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There's leasing signs up at Fairview Park Mall and at Cineplex for the Grand Market District.
There also is an official site http://cfgrandmarketdistrict.com/
I am excited to see this project proceed as upgrading the surface parking to anything is a step forward, but I have to take issue with some of the ad-speak...

"At the heart of Kitchener-Waterloo is CF Fairview Park..."
Huh  Maybe the middle of Waterloo Region, but definitely not the middle a combined Kitchener-Waterloo; definitely on the southern end.


"An activated streetscape creates an intimate pedestrian experience..."
Huh Benches without even a single bollard between me and 6 lanes of 70kph traffic does not meet my definition of an intimate pedestrian experience.


"Office life at the District combines casual, contemporary and historical features into an integrated mixed-use development."
"Grand Market District’s traditional brick and cobblestone streets and lanes..."
 Huh Huh Unless there is a corduroy road or cobblestone road under that Walmart parking lot I'm guess they insinuating a vague reference to the styling of the modern development and not actual historical features?


Proposed floor plans in the PDF.
I'm pleasantly surprised by this proposal. I think KW often plays it too 'safe' from an architectural and planning perspective, and this is relatively bold.
The mall is currently in a sad state - and seems unlikely to attract any big name anchors as is. Compounded with the decline/uncertainty of brick & mortar retail, a mixed office-space/retail intensification with easy access to the 401 doesn't seem like a bad idea. Perhaps an attempt to urbanize the suburban mall? I know many will dislike the concept of faux brick/beam, but playing off our industrial past isn't the worst idea, but better than yet another stucco strip mall design.

It reminds me a bit of The Great Northern in Manchester, UK
https://cdn.meetingsbooker.com/images/ve...mode=carve
https://thegreatnorthern.com/
A couple new shots I hadn't seen before:
City heritage planners are recommending to the Heritage Committee that Kitchener allow the demolition of the former Sears building, despite its heritage significance (it is not a heritage listed property).

Heritage significance? ""(A) unique example of the Kennedy Era International style of architecture in the area," and because the construction of the mall marked the beginning of the move away from downtown retail shopping." Sometimes being a fine building is just not enough ...

Demolition could apparently take place as early as mid-December, according to a piece in today's Record.
https://www.therecord.com/news-story/899...nners-say/
A unique (in Kitchener) example of Kennedy-era brutalist architecture, but the heritage committee doesn't think it needs to be preserved? But yet another run-down run-of-the-mill century home on Queen St S, nestled between apartment buildings, absolutely must be preserved?

Maybe they should rename the heritage committee to "century home preservation committee."
(10-30-2018, 08:33 PM)tomh009 Wrote: [ -> ]A unique (in Kitchener) example of Kennedy-era brutalist architecture, but the heritage committee doesn't think it needs to be preserved? But yet another run-down run-of-the-mill century home on Queen St S, nestled between apartment buildings, absolutely must be preserved?

Maybe they should rename the heritage committee to "century home preservation committee."

Maybe this is too cynical but "the committee for the continuation of uniformly single detached house neighbourhoods"--
(10-30-2018, 08:33 PM)tomh009 Wrote: [ -> ]A unique (in Kitchener) example of Kennedy-era brutalist architecture, but the heritage committee doesn't think it needs to be preserved? But yet another run-down run-of-the-mill century home on Queen St S, nestled between apartment buildings, absolutely must be preserved?

Maybe they should rename the heritage committee to "century home preservation committee."

To note - allowing demolition is the heritage planner's recommendation to the Heritage Committee, which will consider it at its next meeting.
(10-30-2018, 07:00 PM)panamaniac Wrote: [ -> ]Demolition could apparently take place as early as mid-December, according to a piece in today's Record.
https://www.therecord.com/news-story/899...nners-say/

"Cadillac Fairview, which owns the mall and the vacant Sears store..." --snip--

More piss poor writing by the world renowned Waterloo Region Record. No wonder people don't like the media. Not only is spell check and grammar not used, their details and information on stuff is usually fake.

Last few times I've been to Fairview Park Mall, the "vacant" Sears store was occupied by a staff and customers of Urban Behaviour. It's been there since June.

And I am sure there will be a correction in next weeks Record, but as always, the correction will leave out all of the context, so the reader will have no idea what was originally said. "Urban Behaviour is a tenant in the former Sears store. Incorrect information was posted in last months article. Good luck finding it, since you have zero idea what we are referring two (sic), and we're too damned lazy to actually do any real research when righting (sic) articles."
I don't think we have seen these renders before (from the Sears demolition report):
[attachment=5737]
[attachment=5738]
Hmm new ones for sure. But it's weird that the Sears facade is different in both renders. The shape is slightly different by the restaurant, so too are the inclusions of the skylights.
I'm not sure about this faux heritage industrial aesthetic thing here. The giant chimney thing seems a step too far.
Was there any sort of industrial plant on this land at any point?
(11-03-2018, 09:22 PM)Spokes Wrote: [ -> ]Was there any sort of industrial plant on this land at any point?

No.  The area between Courtland and Wilson (at least) was farmland within my memory.
(11-03-2018, 08:10 PM)jamincan Wrote: [ -> ]I'm not sure about this faux heritage industrial aesthetic thing here. The giant chimney thing seems a step too far.

And the fake water tower. This will look so kitschy in 30 years I think... and I wonder how much of that grass will actually remain when it's all done.
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