American Block Redevelopment | 3 fl | U/C

[TMKM94]

Is the New York Rock part of the building owned by someone else? I was hoping the resurfacing was going to get rid of the half painted wall near the windows. I also thought the paint was going to be power washed originally.

[panamaniac]

I assume that the building was subdivided many years ago. I'm still puzzled, however, over the half painted window (third in, from Queen St). I assume that window is entirely in one property or the other and not shared.

[ijmorlan]

I assume that the building was subdivided many years ago.  I'm still puzzled, however, over the half painted window (third in, from Queen St).  I assume that window is entirely in one property or the other and not shared.

Just speculating: is it possible the main floor is subdivided where the paint colour changes, but the upstairs is either not subdivided or divided elsewhere?

There is an even stranger situation in Waterloo in the Crystal Palace at King St. S.:

https://goo.gl/maps/5BesSkzf8D2fsw7h6

The sign for the Crystal Palace appears to extend a short way into the next building, just enough to extend above the entrance door for the upstairs apartments. But if you go inside, indeed the Crystal Palace itself extends over — you can see the sloped ceiling under the stairs, and where you would expect the common wall between the buildings there is empty space (possibly some posts; I can’t remember exactly, although my recollection is actually that the posts are further from the wall then the common wall would have to be).

So it looks as if at some point the occupant of what is now the Crystal Palace needed a bit of extra space and the wall was moved to give it to them, by shrinking the space shown in the photo as being the Helen Anne Shop (I can’t remember if it is still there; I have a vague recollection it might have closed). I’ve seen quite old photos that show this strange renovation had already happened. It seems like a very expensive way to get an extra 2m.

[goggolor]

The Helen Anne Shop closed last year after the owner passed away. The space is now used by Home Hardware.

[tomh009]

A preview of the Tim Hortons interior design:

   

[dtkvictim]

How can they have Tim Hortons cups if they haven't finished building the Tim Hortons? Something fishy going on here...

[tomh009]

How can they Tim Hortons cups if they haven't finished building the Tim Hortons? ? Something fishy going on here...

Not fishy at all. They store their flux capacitors in the next room, just behind the wall!

[Spokes]

How can they have Tim Hortons cups if they haven't finished building the Tim Hortons? Something fishy going on here...

They HAVE finished it.  It's a VERY minimalist design

[mastermind]

On post #168 and 169 in this thread you can see they had a row of yellow posts holding up some little steel beams, I assumed for some sort of sign/canopy. Those are now gone. I thought they were new so I went to google maps and looked back in time and they never used to be there. Seems a lot of effort to knock out those bricks and put in steel beams just to change your mind...

[taylortbb]

On post #168 and 169 in this thread you can see they had a row of yellow posts holding up some little steel beams, I assumed for some sort of sign/canopy.  Those are now gone.  I thought they were new so I went to google maps and looked back in time and they never used to be there.  Seems a lot of effort to knock out those bricks and put in steel beams just to change your mind...

I don't believe they were ever for a sign/canopy. The steel beams (and their yellow support posts) were to support the building while the brick walls of the ground floor were demolished and rebuilt with huge windows. Now that they've served their purpose they're gone.

[GarthDanlor]

While there are overlaps, Timmies, Starbucks, and the independents all serve different demographics, istm.  Coffee Culture occupies a middle ground and might feel the competition more than others, if they are still operating at the Walter location.

Coffee Culture and Williams are the two most vulnerable ones, yes. But I think there should still be room for both.

Incidentally, Coffee Culture is coming back: the place was taken apart because they sent all the furniture out to be reupholstered.

Tim's coffee is pretty damn poor stuff (I'm held captive by an on-campus location where I work) but their Americano is decent enough if it is on offer.  I think Coffee Culture will take the biggest hit.  They are a step above Tim's but also only a few steps away.

[Spokes]

But despite Tims coffee being subpar, their loyalty is second to none it seems. I fear it will do huge damage to Coffee Culture, which I always liked, in part for it's historic elements, and in part because I thought the owner did a great job and genuinely seemed to care.

[panamaniac]

Are the new ground floor windows now installed? Time for a pic.

[Acitta]

But despite Tims coffee being subpar, their loyalty is second to none it seems.  I fear it will do huge damage to Coffee Culture, which I always liked, in part for it's historic elements, and in part because I thought the owner did a great job and genuinely seemed to care.

As a tea drinker, it doesn't matter much which coffee shop I go to, but Coffee Culture has better snacks. Tim Horton's however has now made using their washrooms into a hassle which is a problem when I have a full bladder and am out cycling somewhere.

[taylortbb]

Are the new ground floor windows now installed?  Time for a pic.

No, it looks basically the same as in post #175, https://www.waterlooregionconnected.com/...1#pid80621 . All that's changed is a Tim Hortons coming soon sign hung on the plywood. Until the coming soon sign went up, so little had changed on the exterior I was thinking the Tim Hortons might have backed out due to Covid.