Ottawa Construction News staff writer
Silk Development Group has announced it will not proceed with its proposed SerenVita thermal wellness destination at the Kanata North site in Ottawa.
The project, previously planned near the Brookstreet Hotel and The Marshes Golf Club, had undergone substantial pre-development work over the past year. This included municipal approvals, engineering studies, site planning, design coordination, and zoning.
According to the developer’s June 12 announcement, the cancellation resulted from an inability to align the capital invested to build and operate the facility with the long-term ownership of the land and operating asset.
“SerenVita was always intended to be more than a spa project,” said Mike Dunphy, president of construction and business development at Silk Development Group. “Delivering that properly requires the right location, the right operating model, and a partnership structure where investment and ownership are aligned for the long term.”
The company determined the Kanata North location is not the right foundation for the brand’s long-term development and will now formally close out its municipal applications with the City of Ottawa.
Despite abandoning the Kanata North site, Silk Development Group stated it remains confident in the region. Dunphy noted that Ottawa continues to be one of the most underserved wellness markets in North America based on its size, demographics, tourism base, and quality of life.
The company is continuing to evaluate other opportunities in Ottawa and other markets, welcoming conversations with prospective development partners, investors, and property owners who share its long-term vision.
Earlier story:
City clears path for 137,000-sq.-ft. ‘SerenVita’ wellness spa in Kanata North
Ottawa Construction news staff writer
OTTAWA – A major private investment is set to transform an underused section of the Kanata North tech hub following the City of Ottawa’s approval of a zoning amendment for a massive new “destination wellness spa.”
The city’s planning and housing committee greenlit the proposal on April 15, clearing the way for Markham-based Silk Development Group to proceed with its 137,000-sq. ft. project, named SerenVita. Located at 2505 and 2707 Solandt Rd., the facility will be situated northeast of the intersection of Solandt Road and Legget Drive, immediately adjacent to the Brookstreet Hotel.
The development has been designated by the city as a “High Economic Impact Project,” a status reserved for initiatives that significantly advance economic growth, attract investment, and support job creation in key special economic districts.
“Redeveloping this underused site supports the City’s Official Plan, which aims to create a mixed-use, transit-friendly innovation district in Kanata North,” the City of Ottawa stated in a report following the committee’s decision.
The approved zoning changes transition the 4.08-hectare property from “IP6” (Business Park Industrial Zone) to “MC” (Mixed-Use Centre). This reclassification was necessary to permit a “personal service business” and an “ancillary restaurant” on the site. The amendment also establishes a maximum building height of 44 metres and provides site-specific relief for parking and floor area requirements.
According to development applications filed by Silk Development Group and designed by Ottawa’s Simmonds Architecture, the SerenVita complex will feature:
- A main three-storey facility housing spa functions and a restaurant.
- A series of accessory personal service buildings located west of the main structure.
- An expansive outdoor amenity area featuring fenced, landscaped grounds with pools and walking paths.
- 218 surface parking spaces and dedicated bicycle parking near building entrances.
The project is planned to be functionally and physically integrated with the nearby Brookstreet Hotel, further establishing the area as a leisure and hospitality destination within Canada’s largest technology park.
The site currently consists of a surface parking lot and vacant land with approximately 171 metres of frontage on Solandt Road. City planners noted that the project helps achieve the “critical mass” needed to transition the Kanata North Economic District into a more vibrant, 15-minute neighbourhood.
“This initiative will generate new construction jobs and permanent employment opportunities,” said Sheilagh Doherty, the city’s director of economic development services, in a staff report. “By fostering projects like this, the City helps create the conditions businesses need to grow and encourages new companies to locate in Ottawa.”
The zoning amendment is expected to go before full City Council for final ratification on tomorrow (April 22). While a specific construction start date has not been announced, the developers are concurrently moving through the site plan control process to finalize the technical details of the build.
