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+--- Thread: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours (/showthread.php?tid=8)
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RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - panamaniac - 01-17-2015
Not very reassuring to see metal supports across the Scott St entrance of the Market Square parking garage, as well as under the entire exterior ramp. I assume this is to support the brickwork after the section collapsed the other day. Dare one hope for a complete refinishing of the parking garage exterior? It sure could use some love.
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - 519 - 01-19-2015
I think Dream got more than they bargain for when they acquired the Market Square, 22 Frederick, and the Galleria from the previous owner a few years back.
I give them credit for trying to fix things up but obviously more need to be done.
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - REnerd - 01-19-2015
I walked by the Bargain Shop this morning and it is almost empty.
Sign on the window says that they have 5 business days left.
It will be interesting to see what happens next!
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - panamaniac - 01-19-2015
I posted this in the General Culture thread, but it merits another post here:
The Record is reporting that the new Apollo Theatre on Ontario St may be open by the end of the month. The renovations sound more complete than I had expected, including new carpeting, seating, sound system and 43 foot screen. You will also be able to buy a beer at the concession and take it into the theatre. I am really looking forward to having a proper cinema Downtown again and hope that people will support it.
http://www.therecord.com/news-story/5265594-countdown-starts-on-launch-of-apollo-cinema-downtown/
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - Spokes - 01-20-2015
(01-19-2015, 11:44 AM)519 Wrote: I think Dream got more than they bargain for when they acquired the Market Square, 22 Frederick, and the Galleria from the previous owner a few years back.
I give them credit for trying to fix things up but obviously more need to be done.
Anyone know if they were owning it when TriOS college moved in?
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - panamaniac - 01-20-2015
A couple of Downtown "smalls":
- the sign for TWH Social is now up. I was interested to see that it's a (small) hanging sign perpendicular to the wall of the building. I'm old enough to remember when King St had all kinds of signs sticking out into the street - and then the City decided that signage needed to be flush to the building to reduce "clutter".
- there is a work permit in the window of the former Boa Nova restaurant on Charles at Ontario that indicates that the main floor is being renovated for offices.
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - MidTowner - 01-20-2015
(01-20-2015, 04:13 PM)panamaniac Wrote: - there is a work permit in the window of the former Boa Nova restaurant on Charles at Ontario that indicates that the main floor is being renovated for offices.
Kind of bad news in the same way The Bargain Shop space being turned into offices would be. That's a nice-looking building at street level, and it would have been nicer to have another restaurant there.
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - BuildingScout - 01-20-2015
So you would rather have another restaurant open and go bankrupt than bringing more people downtown to support existing businesses?
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - MidTowner - 01-20-2015
Just to clarify: is your question being asked in good faith, or are you being facetious?
I wonder if there have ever been instances of a restaurant opening in a space where another restaurant failed with a different business model, and succeeded in spite of a location that is cursed (as evidenced by a restaurant going out of business after several years of operation).
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - BuildingScout - 01-20-2015
(01-20-2015, 04:35 PM)MidTowner Wrote: I wonder if there have ever been instances of a restaurant opening in a space where another restaurant failed with a different business model, and succeeded in spite of a location that is cursed (as evidenced by a restaurant going out of business after several years of operation).
I'm serious. Most of the recent restaurant openings in downtown are struggling, the exception being the Duke Food Block. So why the need to have yet another restaurant in an area that is clearly not yet ready to support another one?
At this point Downtown needs more people: more residents and more workers. Once density is there, prime ground level retail space will be snatched of the market in no time.
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - Spokes - 01-20-2015
(01-20-2015, 04:13 PM)panamaniac Wrote: A couple of Downtown "smalls":
- the sign for TWH Social is now up. I was interested to see that it's a (small) hanging sign perpendicular to the wall of the building. I'm old enough to remember when King St had all kinds of signs sticking out into the street - and then the City decided that signage needed to be flush to the building to reduce "clutter".
- there is a work permit in the window of the former Boa Nova restaurant on Charles at Ontario that indicates that the main floor is being renovated for offices.
Anyone know if TWH Social is still going to be the home to Yuk Yuks?
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - Spokes - 01-20-2015
(01-20-2015, 04:25 PM)MidTowner Wrote:(01-20-2015, 04:13 PM)panamaniac Wrote: - there is a work permit in the window of the former Boa Nova restaurant on Charles at Ontario that indicates that the main floor is being renovated for offices.
Kind of bad news in the same way The Bargain Shop space being turned into offices would be. That's a nice-looking building at street level, and it would have been nicer to have another restaurant there.
I agree, bad news IMO. Hurts the liveliness of Charles St. The employment helps, but downtown needs more than 9-5
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - panamaniac - 01-20-2015
I was told today (someone at the Walper, but I don't know whether well informed) that Yuk Yuk's would NOT be moving back into the Walper Hotel space. I wondered whether they might not stay with their current situation at the @41 Ren restaurant?
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - MidTowner - 01-20-2015
(01-20-2015, 04:41 PM)BuildingScout Wrote: I'm serious. Most of the recent restaurant openings in downtown are struggling, the exception being the Duke Food Block. So why the need to have yet another restaurant in an area that is clearly not yet ready to support another one?
At this point Downtown needs more people: more residents and more workers. Once density is there, prime ground level retail space will be snatched of the market in no time.
Okay, I really was just saying that I personally find it a shame that the main floor of this beautiful (to me) building that interacts well with the street is not going to be a restaurant any longer. But are you positive that "most of the recent restaurant openings in downtown are struggling"? We've seen some close after relatively short periods (Boa Nova actually wasn't one of those), but is it true that "most" are "struggling"?
I see your point. I couldn't agree more that downtown needs more people. We're all aware that a virtuous cycle involves residents attracting more services which in turn attract more residents. To play devil's advocate, I might suggest that services (and particularly ones that cater to residents rather than workers) is what is still needed: Kitchener's has traditionally been a "9-to-5" downtown with plenty of employees and not enough residents. Maybe we do need more restaurants, and more people living downtown to frequent them, but not particularly more office workers.
That having been said, all I did say was that, in my opinion and having been to the restaurant when it was one, this is a great building for a restaurant.
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - panamaniac - 01-20-2015
Spokes, not to be contentious but when in any of our lifetimes has Charles St been "lively"? At this stage, I figure some more office workers will at least help support some of the nearby businesses.