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General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - Printable Version

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RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - panamaniac - 10-31-2018

(10-31-2018, 03:20 PM)Viewfromthe42 Wrote: Fakoury's auto service at Weber and Victoria has recently closed, and from a friend who was a long-time client, supposedly that site is targeted for redevelopment. This one would be interesting because it's a very small lot on a very busy corner, and it is adjacent to a lot of low-income/personal support services, also on Victoria. The possibility of safe injection site being on Water street would change the proposition, and the government announced recently that no new injection sites would be allowed (whether ours was far enough along to get through, I don't know).

Perhaps best used as an expansion of the neighbouring services?  Eg a residential annex for House of Friendship?


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - GtwoK - 10-31-2018

(10-31-2018, 05:49 PM)panamaniac Wrote:
(10-31-2018, 03:20 PM)Viewfromthe42 Wrote: Fakoury's auto service at Weber and Victoria has recently closed, and from a friend who was a long-time client, supposedly that site is targeted for redevelopment. This one would be interesting because it's a very small lot on a very busy corner, and it is adjacent to a lot of low-income/personal support services, also on Victoria. The possibility of safe injection site being on Water street would change the proposition, and the government announced recently that no new injection sites would be allowed (whether ours was far enough along to get through, I don't know).

Perhaps best used as an expansion of the neighbouring services?  Eg a residential annex for House of Friendship?

I have nothing against that use, but given the legally mandated site remediation that will likely need to be done (due to oil, gas , chemicals, etc), it's likely that only those looking to make some big money want to undertake that.


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - Spokes - 11-01-2018

(10-31-2018, 03:20 PM)Viewfromthe42 Wrote: Fakoury's auto service at Weber and Victoria has recently closed, and from a friend who was a long-time client, supposedly that site is targeted for redevelopment. This one would be interesting because it's a very small lot on a very busy corner, and it is adjacent to a lot of low-income/personal support services, also on Victoria. The possibility of safe injection site being on Water street would change the proposition, and the government announced recently that no new injection sites would be allowed (whether ours was far enough along to get through, I don't know).

Wasn't it listed for sale recently?


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - jgsz - 11-01-2018

It would be very interesting if Fakoury's and 97 Victoria Street North would be developed as one project.  97 Victoria was one of the old post and beam button factories that dotted downtown Kitchener many years ago.  I have seen no plans for either building but it could be an appealing gateway to the Innovation District.


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - Spokes - 11-01-2018

(11-01-2018, 09:11 AM)jgsz Wrote: It would be very interesting if Fakoury's and 97 Victoria Street North would be developed as one project.  97 Victoria was one of the old post and beam button factories that dotted downtown Kitchener many years ago.  I have seen no plans for either building but it could be an appealing gateway to the Innovation District.

Could be very appealing given the building at 97, but it seems unlikely.  There is a need for the services The Working Center provides there and I can't see them moving them.

Another option would be pairing Fakoury's with 99 Weber St W and see a building span from Victoria right to Water.


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - Viewfromthe42 - 11-01-2018

You could put some serious density there, given the shadows would fall on the VIA parking lot and a parkette-ish patch of land that's never used adjacent to another parking lot.

Remediation that no one wanted to do to the Electrohome building at Shanley and Duke lead to some interesting options one wouldn't ever expect to be accepted in a single family home area.

To help or change the services provided at The Working Center, you would need to either move them first, or create a place for them to provide services during any unavailability of that land. All in all, not very practical.


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - Lens - 11-01-2018

Speaking of development on Victoria, someone has assembled a pretty good chunk on land at Ahrens St. where the former Magic Bedroom was: https://www.realtor.ca/Listing/Vacant-Land/20008967/151-Victoria-Street-N-Kitchener-Ontario-N2H4C1


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - Chris - 11-01-2018

(11-01-2018, 04:23 PM)Lens Wrote: Speaking of development on Victoria, someone has assembled a pretty good chunk on land at Ahrens St. where the former Magic Bedroom was: https://www.realtor.ca/Listing/Vacant-Land/20008967/151-Victoria-Street-N-Kitchener-Ontario-N2H4C1

There goes my dream of opening a neighbourhood bar in the Magic Bedroom....


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - Spokes - 11-01-2018

(11-01-2018, 04:23 PM)Lens Wrote: Speaking of development on Victoria, someone has assembled a pretty good chunk on land at Ahrens St. where the former Magic Bedroom was: https://www.realtor.ca/Listing/Vacant-Land/20008967/151-Victoria-Street-N-Kitchener-Ontario-N2H4C1

Having all of those together should offer some serious appeal.

Is my memory failing me though that MU-1 has a height limit of only 3 storeys though?  I'd think if someone is buying that for 3 million, they're going to want to put some size on it to maximize profits.


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - panamaniac - 11-01-2018

(11-01-2018, 05:45 PM)Spokes Wrote:
(11-01-2018, 04:23 PM)Lens Wrote: Speaking of development on Victoria, someone has assembled a pretty good chunk on land at Ahrens St. where the former Magic Bedroom was: https://www.realtor.ca/Listing/Vacant-Land/20008967/151-Victoria-Street-N-Kitchener-Ontario-N2H4C1

Having all of those together should offer some serious appeal.

Is my memory failing me though that MU-1 has a height limit of only 3 storeys though?  I'd think if someone is buying that for 3 million, they're going to want to put some size on it to maximize profits.

Seems a good location for a mid-rise rental building.


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - tomh009 - 11-01-2018

(11-01-2018, 05:45 PM)Spokes Wrote:
(11-01-2018, 04:23 PM)Lens Wrote: Speaking of development on Victoria, someone has assembled a pretty good chunk on land at Ahrens St. where the former Magic Bedroom was: https://www.realtor.ca/Listing/Vacant-Land/20008967/151-Victoria-Street-N-Kitchener-Ontario-N2H4C1

Having all of those together should offer some serious appeal.

Is my memory failing me though that MU-1 has a height limit of only 3 storeys though?  I'd think if someone is buying that for 3 million, they're going to want to put some size on it to maximize profits.

Yes. 13.5m maximum height and FAR of 2.0, can't really do four storeys with that. That stretch of Victoria has all MU-1 on the (Kitchener) east side of the street.

However, the north side is zoned MU-2 (24m and 4.0 FAR) so there might be some possibility to request that corner be rezoned to MU-2.


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - GtwoK - 11-02-2018

(11-01-2018, 05:05 PM)Chris Wrote:
(11-01-2018, 04:23 PM)Lens Wrote: Speaking of development on Victoria, someone has assembled a pretty good chunk on land at Ahrens St. where the former Magic Bedroom was: https://www.realtor.ca/Listing/Vacant-Land/20008967/151-Victoria-Street-N-Kitchener-Ontario-N2H4C1

There goes my dream of opening a neighbourhood bar in the Magic Bedroom....

HA, you and me both. I know the city needs to densify, but it's losing the little gems like these that saddens me. Unfortunate that everyone here always seems to be fighting "well if it's near downtown and not a heritage building, tear it down!"


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - Quadcities34 - 11-02-2018

That site is under the microscope of two local developers looking to do a mixed use, residential (condo-sale) and commercial build. 3 Mill for only 3 stories wont cut it. Will have to do minimum 9 with commerical and potentially the need to have a podium structure within for parking.


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - panamaniac - 11-02-2018

(11-02-2018, 02:11 AM)Quadcities34 Wrote: That site is under the microscope of two local developers looking to do a mixed use, residential (condo-sale) and commercial build. 3 Mill for only 3 stories wont cut it. Will have to do minimum 9 with commerical and potentially the need to have a podium structure within for parking.

I imagine that neighbourhood opposition to 9 storeys would be fierce?


RE: The Glove Box | 6 fl | Proposed - Spokes - 11-02-2018

(11-02-2018, 01:44 AM)Quadcities34 Wrote:
(11-01-2018, 11:32 PM)Momo26 Wrote: Not sure which thread this belongs in, but given the  nature of the companies in the innovation district - tech, start ups, software etc., any word on who is coming I to the soon to be Manulife employee free massive brown building next door to Charlie West? I wonder if that will undergo major renos.

That entire (now vacant) site is under consideration for redevelopment. Manulife proposed a two phase project earlier this year on one of their parking lots, but are now in the midst of planning a mega redevelopment or selling their land, plans, and rezoning to a new developer, similar to what happened with SIXO.

Oh wow.  Like they would redevelop the entire old King Center property that they were using as offices?  

I can't imagine someone who bought it would want to do so with the intention of demolition, but it is a HUGE chunk of land.

EDIT:  I'm going to move this over to the General Urban Kitchener thread