General Business Updates and News

[KingandWeber]

Maybe they're consolidating under the Kroner family of quality death-care facilities.

I guess if the Ratz buildings have been sold, we may hear soon about what comes next.  I don't think the Schreiter building has sold yet - it would make a good City of Kitchener Museum if the City had the money.....

Pure speculation, but I wonder if it may be bought and incorporated into the planned King's Crossing development? It's right next door after all...

[panamaniac]

I guess if the Ratz buildings have been sold, we may hear soon about what comes next.  I don't think the Schreiter building has sold yet - it would make a good City of Kitchener Museum if the City had the money.....

Pure speculation, but I wonder if it may be bought and incorporated into the planned King's Crossing development? It's right next door after all...

As good a guess as any at this point.  It would certainly make room for a much larger development - I hadn't noticed how much parking space there was behind Ratz's.

[KevinL]

If we presume Laura Sharpe Flowers is moving out, then even if the main heritage building is retained there is a lot of space on the lot for redevelopment. I would love to know what may be planned.

[panamaniac]

If we presume Laura Sharpe Flowers is moving out, then even if the main heritage building is retained there is a lot of space on the lot for redevelopment. I would love to know what may be planned.

There is no doubt about it being retained - any effort to demolish the Kaufman mansion would be met with a civic battle royal.

[taylortbb]

Pure speculation, but I wonder if it may be bought and incorporated into the planned King's Crossing development? It's right next door after all...

As good a guess as any at this point.  It would certainly make room for a much larger development - I hadn't noticed how much parking space there was behind Ratz's.

The planned redevelopment of 607 King is already 550,000 sq ft, and I don't think it covers the entire property. I find it hard to imagine that Zevest Development felt that wasn't big enough, and that there's a market for something substantially larger. The downtown Kitchener office market is very tight for class A space, but I still can't imagine any tenants looking for that much space. Even Google's huge new office is only about 200,000 sq ft.

[panamaniac]

Heidelberg Foods is expanding their St Jacobs plant.

http://www.therecord.com/news-story/6136...expansion/

[panamaniac]

Grand River Foods of Cambridge (   http://www.grandriverfoods.com/   ) is undertaking a $13million expansion that will see it add 50 new jobs.  There have been a number of announcements in recent weeks of upgrades and expansions in the local manufacturing sector, all of them with financial assistance from the federal or provincial governments.  

http://www.news.ontario.ca/medt/en/2015/...ridge.html

[rangersfan]

Two more local companies receiving some provincial cash to drive expansion.
http://www.canadianmanufacturing.com/man...nt-158403/

[panamaniac]

It has been pending for months, but the Record now reports that Lear Corp. has ended production at its Manitou Dr plant in Kitchener.  Production was shifted to a plant in Mexico earlier this year.  At one time, Lear employed 1,300 people in town.  The "For Sale" sign has been up out front for a couple of months - the plant and office are in good shape, so it will be interesting to see if something new eventually takes over.

[parker1313]

It has been pending for months, but the Record now reports that Lear Corp. has ended production at its Manitou Dr plant in Kitchener.  Production was shifted to a plant in Mexico earlier this year.  At one time, Lear employed 1,300 people in town.  The "For Sale" sign has been up out front for a couple of months - the plant and office are in good shape, so it will be interesting to see if something new eventually takes over.

Perhaps the future home of IKEA

[panamaniac]

If the Region were ever to have a full IKEA store, I suspect that it would be over on Hespeler Rd near the 401, or perhaps along the old highway 8 in the area where the new pick-up store will be located.

For the Lear site, I'm really hoping that it will become home to another manufacturing company. I've heard that there has been some interest from potential purchasers, but nothing concrete yet.

[MidTowner]

Seeing a facility that once housed an aerospace  automotive manufacturing company employing 1300 people replaced by a big-box retailer would be kind of depressing. Hopefully another manufacturer locates there.

[panamaniac]

The Lear Corp plant in Kitchener manufactured car seat assemblies, but yes retail at that corner would be a less than optimal use of the site. Lear was the descendant of General Spring, a local company. The old General Spring plant is the big place on Ottawa St South between Schneiders Creek and the old Doon Twines/Canada Cordage plant at Ottawa and Charles Street.

[BuildingScout]

The Lear Corp plant in Kitchener manufactured car seat assemblies.

Aren't they a big supplier for Toyota? This plant shutting might be all about Camry production moving to Mexico.

[panamaniac]

The Lear Corp plant in Kitchener manufactured car seat assemblies.

Aren't they a big supplier for Toyota? This plant shutting might be all about Camry production moving to Mexico.

Nope.  This plant has never supplied Toyota (or Honda).  It was down in recent years to a single contract, I think with GM.  It has been run from the Michigan HQ for years and, imho, it has basically died of neglect.