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General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours
(03-21-2015, 11:05 PM)BuildingScout Wrote: What do we gain by unnecessarily antagonizing developers to protect ugly structures? Again the heritage committee needs to re-examine it's "protect every odd wart in the city" approach, and focus on things that truly deserve protection.

What we gain is the preservation of some buildings that were normal or fashionable in the era that they were built, but are so far out of the realm of normal now that they are maybe even ugly. If changing tastes can take a building from normal to ugly, they can also take it to interesting. Myself, I prefer an interesting city.
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(03-20-2015, 03:24 PM)BuildingScout Wrote: It was recommended for listing. Search for:

LISTING OF NON-DESIGNATED PROPERTY OF CULTURAL HERITAGE VALUE OR INTEREST ON THE MUNICIPAL HERITAGE REGISTER
December 16, 2009.

Maybe the Heritage committee never approved it. It would make a lot of sense if it didn't, as far as I'm concerned.

The full committee recommendation is here:
http://lf.kitchener.ca/uniquesig0d1d2aa1...Page1.aspx


Quote:130 Victoria Street South is recognized for its design, physical, contextual, historical and

associative values.

The design and physical values relate to the Art Deco architectural style that is in good
condition with many intact original elements. The building features: brick construction;
yellow, black and green vitrolite; and, triangular metal drive-in overhang.

The contextual value relates to the buildings location and design. The building is
located at the corner of Victoria Street South and Bramm Street. The building was
designed for the corner location so that clients could drive in off of one street and exit
on to the opposite street.

But it looks like the council only approved some of the recommended properties.  131 Victoria South is on the current list, while 130 Victoria South is not.
http://www.kitchener.ca/en/insidecityhal...Y_2014.pdf
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(03-22-2015, 01:47 AM)mpd618 Wrote: What we gain is the preservation of some buildings that were normal or fashionable in the era that they were built, but are so far out of the realm of normal now that they are maybe even ugly. If changing tastes can take a building from normal to ugly, they can also take it to interesting. Myself, I prefer an interesting city.

I'm OK with preserving interesting examples of an architectural style even if not considered necessarily pretty, for example the brutalist Court House.

The Heritage Committee on the other hand seems bent on saving every ugly and mediocre example of an architectural style. Don't fool yourself, this doesn't make the city interesting. It makes it ugly and mediocre.
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(03-22-2015, 08:16 AM)BuildingScout Wrote: I'm OK with preserving interesting examples of an architectural style even if not considered necessarily pretty, for example the brutalist Court House.

The Heritage Committee on the other hand seems bent on saving every ugly and mediocre example of an architectural style. Don't fool yourself, this doesn't make the city interesting. It makes it ugly and mediocre.
I'm with BuildingScout on this.  It doesn't need to be beautiful (by today's standards), but at least it needs to be something substantial.  Having been designed by an architect will make this more likely.

A drive-through dry cleaning shop doesn't qualify on those counts, though, and I'm happy that the council turned that one down.
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Knock everything down and soon everything looks the same. If I had the funds, I'd consider including this building as a podium piece in a taller building that referenced the mid-century forms of this building in a taller structure.
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(03-23-2015, 11:15 AM)nms Wrote: Knock everything down and soon everything looks the same.  If I had the funds, I'd consider including this building as a podium piece in a taller building that referenced the mid-century forms of this building in a taller structure.


No one is suggesting that we knock everything down, so this is a red herring.
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So much vitriol over vitriolite.
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Vitrolite - it's funny, I keep wanting to call it "vitriolite".  It just sounds better, somehow.
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Took a ride along King E today near Deer Ridge. I noted a lot of fresh earth moved around across from the TD bank location. It looks like another strip mall may be in progress. It is starting to look like Hespeler Rd JR around this area.
_____________________________________
I used to be the mayor of sim city. I know what I am talking about.
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(03-23-2015, 06:13 PM)Drake Wrote: Took a ride along King E today near Deer Ridge. I noted a lot of fresh earth moved around across from the TD bank location. It looks like another strip mall may be in progress. It is starting to look like Hespeler Rd JR around this area.

Correct.

http://cushwakeretail.com/listings/4195-...chener-on/
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(03-23-2015, 08:56 PM)notmyfriends Wrote:
(03-23-2015, 06:13 PM)Drake Wrote: Took a ride along King E today near Deer Ridge. I noted a lot of fresh earth moved around across from the TD bank location. It looks like another strip mall may be in progress. It is starting to look like Hespeler Rd JR around this area.

Correct.

http://cushwakeretail.com/listings/4195-...chener-on/

Do they have any real planners with future visioning in Cambridge or did the city planners never graduate from a real planning school?  Oh I forgot >>  It's all about the tax revenue so politicians can brag
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Not that I have a high opinion of Cambridge planning, but this one is technically in Kitchener.
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(04-03-2015, 03:49 PM)BrianT Wrote:
(04-03-2015, 11:47 AM)curiouschair Wrote: Not that I have a high opinion of Cambridge planning, but this one is technically in Kitchener.

Hespeler Road is in Cambridge. He was referring to it as comparable to Hespeler Road Jr. Big Grin

Kitchener planners taking lessons from Cabridge planners?  Uh-oh.

That said, I expect that the plan for this area was done a long time ago already ...
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No matter which city we're talking about, I'm not sure why the area in question is being discussed in the 'urban' thread. :/
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No point in blaming us. Sportsworld was big box land long before Deer Ridge was drawn up. Don't forget, the much-lamented Lulu's was originally a Woolco.
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