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+--- Thread: 50-52 Weber St W & 107 Young St | 6 fl | Proposed (/showthread.php?tid=1455)
50-52 Weber St W & 107 Young St | 6 fl | Proposed - Chris - 02-05-2020
Did a quick search and went three pages deep in this forum and didn't see a thread so I'm starting one.
The Record article
Kitchener development would demolish heritage homes to make way for innovative seniors’ housing
The development, at the corner of Weber and Young streets, would combine several types of living units within the building: two-storey townhouses on the first two floors; two floors of shared accommodation where seniors would have their own bedroom and bathroom, but share a common living room and kitchen and get meals cooked by staff; one floor of shared apartments where residents would cook their own meals; and a penthouse with high-end rental apartments.
The plan calls for the demolition of two homes in the Civic Centre heritage conservation district: an 1875 Gothic revival cottage at 50-52 Weber St. W. now occupied by a massage parlour and two rental apartments and the 1889 three-storey brick house at 56 Weber built by John Motz, a mayor of Berlin and the publisher of the Berliner Journal, a precursor of The Record.
streets, would combine several types of living units within the building: two-storey townhouses on the first two floors; two floors of shared accommodation where seniors would have their own bedroom and bathroom, but share a common living room and kitchen and get meals cooked by staff; one floor of shared apartments where residents would cook their own meals; and a penthouse with high-end rental apartments.
"There's a huge market for this," said John Gibson, the president of the Tri-City Group of Companies, after presenting his plan to Kitchener's heritage committee.
The plan calls for the demolition of two homes in the Civic Centre heritage conservation district: an 1875 Gothic revival cottage at 50-52 Weber St. W. now occupied by a massage parlour and two rental apartments and the 1889 three-storey brick house at 56 Weber built byJohn Motz, a mayor of Berlin and the publisher of the Berliner Journal, a precursor of The Record.
A third home, a 1910-era arts-and-craft style house at 107 Young St., would be saved and attached to the new development.
RE: 50-52 Weber & 107 Young | 6 Fl | Proposed - panamaniac - 02-05-2020
There was a proposal for that site a couple of years ago, but I can't recall if it ever got to "own thread" stage. If I'm thinking of the correct one, it was a very unusual design concept.
It is good that the Young St house is to be saved.
RE: 50-52 Weber & 107 Young | 6 Fl | Proposed - GtwoK - 02-05-2020
Oh shoot, I meant to make a thread for this abomination a while ago. Their rationale behind the design was (legitimately), "If we combine aspects of every building in the area, it will fit in". Alas:
![[Image: acJp27p.png]](https://i.imgur.com/acJp27p.png)
![[Image: 0lNtdpD.png]](https://i.imgur.com/0lNtdpD.png)
![[Image: kUhhNDF.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/kUhhNDF.jpg)
Here's the documents, if you should be so inclined https://lf.kitchener.ca/WebLinkExt/0/doc/1810895/Page1.aspx
RE: 50-52 Weber & 107 Young | 6 Fl | Proposed - GtwoK - 02-05-2020
Hamfisiting together unrelated architectural elements does not a good design make
![[Image: NSHH5ro.png]](https://imgur.com/NSHH5ro.png)
![[Image: G9X4uA7.png]](https://imgur.com/G9X4uA7.png)
![[Image: YaFQa0y.png]](https://imgur.com/YaFQa0y.png)
RE: 50-52 Weber & 107 Young | 6 Fl | Proposed - westwardloo - 02-05-2020
Well it is different. Not sure I like it, but it is definitely not a cookie cutter buildings. I think they should have gone dramatically away from the heritage features of the buildings surrounding it. Also, Why would they use those ugly town homes on mansion as an example, those things are horrendous. Sometimes I don't understand Architects/ Architecture in this region. I mean no offence but is it that the talented graduates of Waterloo leave for big city life and we are left with less inspired designers? or developers are just way cheaper in the region then those of the major cities and don't want to be creative with the design? A lot of the time proposals seem to be very cheap and and at least a decade behind the trends of the major cities in Canada. Not saying we need to be building what Toronto is building, but a little quality from time to time would be nice. I would love for developers/ architects to start looking at Scandinavian Architecture for inspiration for quality practical design when it comes to mid-rise buildings.
RE: 50-52 Weber & 107 Young | 6 Fl | Proposed - panamaniac - 02-05-2020
That's the one! Not pretty, but weird enough to be interesting. I have no idea whether that is still what is being proposed for the site.
RE: 50-52 Weber & 107 Young | 6 Fl | Proposed - Chris - 02-06-2020
I understand and applaud the effort to combine surrounding styles but the execution needs some work as it lacks cohesion.
It's like a Mr Potato Head. Just pick these pieces and stick them in these spots.
RE: 50-52 Weber & 107 Young | 6 Fl | Proposed - ac3r - 02-06-2020
Wow, what a mess. Looks like a first year student intern did this.
RE: 50-52 Weber & 107 Young | 6 Fl | Proposed - tomh009 - 02-06-2020
The upper floors really don't mesh with the lower floors at all. And the funky peaked balconies make it worse.
The good thing is that it really wouldn't be that hard to make it respectable. Hopefully they will see the light and do that. Assuming that they get demolition approval in the first place.
RE: 50-52 Weber & 107 Young | 6 Fl | Proposed - panamaniac - 02-06-2020
Is it confirmed that this is the actual proposal?
RE: 50-52 Weber & 107 Young | 6 Fl | Proposed - hypnagogic_logic - 02-06-2020
God, it's hideous. I also hate to see part of that Tudor-style tenement replaced by it. How many century old walkup apartments does K-W have? My guess is a handful, if that??
I support and understand the need for a variety of senior living options and a better use of density, but there's no way this couldn't have addressed the built form around it more respectfully.
RE: 50-52 Weber & 107 Young | 6 Fl | Proposed - panamaniac - 02-06-2020
(02-06-2020, 08:03 PM)hypnagogic_logic Wrote: God, it's hideous. I also hate to see part of that Tudor-style tenement replaced by it. How many century old walkup apartments does K-W have? My guess is a handful, if that??
I support and understand the need for a variety of senior living options and a better use of density, but there's no way this couldn't have addressed the built form around it more respectfully.
That building is not part of the proposal. It is the Italianate and gothic cottage houses to the "west" of it that would come down.
RE: 50-52 Weber & 107 Young | 6 Fl | Proposed - hypnagogic_logic - 02-06-2020
Ah, my mistake there. I read 'two apartments' following mention of the gothic cottage in the development paragraph and feared the worst automatically. The second render facing north up Weber also only shows one wing of that building, but I can see now in the first image looking south that both bays are still preserved.
Sorry if my use of cardinal directions is even more confusing, lol
RE: 50-52 Weber & 107 Young | 6 Fl | Proposed - panamaniac - 02-06-2020
(02-06-2020, 08:44 PM)hypnagogic_logic Wrote: Ah, my mistake there. I read 'two apartments' following mention of the gothic cottage in the development paragraph and feared the worst automatically. The second render facing north up Weber also only shows one wing of that building, but I can see now in the first image looking south that both bays are still preserved.
Sorry if my use of cardinal directions is even more confusing, lol
Yes, "north" along Weber St "West". It is Kitchener after all !
RE: 50-52 Weber & 107 Young | 6 Fl | Proposed - hypnagogic_logic - 02-06-2020
Indeed it is.
