Block 2: Reviving an Iconic City Block in the National Capital Region
Ottawa, Ontario
Project Duration: 2020 – present
Client: Public Services and Procurement Canada
Services: Construction Advisory, Project Management
Location of Block 2 Across from Parliament Hill
The renewal of Block 2 is a key component of the Long-Term Vision and Plan (LTVP) to transform the Parliamentary Precinct.
In a shift from a building-by-building approach to a campus-wide strategy, the 2017 update to the LTVP divided the area surrounding the Parliamentary Precinct into Blocks 1, 2, and 3.
Block 2 is situated directly south of Centre Block on Parliament Hill, bounded by Wellington, Sparks, Metcalfe, and O’Connor streets. Many of its eleven buildings, ranging from three storeys to twelve storeys, are designated “Recognized” or “Classified” federal heritage sites due to their historical and architectural importance.
However, despite Block 2’s significance, much of it is unoccupied and in poor condition, including the parking lot directly across from the Peace Tower.
Given its prominent location within the Parliamentary campus, the goal is to modernize these aging and underutilized assets to accommodate the Senate, House of Commons, and Library of Parliament, along with revitalized retail and public spaces.
Scope
9,800 m2 of mixed-use space is being rebuilt as part of the reimagining of the iconic block fronting Parliament Hill.
Project objectives include:
- Redeveloping and reconstructing six of the eleven buildings on the block (Fisher, Bate, Birks, Canada 4 Corners, Marshall, Victoria, and Union)
- Constructing two new infill buildings to house offices for the Senate and Members of Parliament
Key sustainability measures, including modern energy systems, smart building technologies, and material repurposing, are part of the mandate, aligning with provincial and federal initiatives on low-carbon development, clean growth, and climate change action.
As part of a dedicated Indigenous Peoples and Algonquin space, the former U.S. Embassy (100 Wellington Street) and the CIBC Building (119 Sparks Street) will also be redeveloped, along with an infill space between the two buildings.
Approach
Tiree is supporting Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) by delivering Project Management and Construction Advisory services focused on scope, cost, schedule, and risk.
Our team acts as the owner’s representative, addressing the Parliamentary Precinct’s unique constraints, including limited space, heritage considerations, and multiple concurrent projects, through a coordinated approach informed by technical and constructability reviews.
Our approach to building a sustainable, multi-building complex includes:
- Developing project charters, management plans, business cases, and options analyses aligned with PSPC’s benefit-realization and portfolio strategies
- Leading a multidisciplinary team and managing engagement with Parliamentary partners, heritage authorities, municipal regulators, and public-facing stakeholders
- Supporting procurement by preparing Statements of Work, consultant scopes, and RFP documentation, and advising on delivery models and risk-sharing approaches
- Reviewing and delivering constructability studies, design concepts, and phasing strategies to address logistics, trade availability, overlapping precinct projects, and traffic impacts
- Coordinating heritage and technical integration through collaboration with the Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office (FHBRO), the City of Ottawa, and subject-matter experts
- Overseeing project monitoring and controls with real-time, multi-tier tracking of cost, schedule, risk, and quality performance
- Facilitating scenario-planning and value-engineering workshops to optimize campus-wide accommodation strategies
- Guiding commissioning, performance verification, and post-construction evaluations to capture lessons learned and ensure long-term asset performance
Stakeholders—including the Senate, House of Commons, Library of Parliament, Privy Council Office, National Capital Commission, FHBRO, and the City of Ottawa—are being consulted to balance end-user needs.
Outcomes
Following the selection of a prime consultant in May 2022, a construction manager was appointed in January 2024 to begin planning and site-investigation activities. Block 2 is currently in the early works phase, with construction set to begin in October 2026.
The redevelopment balances sustainability, Indigenous values, and heritage conservation by blending the old with the new. Heritage elements from the existing buildings will be carefully preserved and integrated into the design to maintain the site’s historic character while improving its functionality.
Block 2’s new buildings will be net-zero developments, incorporating energy-efficient façades and on-site renewable energy generation. Green roofs, thermal mass, stormwater retention, and natural ventilation will also minimize greenhouse gas emissions, in line with the Government of Canada’s sustainability goals.
Tiree’s support of PSPC will play a key role in transforming Block 2 into a space for engagement between Parliamentarians, the Indigenous community, and the wider public—now and in the future.
Block 2 Design (Zeidler Architecture Inc. & David Chipperfield Architects)