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460 Columbia St W | 12 + 12 + 12 fl | U/C
#1
460 Columbia St. W.
Developer: Lexington Park
https://www.waterloochronicle.ca/news-st...-waterloo/
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#2
Does anyone know where the site plan for this is? My suspicion is that this will be terrible, with zero street interaction. I guess it doesn't matter, as its next door neighbour is a parking lot, and the backlotted townhomes across the street have ruined any possibility of Columbia West being anything but utterly unpleasant. But hopefully the buildings aren't situated such that any walk to the bus is 100+ metres longer than needed. I bet, though...
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#3
When the person says that rentals would “detract from the ownership feel of the area”, does he mean that rentals would attract less well-off people, possibly including immigrants? Or something else?
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#4
I assume that's what that means, more-or-less. It's possible he doesn't really know himself, exactly.

By the way, I agree with your comment in the General Suburban Updates thread: a single podium is what is needed, with minimal setback from Columbia. And I don't see why it shouldn't be realistic.

Your other suggestion, that a tower be built atop commercial at the corner of Fischer-Hallman instead of the terrible parking lot with single-story commercial behind, is also good, but sadly probably less realistic.

It will probably be crap. The neighbours are right to complain, but are complaining for the wrong reasons.

Edit: I realise I'm making these comments based entirely on speculation. It's definitely possible that the site plan will show an extremely sensible development.
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#5
(07-26-2019, 12:28 PM)ijmorlan Wrote: When the person says that rentals would “detract from the ownership feel of the area”, does he mean that rentals would attract less well-off people, possibly including immigrants? Or something else?

Also students, I think there is a fear of students.

And honestly, single purpose housing (which I don't think this is) is not ideal. But the general way in which people (certain people) look down on renting is rather offensive....I don't know how to fix that...besides maybe a nice housing crisis though.
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#6
The housing bubble bursting in the States certainly made a lot of people more amenable to renting. Perhaps it will do the same year.

What do you mean by "single purpose housing"? This is a residential building; it is not multi-use.
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#7
(07-26-2019, 12:28 PM)ijmorlan Wrote: When the person says that rentals would “detract from the ownership feel of the area”, does he mean that rentals would attract less well-off people, possibly including immigrants? Or something else?

I doubt it's concern about immigrants. Laurelwood already had a reputation (although I'm not sure how factual it is) of being a major concentration point for the Chinese community, both immigrant and native. There might be concern about certain classes of immigrants.
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#8
(07-26-2019, 01:16 PM)MidTowner Wrote: The housing bubble bursting in the States certainly made a lot of people more amenable to renting. Perhaps it will do the same year.

What do you mean by "single purpose housing"? This is a residential building; it is not multi-use.

Single purpose housing is stronger than than non-multi-use. Basically housing that's targeted (and suitable exclusively for) one group of people, say students, or low income individuals.

Sometimes it's necessary (dorms on a campus are obviously only suitable for students, a seniors centre has facilities and support making it targeted for seniors) but most housing in an area should be flexible enough to support anyone who wants to live there, a building like this shouldn't be targeted at students exclusively, for one, any demographic shift may leave a housing problem, for another, concentrating all one group of people in one place leads to other social problems.
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#9
(07-26-2019, 12:28 PM)ijmorlan Wrote: When the person says that rentals would “detract from the ownership feel of the area”, does he mean that rentals would attract less well-off people, possibly including immigrants? Or something else?

I think you've pretty well got it, although that quote is unusually direct - the usual coded language is to refer to proposed developments as  "changing the character of the neighbourhood".  It doesn't have to be rental apartments - you can get the same thing when townhouses are proposed in an area of SFHs, for example.
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#10
(07-26-2019, 12:28 PM)ijmorlan Wrote: When the person says that rentals would “detract from the ownership feel of the area”, does he mean that rentals would attract less well-off people, possibly including immigrants? Or something else?

It means what you originally thought. No surprise that this is their concern. It's not like Waterloo is an inclusive city to the less fortunate and those with less of a fortune.

Other than that, though, a timely reminder why it's always good to stay up-to-date on zoning.
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#11
Nimby suburbanites out in force.
Rental apartments, 800 bedrooms to have ‘profound impact’ on Waterloo's Laurelwood neighbourhood
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#12
The two buildings that face Columbia Street and are parallel to the street seem pretty good to me. Not sure about the layout/design of the three remaining buildings personally, but the overall location is appropriate for density.
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#13
1.3 parking spaces per unit ... but it's not really urban, so I can accept that.
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#14
WaterFedy architects

3 Buildings, 3 phases.

Each Building 1 or 2 towers (so potentially more than 3 towers), with 3 levels of parking.

Buildings 1 and 3 to have 2-storey townhouses on the main floor. Render seems to show them fronting columbia. Cool.


[Image: 460%20Columbia%20-%20Rendering%203%20201...1-web1.jpg]
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#15
Thanks for sharing. Looks like this is going to be a nice little development.  Great use of materials and colours. Something I am sure a lot of people would have like to see in the university area.
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