General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours

[neonjoe]

I'm afraid that even then it won't be enough, judging from other urban examples. We are going from 0 buildings to 1 (Kaufman) to 3 (Kaufman+One Victoria+City Centre) so while the increase sounds like a lot, density is still extremely low in that area as far as downtown urban districts are concerned. We will need the other City Centre tower as well as the two towers in One Hundred Victoria before we start seeing critical mass. The transit hub will help a lot as the fact that a trip to downtown will be a breeze away when the LRT is in place. Then we'll see a clear pickup.

This brings up my biggest issue with the LRT - "a trip downtown is a breeze away when the LRT is in place"  ... for who??  Maybe a few folks who happen to live around the line, but not for most residents of the city (and by most I mean everyone in Wards 1, 2, 6, 7, and 8).  I understand the planning rationale for creating a corridor that induces development (and a long-term shift in population from the suburbs to condos along that corridor), but I really wish the LRT as more useful for more existing residents - meaning it had lines that extended out into the existing suburbs to the east and west and made it easy for people to come downtown as a destination.  I get it - that was way out of the budget - but presently I have a hard time seeing how the LRT would help me get anywhere I want to go (have you ever found yourself on King street saying "gee, I really wish I could hope on a train and get to uptown waterloo?")  ... most of the city's residents (again, everyone in Ward 1, 2, 6, 7, and 8) live outside walking distance from the LRT, which means they will have to keep driving everywhere they want to go.   

Since the province is now providing 100% funding for this sort of thing we should be lobbying for a Phase II LRT that adds loops from the outer areas into the core to augment the main line!

So 550 King E. is all dug up. It was a parking lot across from Morris car wash. I zoomed my camera in on the paperwork posted at the gate and it said "Copper Bay Homes".

In fill developer apparently. Can't find any permits for a project though.

Tony Rakic also built these infill suburban looking homes on George St in Waterloo
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.4615307,...384!8i8192

[DK519]

There has been a few people in there working lately. It's not really clear exactly what they're doing but by the looks of things that will remain a store.

AIM clinic will be demolished. Tenants have until July 1 to vacate. The house at the other end of the parking lot will be demolished in a few months. They were all advised a few months ago. At one point it was Woodhouse Group that was involved, but nobody is sure if it is still them. Permits are “in process”. 

And sorry - thought this was about the aim clinic parking lot which is also being excavated ….but no w you know.

Wow, that's interesting. Excited to see what ends up happening here.

[KaiserWilhelmsBust]

So 550 King E. is all dug up. It was a parking lot across from Morris car wash. I zoomed my camera in on the paperwork posted at the gate and it said "Copper Bay Homes".

In fill developer apparently. Can't find any permits for a project though.

Rakic does great work. Responsible for Revive on Erb and many many semi/triplex type infills. This should be a great project.

[KaiserWilhelmsBust]

Mayor/Council had an announcing at KPL today. Conestoga is opening a "School of Creative Industries" in Downtown Kitchener. Conestoga mentioned enrolling 3,000 students/year. CoK mentioned up to a $15million donation, as well as the potential for CoK lands going to the college to build facilities

[panamaniac]

Mayor/Council had an announcing at KPL today. Conestoga is opening a "School of Creative Industries" in Downtown Kitchener. Conestoga mentioned enrolling 3,000 students/year. CoK mentioned up to a $15million donation, as well as the potential for CoK lands going to the college to build facilities

Good news.  To be located in Market Square, or elsewhere?

[Lebronj23]

I think yes taking over more space in market square

Hopefully they take over the entire space since it’s so dead, also I hope they re-clad the outside and changed the green paint and green glass

https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Fww...ampus.html

[CedarHillAlum]

I think yes taking over more space in market square

Hopefully they take over the entire space since it’s so dead, also I hope they re-clad the outside and changed the green paint and green glass

https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Fww...ampus.html

I'm not sure this would be located in Market Square; the article in The Record mentions that the City of Kitchener owns several pieces of land that are part of the discussion. The City doesn't own Market Square.

[tomh009]

I don't think they can do 3,000 MORE students in Market Square alone. And they do mention building more -- although what city lands they might be thinking of, I really don't know. I can't think of any substantial city-owned properties (other than parks or in-use buildings) in DTK that would make sense.

[taylortbb]

I don't think they can do 3,000 MORE students in Market Square alone. And they do mention building more -- although what city lands they might be thinking of, I really don't know. I can't think of any substantial city-owned properties (other than parks or in-use buildings) in DTK that would make sense.

I believe they've always said 3000 in Market Square, so if it's 3000 total that works, but if it's 3000 more you're right that's probably too many.

The city does own lots of parking lots though that would be reasonable properties for the college to build on. I'd think in the current real estate market they might look to partner with a private developer for condos above though.

[ac3r]

3000 was indeed always the goal at Market Square. It couldn't handle an additional 3000, but 3000 is would be no problem. It's bigger than you'd imagine.

[panamaniac]

I don't think they can do 3,000 MORE students in Market Square alone. And they do mention building more -- although what city lands they might be thinking of, I really don't know. I can't think of any substantial city-owned properties (other than parks or in-use buildings) in DTK that would make sense.

The 44 Gaukel property?

[ac3r]

44 Gaukel is already occupied by ArtsBuild Ontario and Accelerator Centre, where they rent out studio space to artists/creatives and rent out venue space for creative projects. I couldn't see them shutting that down just so Conestoga can expand when it's one of the few arts spaces in the region. It's a small building as well, so you couldn't host that many students there.

That said, yeah I don't know where they could expand if they were thinking of adding another 3000 students. City of Kitchener doesn't have a whole lot of properties downtown. However that article doesn't actually state any further expansion apart from the former Market Square complex. It's just talking about the 3000 they had always planned on, while mentioning that before they decided upon that, they had plans for expansion. I think all that means was that they were planning on expanding and that property suited their needs. If they did expand, maybe they'd take over some Region of Waterloo space? There's 20 Weber East (the old courthouse) which I don't think is being used for much at the moment. And once WRPS moves up the street to the other old courthouse, their current building will also become free (assuming they plan on moving Division 1 over to 200 Frederick). There's also that office tower at 235 King East which houses RoW Community Services although I'm not sure if the region owns that entire building or just leases some space there.

[taylortbb]

There's 20 Weber East (the old courthouse) which I don't think is being used for much at the moment. And once WRPS moves up the street to the other old courthouse, their current building will also become free (assuming they plan on moving Division 1 over to 200 Frederick). There's also that office tower at 235 King East which houses RoW Community Services although I'm not sure if the region owns that entire building or just leases some space there.

I think 20 Weber E is pretty full with RoW staff. I think the old WRPS building will be available soon though.

235 King E is owned by Europro, the region is just a tenant. Until TriOS relocated there my understanding is that the upper floors were totally empty, so there's probably lots of space available. Conestoga College is already leasing from Europro for Market Square. I'd think 22 Frederick would be the first expansion choice if we're talking Europro space though, it has a few empty floors and is connected by bridge to Market Square.

[tomh009]

44 Gaukel is already occupied by ArtsBuild Ontario and Accelerator Centre, where they rent out studio space to artists/creatives and rent out venue space for creative projects. I couldn't see them shutting that down just so Conestoga can expand when it's one of the few arts spaces in the region. It's a small building as well, so you couldn't host that many students there.

"Creative industries" would actually be a good fit with ArtsBuild. And that property is mostly a parking lot, the building occupies only about a sixth of it. Add a 10-15-storey building on that property with space for the college, connect it to the existing building, and use the top floors of the new building for apartments, office space or a hotel.

[tomh009]

I think 20 Weber E is pretty full with RoW staff. I think the old WRPS building will be available soon though.

They were specifically talking about city-owned properties in the article, not regional ones.