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+--- Thread: WRPS HQ project (200 Frederick St, Kitchener) (/showthread.php?tid=674)
RE: Courthouse 200 Frederick St, Kitchener - CTGal1011 - 02-12-2017
(01-29-2017, 09:40 AM)panamaniac Wrote: I suggested the old Provincial Couthouse to the Doors Open folk a few years back and I believe the response was that it would be difficult, given the fact that it was a shuttered building of the Province.
Why oh why do they not use some of these older buildings for the lack of affordable housing in this city?
PERFECT spot. Right next to the darn police station if the people around are worried about NIMBY.
I work for a certain non-profit agency on Moore St and I can't, for the life of me, understand why they don't make the old catholic school there (and rectory) either a retirement residence, or affordable housing (like the old Victoria Public School).
It's a shame these buildings sit and rot when the city always gives lip service about NEEDING to find suitable affordable housing.
RE: Courthouse 200 Frederick St, Kitchener - mpd618 - 02-12-2017
(02-12-2017, 04:39 PM)CTGal1011 Wrote: Why oh why do they not use some of these older buildings for the lack of affordable housing in this city?
PERFECT spot. Right next to the darn police station if the people around are worried about NIMBY.
I work for a certain non-profit agency on Moore St and I can't, for the life of me, understand why they don't make the old catholic school there (and rectory) either a retirement residence, or affordable housing (like the old Victoria Public School).
It's a shame these buildings sit and rot when the city always gives lip service about NEEDING to find suitable affordable housing.
I'm guessing if they (the City? the Region?) had the budget, it would be a whole lot cheaper to build brand new housing than it would be to turn a courthouse into housing.
RE: Courthouse 200 Frederick St, Kitchener - tomh009 - 02-12-2017
I think the Sacred Heart building would be much more viable. But then the city doesn't own it, the catholic church does. (And the provincial government owns the courthouse.)
RE: Courthouse 200 Frederick St, Kitchener - nms - 02-13-2017
The province owns the sculpture. I wonder how their asset disposal process would work given that the sculpture isn't an integral part of the building (as opposed to a mural for instance) and what value would be attached to the sculpture. Ed Zelenak continues to be an active sculptor.
RE: Courthouse 200 Frederick St, Kitchener - Canard - 02-13-2017
If someone is dead-set on getting rid of it, why not propose moving it to an ion station that isn't part of the current art programme?
It would look splendid at Northfield, Seagram, or even Waterloo Town Square.
RE: Courthouse 200 Frederick St, Kitchener - kaiserdiver - 02-14-2017
How about a time capsule? We could bury it under one of the new LRT stations, and in 200 years they can enjoy it all over again.
RE: Courthouse 200 Frederick St, Kitchener - Spokes - 02-14-2017
(02-12-2017, 06:59 PM)mpd618 Wrote:(02-12-2017, 04:39 PM)CTGal1011 Wrote: Why oh why do they not use some of these older buildings for the lack of affordable housing in this city?
PERFECT spot. Right next to the darn police station if the people around are worried about NIMBY.
I work for a certain non-profit agency on Moore St and I can't, for the life of me, understand why they don't make the old catholic school there (and rectory) either a retirement residence, or affordable housing (like the old Victoria Public School).
It's a shame these buildings sit and rot when the city always gives lip service about NEEDING to find suitable affordable housing.
I'm guessing if they (the City? the Region?) had the budget, it would be a whole lot cheaper to build brand new housing than it would be to turn a courthouse into housing.
I think you're right. I don't think retrofitting this with residential units will be much more expensive than would be worthwhile.
RE: Courthouse 200 Frederick St, Kitchener - Spokes - 02-14-2017
(02-14-2017, 10:59 AM)kaiserdiver Wrote: How about a time capsule? We could bury it under one of the new LRT stations, and in 200 years they can enjoy it all over again.
Do we get to fill it with things from this year?
RE: Courthouse 200 Frederick St, Kitchener - tvot - 04-20-2017
In the new announcements about rental housing & housing prices one of the details is to use vacant provincially owned properties for affordable housing. Made me think of the courthouse.
Given the lack of windows, it may be a big project to retrofit the building for that use, but it's a great location for affordable housing. Close to school, library, groceries, market, transit, etc.
RE: Courthouse 200 Frederick St, Kitchener - tomh009 - 04-20-2017
I don't think it would be realistic to convert the existing building. It would really need to get torn down (keep the worm though!) and redeveloped using purpose-built housing.
RE: Courthouse 200 Frederick St, Kitchener - clasher - 04-20-2017
I think it'd be cheaper to start over from scratch if housing is the goal there.
RE: Courthouse 200 Frederick St, Kitchener - Coke6pk - 04-21-2017
You should be hearing shortly, but there are plans for the old courthouse (and it's not housing).
Hopefully there will be an official announcement from the Region next Wednesday.
Coke
RE: Courthouse 200 Frederick St, Kitchener - Markster - 04-21-2017
http://m.therecord.com/news-story/7255585-kitchener-police-detachment-to-move-into-former-provincial-courthouse
It's the cops!
RE: Courthouse 200 Frederick St, Kitchener - DHLawrence - 04-21-2017
Seems a logical transition to me. They may not even have to do many modifications.
RE: Courthouse 200 Frederick St, Kitchener - tomh009 - 04-21-2017
That's great news!