(01-07-2020, 05:31 PM)plam Wrote: OK so I'm in Wellington NZ for the next few months. Wellington is about the same population as Waterloo Region (Wellington 521k, Waterloo 535k). Yet somehow there is a lot more stuff "downtown" in Wellington vs Waterloo. I think that part of it is that Wellington doesn't have the malls on the edge of town that Waterloo has (and which, to be fair, DTK and all North American municipalities tried to combat in the 70s onwards, with no success). Why? I don't know.

(01-07-2020, 10:15 PM)ijmorlan Wrote:

(01-07-2020, 06:37 PM)KevinL Wrote: True, but you then need to have each unit with its own hydro circuit, with fire code compliant exits, etc; this can be costly to re-work, especially in a space not built for it.

That actually is a good point. It’s not usually a matter of just tossing a partition in there. That being said, if the alternative is leaving it vacant for years, it feels strange that a relatively minor renovation would not be in order.

(01-08-2020, 08:28 AM)DK519 Wrote:

(01-07-2020, 10:15 PM)ijmorlan Wrote: That actually is a good point. It’s not usually a matter of just tossing a partition in there. That being said, if the alternative is leaving it vacant for years, it feels strange that a relatively minor renovation would not be in order.

I'd bet it comes down to the owner's willingness to deal with the hassle of renting it out vs. the ease of just leaving it vacant and letting the property appreciate.

(01-08-2020, 12:50 PM)tomh009 Wrote:

(01-08-2020, 08:28 AM)DK519 Wrote: I'd bet it comes down to the owner's willingness to deal with the hassle of renting it out vs. the ease of just leaving it vacant and letting the property appreciate.

The property values go up (or not) regardless of whether there is a tenant. Property taxes are almost the same in either case. And even without a tenant, you have some operational costs.

But if you have a tenant, you get rental income. Every landlord would prefer a bigger tenant (or smaller number of big tenants), so it's a question of balance, of trying to figure out how long you might have to wait for a dream tenant vs renting out half or quarter of the space, and subdividing it (which precludes getting that big tenant later).

(11-23-2019, 12:23 AM)DK519 Wrote:

(11-22-2019, 09:52 PM)panamaniac Wrote: "North-west" corner?  When was the fire?

https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/damage-estimated-at-500k-for-late-night-kitchener-fire-1.4658551

(01-09-2020, 11:28 AM)Acitta Wrote: Long-neglected Kitchener Electrohome factory being demolished

(01-07-2020, 08:04 AM)Spokes Wrote: I think a lot of people still think that way

(01-09-2020, 12:19 PM)ac3r Wrote:

(01-07-2020, 08:04 AM)Spokes Wrote: I think a lot of people still think that way

It still has that reputation...but I feel now it's more so because there is still just really no reason to go downtown. There are very few shops that offer anything you can't get elsewhere in the city. There isn't even a grocery store. There is a pretty meh farmers market once a week. There is no "nightlife". In fact there is almost no street activity past 8PM in the summer. It's like there is nothing to do but walk around without aim like the transient population does.

Granted, if you live downtown, then there is a bit more because that is your neighbourhood 365 days a week and so you make do. But what incentive is there for someone to drive from - say the areas around Stanley Park or Homer Watson? Nothing at all, unless they are running to the market or there is some one-off event going on.

(01-09-2020, 12:19 PM)ac3r Wrote: I work as an architect in Waterloo Region but I just cannot live here, because for someone like me, there is very little to do. I stay in Toronto where I have more friends, where I can visit architecture conferences, I can go to art galleries, I can see music by the most obscure noise band that bangs on tin cans or pop music, I can go to a dozen niche, indie cinemas, I can go to a plethora of restaurants, bars, I can see the water, I can go to the bluffs. There is always something to do. Kitchener-Waterloo? I come here to work and once a month, check out the new art exhibits.

(01-09-2020, 12:19 PM)ac3r Wrote:

(01-07-2020, 08:04 AM)Spokes Wrote: I think a lot of people still think that way

It still has that reputation...but I feel now it's more so because there is still just really no reason to go downtown. There are very few shops that offer anything you can't get elsewhere in the city. There isn't even a grocery store. There is a pretty meh farmers market once a week. There is no "nightlife". In fact there is almost no street activity past 8PM in the summer. It's like there is nothing to do but walk around without aim like the transient population does.

Granted, if you live downtown, then there is a bit more because that is your neighbourhood 365 days a week and so you make do. But what incentive is there for someone to drive from - say the areas around Stanley Park or Homer Watson? Nothing at all, unless they are running to the market or there is some one-off event going on.

I work as an architect in Waterloo Region but I just cannot live here, because for someone like me, there is very little to do. I stay in Toronto where I have more friends, where I can visit architecture conferences, I can go to art galleries, I can see music by the most obscure noise band that bangs on tin cans or pop music, I can go to a dozen niche, indie cinemas, I can go to a plethora of restaurants, bars, I can see the water, I can go to the bluffs. There is always something to do. Kitchener-Waterloo? I come here to work and once a month, check out the new art exhibits.

Waterloo Region has done almost nothing to improve the downtown cores here. You can't just plop down an expensive mass transit line and hope condo developers start making condos and that ground level shopping is going to be enough to make people care. There is more to a city than shopping, and easily getting from shop to shop.

(01-09-2020, 12:46 PM)westwardloo Wrote: All great points. Kitchener needs to start reinvesting in arts and culture with a focus point downtown. It's great that we built a theatre 30 years ago. But what has been done since then? The museum is a great addition. I am hoping that there is a large expansion I  the works and possibly a completely new built space for it. I would love to see more small theatre spaces/ concert venue.