11-15-2014, 12:57 PM
Kitchener council to vote Monday on two big apartment plans along LRT route
November 15, 2014 | Waterloo Region Record | Link
November 15, 2014 | Waterloo Region Record | Link
Quote:KITCHENER — Two controversial apartment project plans along the planned LRT route have been modified and return to Kitchener council on Monday with staff recommendations for approval.
On Sept. 15, city council heard objections from neighbouring property owners and deferred considering approval of twin, highrise apartment towers at 100 Victoria St. S., and a smaller building at 100 Walter St. beside King Edward School.
Both projects have been reshaped in an effort to appease neighbouring property owners worried about the height of the buildings. Both also include more units, say city staff reports going to the 7 p.m. council meeting at City Hall, 200 King St. W.
Momentum Development's project on Victoria near King Street started with two residential towers, at 16 and 19 storeys each, including three storeys of retail space at the base. The revamped plan now has towers of 17 and 21 storeys, and moves the buildings away from an abutting property line along Arthur Place. The number of residential units has increased from 276 to 306, while the commercial space was reduced.
The minimum setback from Arthur Place was originally 1.1 metres. Now it's 12 metres.
Lakeshore group also plans an apartment tower on the abutting Arthur Street property. It sent a letter to the council meeting, asking that Momentum's project be put on hold until the city develops comprehensive "tower separation guidelines" that both it and Momentum must follow.
City staff recommend the revamped Momentum project be approved now, after reviewing tower separation guideline in other similar-sized cities.
Vanguard Developments now wants to build a five-storey, 34-unit building in a century-old neighbourhood of two-storey homes on Walter Street. The previous proposal called for a six-storey building with 31 larger apartments.
City staff recommend approval for Vanguard's plan as well, even though zoning for the area only allows a three-storey building.
Both projects are within walking distance of the planned light rail transit line along King Street through that area of Kitchener.