You know that feeling of passing a construction site every day on your commute, watching it gradually rise and take shape over time? That’s been the experience for Mayor Mark Sutcliffe with Relevé, the sleek new rental apartment building on Albert Street between Bay and Lyon.

“It’s been really amazing to watch this development take place,” he said during Wednesday’s grand opening, where speeches were delivered, a ribbon was ceremoniously cut and a framed letter of congratulations was presented.

The mayor has high hopes that the new two-tower luxury rental apartments will bring some new energy to the downtown, which has experienced its share of empty storefronts and quieter streets in recent years.

“We are confronted on a regular basis with a number of challenges, including revitalizing downtown Ottawa, getting more people downtown, getting more people living downtown, and just finding more places for people to live, in general,” said Sutcliffe, who was joined by his city council colleague Ariel Troster, councillor for Somerset Ward.

The new two-tower luxury rental apartment building, Relevé, at 400 Albert St. in downtown Ottawa. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Relevé is the product of a partnership of developers who have expressed confidence in downtown Ottawa’s future. It brings together Toronto-based Centurion Asset Management, Toronto-based Westdale Properties, and Main + Main, founded by Ottawa’s Rick Iafelice.

Construction was managed by John Bassi’s Ottawa company, JBPA Developments. Bassi was joined by his family, including his son, Anthony Bassi, who now works for the company as junior project manager.

From left, John Bassi, founder and president of JBPA Developments, and Main + Main founder and CEO Rick Iafelice at the grand opening of two-tower luxury rental apartment building Relevé at 400 Albert St. in downtown Ottawa. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Westdale COO Mitchell Cohen, Main + Main president Daniel Byrne, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and Centurion Asset Management’s Stephen Marshall, executive vice president of property operations, at the grand opening of two-tower luxury rental apartment building Relevé at 400 Albert St. in downtown Ottawa. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Ottawa city councillor Ariel Troster (Somerset Ward) in conversation with Westdale COO Mitchell Cohen at the grand opening of two-tower luxury rental apartment building Relevé at 400 Albert St. in downtown Ottawa. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Dr. Mario Bassi alongside his parents, John Bassi (JBPA Developments) and Maria Bassi, and brother Anthony Bassi, junior project manager with JBPA Developments, at the grand opening of two-tower luxury rental apartment building Relevé at 400 Albert St. in downtown Ottawa. Photo by Caroline Phillips. 

Revelé is renting 567 new units, from studios to three bedrooms, and will eventually be leasing out 20,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space. The property also includes 57 affordable rental units.

Located near the Lyon LRT station and new Food Basics store, the building boasts “premium amenities designed for modern urban living”. Among its features is an entertainment zone with virtual golf, private karaoke lounge, a multi-purpose room for parties and events, and fully equipped co-working spaces, concierge and EV car and e-bike sharing services.

Plans are also underway for a 4,500-square-foot public park, complete with a water play feature for children and families.

“This is a huge deal; it’s really, really significant,” said the mayor of the “spectacular modern space” now present in the downtown core. “It’s going to bring more vibrancy to this part of downtown.”

Mitchell Cohen, COO of Westdale, couldn’t hide his enthusiasm during his brief remarks. “I look around and, like, this is freakin’ amazing.”

The speeches, which took place on a beautiful night for gathering outside, were held on the aqua terrace. It consists of an outdoor lounge, communal barbecue area and swimming pool that’s totally flush with the ground. Attendees included Devinder Gill, regional president of RBC, which provided financing for the project.

From left, Kevin Landreville, director of real estate at RBC, with Main + Main founder and president Rick Iafelice, RBC regional president Devinder Gill and RBC vice president Karl Quinn at the grand opening of two-tower luxury rental apartment building Relevé at 400 Albert St. in downtown Ottawa. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Jeffrey Stirling, vice president of marketing at Centurion Asset Management, Main + Main’s director of development, Emily Roukhkian, and Stephen Marshall, executive vice president of property operations, at the grand opening of two-tower luxury rental apartment building Relevé at 400 Albert St. in downtown Ottawa. Photo by Caroline Phillips

The crowd heard how the project dates back to 2019. “It’s been six years of long days and long nights,” said Main + Main president Daniel Byrne.

He highlighted some of the financial contributions that the new development has brought to taxpayers, including $17 million in sales tax, paid to federal and provincial governments; more than $15 million in development charges, paid to the City of Ottawa and local school boards; and more than $2.5 million in property taxes — an increase of more than $2 million from what the site generated prior to the construction of Revelé.

During construction, there were hundreds of people working high-paying onsite jobs, most of them unionized, said Byrne. There were also hundreds — if not thousands — of others working off site producing the goods and materials for the building, he added.

From left, Ottawa event planner Carole Saad (Chic + Swell Event Designers), branding, marketing and PR entrepreneur Carrie Irvine (Carrie Irvine Communications), guest Soley Soucie and caterer Carley Schelck (Urban Element)  at the grand opening of two-tower luxury rental apartment building Relevé at 400 Albert St. in downtown Ottawa. Photo by Caroline Phillips

This article is made possible through sponsorship from Star Motors, WCPD, Marilyn Wilson Dream Properties, ExecHealth, Infinity Convention Centre, Altis Recruitment, Bell Canada, First Avenue Investment Counsel, RBC, Welch LLP, Brazeau Seller Law.

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