357 King St East

[rangersfan]

Location: 357 King St East Kitchener
Architect: James Fryett Architect
Project: Commercial building in Kitchener's Market District

Location

http://imgur.com/R0hIHDN


Current site conditions
http://imgur.com/zTrAefh

http://imgur.com/CMqEWOm

Permit(s) information:
#15-1207284
PERMIT IS FOR THE DEMOLITION OF A 2 STOREY RESIDENTAIL AND COMMERCIAL BUILDING TO THE FOUNDATION - 3 RESIDENTIAL UNITS AND 2503 SF COMMERCIAL SPACE - SEE PERMIT # 14-126570 FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION

# 14-126570
PERMIT IS TO RE-CONSTRUCT A RETAIL AND OFFICE BUILDING ON THE EXISTING FOUNDATION - SEE PERMIT #15-1207284 FOR DEMOLITION TO FOUNDATION

Notice of tender on James Fryett Architect's website
http://www.fryettarchitect.com/tenders/n...ing-cedar/

[isUsername]

What's happening next door? Seems silly to redevelop such a small lot in such a prime location. I wonder why the adjacent property isn't combined with it.

[tomh009]

Here are the actual current conditions, now that they have started stripping off the siding -- that checkerboard colouring has to be more than 50 years old, it was already hidden in the 1970s.     

   

[MidTowner]

No kidding. It seems like a small lot like that on the corner would be more valuable combined with the parking lot next door, than redeveloped to the extent of one more story on the existing foundation. Who knows, though, maybe conversations with the adjacent property owner on King weren't promising.

To the North/East, it's a very urban-feeling intersection without a lot of height. Hopefully whatever winds up here contributes to that.

[Lens]

I'm guessing this is what's planned then?
http://www.fryettarchitect.com/portfolio...ng-street/

[jordan2423]

I'm guessing this is what's planned then?
http://www.fryettarchitect.com/portfolio...ng-street/

Is it just me, or is that building hideous.

[rangersfan]

That render is for 387 King St which would be right beside this lot. Now whether there are two separate projects is confusing. Have there been other recent cases where only the foundation has been reused?
I have seen foundation and steel frame.

The St. Clair appliances store has been closed for a few years now, and at the time it was purchased by a developer. Hopefully we see a project here that can help inject some development energy into this part of Downtown.

[Spokes]

Looks like two separate projects. The developers website also makes reference to it just being commercial. The above render seems to have residential too.

This end of downtown NEEDS residential

[Section ThirtyOne]

Isn't the adjacent parking lot owned by the city? One would have hoped something could have been worked out there. The render as it stands now is... uninspiring.

[panamaniac]

The apartment render is proposed for the site to the "east" of the St Clair corner lot, is it not? These are two different projects, istm, although I believe all the land was acquired by an out of town developer a couple of years ago.

[tomh009]

That render is for 387 King St which would be right beside this lot.

Correct.  So let's ignore THAT render in THIS thread.

Have there been other recent cases where only the  foundation has been reused?

By keeping the foundation you can simplify the permitting process.

[MidTowner]

Permitting is easier, and it's cheaper and faster. The present building takes up the whole lot, anyway.

How big is the new building supposed to be?

[tomh009]

The permit says 465 m2 gross area, the existing building is about 2500 sqft commercial area (about 210 m2). It seems approximately double to current commercial area so I have to assume it's a straight two-storey construction with retail at street level and office/professional on the second floor.

[MidTowner]

So the market district gets an extra ~2500 office space, higher-quality retail space which will presumably not be vacant, but loses three apartments. I'd say that's a pretty good deal, though Spokes is right that more residential would be good on that stretch of King.

[tomh009]

If 387 gets built in the not-too-distant future, then the loss of three apartments at 357 will turn out to be a non-issue.