glebe's main commercial strip has seen both new openings and some vacancies as the retail landscape adapts to post-pandemic patterns. The Glebe BIA has been active in supporting local business retention and attracting new tenants, with a particular emphasis on maintaining the independent character of the strip.
There is ongoing conversation in the community about the appropriate scale of new development along Bank Street, particularly as zoning policies encourage intensification along transit corridors.
Aberdeen Pavilion and Heritage
The Aberdeen Pavilion — the 1898 heritage building on the Lansdowne site — is a continuing focus of community advocacy. Preservationists have been watchful throughout both phases of Lansdowne development to ensure that the pavilion's heritage designation is respected and that its setting and visibility are not compromised by new construction.
Glebe Collegiate and Schools
Glebe Collegiate Institute, the neighbourhood's public high school, is a significant community institution that sits adjacent to the Lansdowne development zone. The school community has been attentive to the implications of construction and increased density on the school's environment and access.
What to Watch in 2026
- Lansdowne Phase 2 construction progress: The development timeline is active and the site is evolving month by month.
- Retail changes on Bank Street: New businesses and potential vacancies will shape the commercial character of the strip.
- Community association planning input: The Glebe Community Association continues to be a voice on development applications in and around the neighbourhood.
The Glebe is changing, but its community is engaged and watchful. The balance between growth and neighbourhood character is an ongoing conversation here — as it is in every desirable urban neighbourhood in Canada.
