General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours

[panamaniac]

The Record is reporting that the Schneiders site (27 acres) is up for sale as of this week. It is apparently to be sold as a single block. There will be a public consultation process in the new year.

[insider]

The Record is reporting that the Schneiders site (27 acres) is up for sale as of this week.  It is apparently to be sold as a single block.  There will be a public consultation process in the new year.

Lets make a new thread for this. I've heard there are interested buyers/developers already.

[panamaniac]

The Record is reporting that the Schneiders site (27 acres) is up for sale as of this week.  It is apparently to be sold as a single block.  There will be a public consultation process in the new year.

Lets make a new thread for this. I've heard there are interested buyers/developers already.

I thought about that, but then figured that it might as well wait until there's either a sale or some additional news re the public consultation process.

[Spokes]

I figured why wait, created it anyways

[nms]

It seems that the emphasis in downtown Kitchener is clearly swinging to food and drink, whereas in uptown Waterloo there seems to be more shopping and maybe less food and drink.

Or am I hallucinating?

I'd say that the food options in Uptown Waterloo have been increasing.  There are a number of former retail spaces which have become food places (Abe Erb was one of them).  That being said, I notice that several new retail places have popped up as well in Uptown Waterloo.  It will be interesting to see if Uptown Waterloo can sustain a broadening of its retail footprint both in retail scope and geographic area without spreading things too thinly for the existing, but hopefully growing, customer base.

[panamaniac]

There is some fencing up today in front of the Joseph St façade of the old tanning building behind The Tannery. Anything interesting going on, does anyone know?

[Viewfromthe42]

A new entrance I might expect, to the existing but reconfiguring tenants?

[Square]

Another closing : http://www.therecord.com/news-story/6199...nt-jan-31/

[KevinL]

Another closing :  http://www.therecord.com/news-story/6199...nt-jan-31/

That will be tough on the remaining office workers in the building, but I guess if Stantec is going, so is most of their clientele.

[panamaniac]

When is Stantec due to move?

[tomh009]

Another closing :  http://www.therecord.com/news-story/6199...nt-jan-31/

That will be tough on the remaining office workers in the building, but I guess if Stantec is going, so is most of their clientele.

There are plenty of food options within a couple of blocks of Market Square, though.  Maybe even ones better than McDonalds!

[KevinL]

That will be tough on the remaining office workers in the building, but I guess if Stantec is going, so is most of their clientele.

There are plenty of food options within a couple of blocks of Market Square, though.  Maybe even ones better than McDonalds!

But that would mean (aah) leaving the building!

[panamaniac]

An article from the Record on the Working Centre's renovation of Downtown buildings for supportive, affordable housing, including 256 King E, which formerly housed the Morning Glory Café. Although it is not mentioned in the article, I believe the plan is to have commercial space at ground level in that building. I continue to keep fingers crossed that the work will include the removal of the ugly beige vinyl that covers the original brick façade.

http://www.therecord.com/news-story/6207...call-home/

[panamaniac]

Great news - the building behind the Tannery (195 Joseph) will be restored to house a "global professional services organization". Occupancy mid-2017.

http://www.therecord.com/news-story/6213...-be-saved/

[MidTowner]

Fantastic stuff. I wonder whether, when the article says "will be leased to a tenant with a global brand," that means they have someone in mind, or that's the goal? I'm very curious to see who winds up here.