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General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - Printable Version

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RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - tomh009 - 06-11-2016

(06-11-2016, 05:58 PM)GtwoK Wrote:
(06-11-2016, 03:34 PM)Lens Wrote: 51 Scott Street http://vanguarddevelopments.com/51Scott.html

Oh god. This can't be real, can it? What a terrible, terrible use of a central downtown property, surrounded by 10 storey buildings on 2 sides. This looks awful.

But it's "located in the heart of Waterloo," at least! Big Grin


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - tomh009 - 06-11-2016

(06-11-2016, 12:40 PM)KevinL Wrote: Sounds like the Ontario Street leases would be too troublesome to clear out in the short term. I still can't see the building standing for more than, say, 5 years.

I agree.  Secure the land, tidy up the buildings and collect rent while waiting to see what happens in DTK in the next five years.


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - MacBerry - 06-11-2016

(06-11-2016, 06:13 PM)panamaniac Wrote:
(06-11-2016, 05:58 PM)GtwoK Wrote: Oh god. This can't be real, can it? What a terrible, terrible use of a central downtown property, surrounded by 10 storey buildings on 2 sides. This looks awful.

But those rooftop balconies are kind of Euro-awful, don't you think?  Wink

Not sure how this design would be allowed given accessibility requirements in the Ontario building code.


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - tomh009 - 06-11-2016

(06-11-2016, 10:16 PM)MacBerry Wrote:
(06-11-2016, 06:13 PM)panamaniac Wrote: But those rooftop balconies are kind of Euro-awful, don't you think?  Wink

Not sure how this design would be allowed given accessibility requirements in the Ontario building code.

AODA applies only to buildings with more than three storeys.  Is this a three- or a -four-storey building?  I'm not quite sure how to interpret the rendering.


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - KevinL - 06-11-2016

Looks four-storey to me. Perhaps there's an elevator access at the rear?


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - MacBerry - 06-11-2016

(06-11-2016, 10:45 PM)KevinL Wrote: Looks four-storey to me. Perhaps there's an elevator access at the rear?

I am reasonably sure this 3 1/2 story building is not conforming as shown and is not allowed. How can this happen in 2016? Regardless this below street access should not be allowed.


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - panamaniac - 06-11-2016

(06-11-2016, 11:14 PM)MacBerry Wrote:
(06-11-2016, 10:45 PM)KevinL Wrote: Looks four-storey to me. Perhaps there's an elevator access at the rear?

I am reasonably sure this 3 1/2 story building is not conforming as shown and is not allowed. How can this happen in 2016? Regardless this below street access should not be allowed.

Just to note - nothing has happened.  This is nothing more than a drawing on a developers website, at the moment.  What's wrong with below street access?


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - MacBerry - 06-12-2016

(06-11-2016, 10:34 PM)tomh009 Wrote:
(06-11-2016, 10:16 PM)MacBerry Wrote: Not sure how this design would be allowed given accessibility requirements in the Ontario building code.

AODA applies only to buildings with more than three storeys.  Is this a three- or a -four-storey building?  I'm not quite sure how to interpret the rendering.

Changes to Ontario Building Code effective January 1, 2015 require 

Access to All Storeys Within a Building - Elevators

Providing elevator access to all floors in a building allows visitors and occupants to travel throughout the building with ease, regardless of ability.  A key change introduced with these amendments will make that a reality for many buildings across the province. Most new buildings will be required to provide barrier-free access between all floors

"The same requirement will apply to residential and office buildings over three storeys in height or over 600 square metres in building area."


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - Lens - 06-12-2016

Elements Nightclub has closed/ merged with The Wax according to their facebook page.


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - Canard - 06-12-2016

(06-11-2016, 06:13 PM)panamaniac Wrote:
(06-11-2016, 05:58 PM)GtwoK Wrote: Oh god. This can't be real, can it? What a terrible, terrible use of a central downtown property, surrounded by 10 storey buildings on 2 sides. This looks awful.

But those rooftop balconies are kind of Euro-awful, don't you think?  Wink

I'm so confused. What is so wrong with this? I absolutely love those balconies! Very common in Europe - I don't understand why they're awful. The only thing I see as being awful is those units on the -0.5th floor. I can't imagine how anyone could ever want to live in a basement.


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - KevinL - 06-12-2016

(06-12-2016, 07:29 AM)Canard Wrote:  The only thing I see as being awful is those units on the -0.5th floor.  I can't imagine how anyone could ever want to live in a basement.


Cheap rent, downtown location - there will always be some demand.


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - panamaniac - 06-12-2016

(06-12-2016, 12:13 AM)Lens Wrote: Elements Nightclub has closed/ merged with The Wax according to their facebook page.

Maybe the space can become a cinema again!  Yeah, I know.....


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - MidTowner - 06-12-2016

(06-12-2016, 07:29 AM)Canard Wrote: I'm so confused. What is so wrong with this? I absolutely love those balconies! Very common in Europe - I don't understand why they're awful. The only thing I see as being awful is those units on the -0.5th floor. I can't imagine how anyone could ever want to live in a basement.

I agree, this doesn't look that bad. It's hard to judge without knowing anything at all about materials or colours, but the balconies look good to me.

Those high basement apartment units aren't at all rare. I agree that it wouldn't be my preference, but I don't think it's so bad. I was shown one once in a newer building in Stanley Park (probably similar depth to what that drawing suggestions), and it didn't seem to have a very bad "basement" feel.


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - tomh009 - 06-14-2016

I stumbled onto some nice photos from six years ago on urbantoronto.ca. Not so long ago, but already we can see the changes.
http://urbantoronto.ca/forum/threads/the-renaissance-of-downtown-kitchener.14015/


RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - GtwoK - 06-14-2016

I believe we may have already known this, but just in case there was any doubt...

[Image: c9gldpe.jpg]

(One Victoria)

I wonder what will happen to the old Scotia location!