General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours

[panamaniac]

Am I correct in thinking that the original bit is the original Schneiders? I'd think "heritage" but Scheiders abandoned us so screw them.

[ZEBuilder]

63 Courtland East is boarded up. I wonder if they're selling this. It's a big property and could host a large development.A number of houses next to it have also been demolished.

The houses that are demolished towards Benton are for 45 Courtland East which is Cantiro's next project, they're currently doing 900 King W.

The issue with anything large on this property is there's no close precedence for height (yet...), the property as is is SGA 2, so you could put a midrise in similar to 45 Courtland, anything taller would need a ZBA/OPA and city planners have been rather stubborn on letting ZBA/OPAs go through when they're massively different then growing together. The one exception was Vives project at the old CTV building but that also was primarly related to phasing not going against the bylaw.

[tomh009]

Am I correct in thinking that the original bit is the original Schneiders?  I'd think "heritage" but Scheiders abandoned us so screw them.

That's correct. Schneiders was located there until they built (the first part of) their new factory further down Courtland.

It is a non-designated heritage property. No building or demolition permits showing in the system.

[Lebronj23]

I’m not sure if this has been posted already but seeing an application for 924 king street west. 28 storey mixed use development. No renders or documents yet

https://experience.arcgis.com/experience..._art-small

[ZEBuilder]

I’m not sure if this has been posted already but seeing an application for 924 king street west. 28 storey mixed use development. No renders or documents yet

https://experience.arcgis.com/experience..._art-small

This was lobbied by GSP during Growing Together. At that point it was a 30 floor building so it's actually shrunk from what they were initially thinking.

[Kodra24]

I’m not sure if this has been posted already but seeing an application for 924 king street west. 28 storey mixed use development. No renders or documents yet

https://experience.arcgis.com/experience..._art-small

This was lobbied by GSP during Growing Together. At that point it was a 30 floor building so it's actually shrunk from what they were initially thinking.

Yup, 28 storeys is the max height for SGA3 which is still quite the difference from SGA2 (8 storeys)

With the low rise detached homes on Mary Street backing onto this development I wonder how the City will approach this particular development

[Momo26]

I cannot view it. Where are these proposed to be built? Is there a thread?

https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-...12db2.html

[ZEBuilder]

I cannot view it. Where are these proposed to be built? Is there a thread?

https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-...12db2.html

Here's the thread:

https://www.waterlooregionconnected.com/...p?tid=1910

[Acitta]

Opinion | Kitchener has opportunity to set example for other downtowns
It is time for a collaborative solution to issues facing downtown Kitchener, writes the chief executive officer of The Museum.

[plam]

Opinion | Kitchener has opportunity to set example for other downtowns
It is time for a collaborative solution to issues facing downtown Kitchener, writes the chief executive officer of The Museum.

In general, sure, but:

In addition, city and regional councils and all businesses must bring their staff back to work downtown to help the local economy.

Nah.

[ac3r]

In general, sure, but:

In addition, city and regional councils and all businesses must bring their staff back to work downtown to help the local economy.

Nah.

Huh...why would you be opposed to having businesses and jobs downtown?

[westwardloo]

Bringing business back into the downtown would be huge for kitchener. Unfortunately there are a couple things working against us, the city of Waterloo undermines every effort for urban office space and some company's/ people are clinging onto work from home for as long as possible.

[plam]

In general, sure, but:


Nah.

Huh...why would you be opposed to having businesses and jobs downtown?

Because it is a fundamentally pro-CEO thing to say that workers have none of the power and they have to work downtown because the boss says so. It is not the responsibility of workers to make sure that the businesses that were built to serve the lunch crowd can continue to operate. Creative destruction means that you have to change your business model sometimes. And it is much better for people in general to have flexibility about when they are working in the office.

[danbrotherston]

Lets add Shopify to the do not buy list: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business...ng-choice/

I sure would like to know what magical "de-escalation" and much better "alternatives" these folks are thinking of.

[tomh009]

Because it is a fundamentally pro-CEO thing to say that workers have none of the power and they have to work downtown because the boss says so. It is not the responsibility of workers to make sure that the businesses that were built to serve the lunch crowd can continue to operate. Creative destruction means that you have to change your business model sometimes. And it is much better for people in general to have flexibility about when they are working in the office.

Ultimately, the company offers a job to a potential employee, with certain compensation and certain working conditions (which have traditionally involved working in the office). The potential employee then has the ability to decide whether to accept or not. Once employment has started, if the working conditions change (or don't change) or compensation changes (or doesn't change), the employee is able to resign at any time, with no financial consequences (the employer can also terminate but is bound by labour law and common law to provide termination/separation pay in most cases).

So, if the company decides that work needs to be in the office three, four or five days a week, they are able to leave, either individually or en masse. The employer can weigh this risk in balance with whatever benefits they expect to get from working in the office.

That's just reality, not pro-CEO or pro-worker.