/ Create an account
Welcome Guest!
In order to take advantage of all the great features that Waterloo Region Connected has to offer, including participating in the lively discussions below, you're going to have to register. The good news is that it'll take less than a minute and you can get started enjoying Waterloo Region's best online community right away.
or Create an Account

  Register

Waterloo Region Connected  /  Land Development and Real Estate  /  Suburbs v  /  Fairview Park Mall - Grand Market District


Thread Rating:
  • 1 Vote(s) - 5 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Fairview Park Mall - Grand Market District
panamaniac Offline
Posting Freak
*****
Posts: 6,692
Threads: 38
Joined: Aug 2014
Reputation: 118
#76
11-07-2018, 10:50 PM
(11-07-2018, 10:37 PM)Pheidippides Wrote: This committee seems to be out of control.

Is there higher body "OMB for heritage" that these decisions can be appealed to?

The Heritage Committee only makes recommendations.  It's City Council that takes decisions.  Or am I mistaken?
Find
Reply


tomh009 Offline
Posting fiend & fiendish mod
******
Posts: 10,829
Threads: 67
Joined: Sep 2014
Reputation: 392
#77
11-08-2018, 01:38 AM
(11-07-2018, 10:50 PM)panamaniac Wrote:
(11-07-2018, 10:37 PM)Pheidippides Wrote: This committee seems to be out of control.

Is there higher body "OMB for heritage" that these decisions can be appealed to?

The Heritage Committee only makes recommendations.  It's City Council that takes decisions.  Or am I mistaken?

You are exactly correct.
Find
Reply
Spokes Offline
Administrator
*******
Posts: 4,937
Threads: 155
Joined: Aug 2014
Reputation: 128
#78
11-20-2018, 12:01 AM
Did I see that the Sears facade is going to Council tonight?
Find
Reply
Spokes Offline
Administrator
*******
Posts: 4,937
Threads: 155
Joined: Aug 2014
Reputation: 128
#79
11-20-2018, 09:54 AM
Quote:Council voted 7-3 Monday against protecting the distinctive concrete facade of the Sears building with a heritage designation.

Building owner Cadillac Fairview wants to demolish the facade and part of the building in a major redevelopment of Fairview Park mall. Finley McEwen, Cadillac Fairview's senior vice president of development, urged council not to designate the building. The 53-year-old Sears building, with its distinctive facade of ribbed, precast concrete, was built in the Kennedy-era International style and is locally unique.

The heritage designation "would essentially render the property undevelopable," McEwen said. "It would essentially tie our hand and prevent a one-in-50-year redevelopment opportunity from progressing."
https://www.therecord.com/news-story/904...-building/


Looks like things are good to move forward here.
Find
Reply
tomh009 Offline
Posting fiend & fiendish mod
******
Posts: 10,829
Threads: 67
Joined: Sep 2014
Reputation: 392
#80
11-20-2018, 10:32 AM
Now, if it had been yet another 100-year-old house, I think the vote would have gone the other way.
Find
Reply
Spokes Offline
Administrator
*******
Posts: 4,937
Threads: 155
Joined: Aug 2014
Reputation: 128
#81
11-20-2018, 11:13 AM
I'm curious how much of this came down to what's there currently vs what will be there in the future. Rather than simply letting the heritage value of the facade be the sole decision.
Find
Reply
panamaniac Offline
Posting Freak
*****
Posts: 6,692
Threads: 38
Joined: Aug 2014
Reputation: 118
#82
11-20-2018, 11:59 AM
(11-20-2018, 11:13 AM)Spokes Wrote: I'm curious how much of this came down to what's there currently vs what will be there in the future.   Rather than simply letting the heritage value of the facade be the sole decision.

I'm sure the redevelopment issue would have been top of mind, although it's interesting to wonder if it really needed to be an either/or matter.
Find
Reply


jeffster Offline
Mayor of Legoville
*****
Posts: 2,893
Threads: 3
Joined: Mar 2015
Reputation: 99
#83
11-20-2018, 05:28 PM
(11-20-2018, 11:13 AM)Spokes Wrote: I'm curious how much of this came down to what's there currently vs what will be there in the future.   Rather than simply letting the heritage value of the facade be the sole decision.

I think it's a little bit of both -- the investment going into the mall, and questionable heritage value and almost no historical in a strictly retail area of town.

When it came to the old Sears building, it always had a 'big city' feel to it, like something you'd see in Toronto -- yet at the same time, it was something that also looked dated, as in something you'd see in Toronto getting a facelift.

I am hoping that CF can do something about that Wal*Mart building, it's in rough shape, reminds me of the ghetto's in parts of Michigan and Florida.
Find
Reply
Spokes Offline
Administrator
*******
Posts: 4,937
Threads: 155
Joined: Aug 2014
Reputation: 128
#84
11-20-2018, 07:33 PM
I'm shocked Walmart has let it get that bad. I was at the mall a few weeks ago and it looks BAD
Find
Reply
jeffster Offline
Mayor of Legoville
*****
Posts: 2,893
Threads: 3
Joined: Mar 2015
Reputation: 99
#85
11-20-2018, 07:49 PM
(11-20-2018, 07:33 PM)Spokes Wrote: I'm shocked Walmart has let it get that bad. I was at the mall a few weeks ago and it looks BAD

What I don't know is this: Is that Wal*Mart a 'stand alone' store, even though it's attached to the mall? Or is it owned by CF? And who figures out who fixes what if it is owned by CF? And yeah, shocking that they'd let the state of repair get so bad, it looks like it's been through a civil war or something.
Find
Reply
KevinL Offline
Posting Freak
*****
Posts: 4,594
Threads: 16
Joined: Aug 2014
Reputation: 150
#86
11-20-2018, 08:40 PM
Walmart owns their building, CF has no responsibility for it.

But I understand a renovation is in the pipeline.
Find
Reply
Spokes Offline
Administrator
*******
Posts: 4,937
Threads: 155
Joined: Aug 2014
Reputation: 128
#87
11-20-2018, 11:00 PM
I assumed they leased it but had some responsibility when it came to upkeep. Im surprised they own it themselves.
Find
Reply
jeffster Offline
Mayor of Legoville
*****
Posts: 2,893
Threads: 3
Joined: Mar 2015
Reputation: 99
#88
11-27-2018, 11:14 PM
(11-20-2018, 08:40 PM)KevinL Wrote: Walmart owns their building, CF has no responsibility for it.

But I understand a renovation is in the pipeline.

You were correct, I saw them fixing the outside just the other day. Hopefully it looks good in a week or two.
Find
Reply


MacBerry Offline
Senior Member
****
Posts: 519
Threads: 1
Joined: Sep 2014
Reputation: 20
#89
11-27-2018, 11:21 PM
(11-27-2018, 11:14 PM)jeffster Wrote:
(11-20-2018, 08:40 PM)KevinL Wrote: Walmart owns their building, CF has no responsibility for it.

But I understand a renovation is in the pipeline.

You were correct, I saw them fixing the outside just the other day. Hopefully it looks good in a week or two.

The #WallieMart building should have been "decommissioned" and replaced 10 years ago ... maybe the wildly strange Heritage Committee and wildly strange members and wanna-be heritage committee members will designate it as an "historical box".
Find
Reply
panamaniac Offline
Posting Freak
*****
Posts: 6,692
Threads: 38
Joined: Aug 2014
Reputation: 118
#90
11-28-2018, 12:18 AM
People gotta get over the Heritage Committee doing exactly what it is mandated to do ....
Find
Reply
« Next Oldest | Next Newest »



Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)

About Waterloo Region Connected

Launched in August 2014, Waterloo Region Connected is an online community that brings together all the things that make Waterloo Region great. Waterloo Region Connected provides user-driven content fueled by a lively discussion forum covering topics like urban development, transportation projects, heritage issues, businesses and other issues of interest to those in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and the four Townships - North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot, and Woolwich.

              Quick Links

              User Links