General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours

[Acitta]

No clue, but I've heard talk that Giant Tiger may be opening in the now closed Walmart at Stanley Park Mall. Perhaps there's something happening at the existing one if soil samples were being taken and Giant Tiger indeed has plans to move over to Stanley Park Mall, which would be a much more lucrative location.

Both the Kitchener and Waterloo locations are not close to Stanley Park Mall. If one of those should close, it would be inconvenient for those who live nearby who regularly shop there.

[Lebronj23]

A decent sized parcel for sale at the corner of Weber and Cedar. 103 Weber st E

https://www.loopnet.ca/Listing/103-Weber.../24130844/

[ac3r]

That's been for sale for quite some time. A lot of people in the community are sad about it because those old row houses risk being demolished.

[Joedelay Highhoe]

It's also sad because all of the buildings on that block likely constitute "affordable housing," which any new development would certainly not.

[Lens]

It's also sad because all of the buildings on that block likely constitute "affordable housing," which any new development would certainly not.

They absolutely do. They're all rental units, some with multiple dwellings, it's a nice vibe and the laneway is great as well. It'll be a shame to lose the whole block. The parcel is almost too large to be sandwiched in a residential area, if you ask me.

[ac3r]

NIMBYs who totally want to see intensification, density and have new neighbours in the neighbourhood successfully prevent all of that by stopping a modest 4 floor building from being constructed at 234 Frederick Street because it's somehow too much for the area unlike the 16 floor building literally right beside it: https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-...rhood.html

[cherrypark]

Hope the developer is back with a 12-16 story teardown plan with 4x the units... what senseless evaluation of the exact kind of "gentle density" these hypocrites always cite as their preference when it's a tower. I'm sure they would all tell you they are deeply concerned with affordability, too.

[Joedelay Highhoe]

NIMBYs who totally want to see intensification, density and have new neighbours in the neighbourhood successfully prevent all of that by stopping a modest 4 floor building from being constructed at 234 Frederick Street because it's somehow too much for the area unlike the 16 floor building literally right beside it: https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-...rhood.html

Whoever voted "no" on this project should be fired and banned for life from any position of authority.

[bravado]

NIMBYs who totally want to see intensification, density and have new neighbours in the neighbourhood successfully prevent all of that by stopping a modest 4 floor building from being constructed at 234 Frederick Street because it's somehow too much for the area unlike the 16 floor building literally right beside it: https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-...rhood.html

Whoever voted "no" on this project should be fired and banned for life from any position of authority.

If only it was possible to simply educate their children to point the blame correctly at their parents when they're looking for a house or apartment and can't find one. What a damn shame. Whoever wrote that article and chose the photos couldn't have painted it in a worse light.

[Acitta]

NIMBYs who totally want to see intensification, density and have new neighbours in the neighbourhood successfully prevent all of that by stopping a modest 4 floor building from being constructed at 234 Frederick Street because it's somehow too much for the area unlike the 16 floor building literally right beside it: https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-...rhood.html

Looking at satellite view on Google Maps, the space does look tiny. I am sure that the two neighbours behind with the swimming pools are not happy about potentially losing their privacy.

[danbrotherston]

NIMBYs who totally want to see intensification, density and have new neighbours in the neighbourhood successfully prevent all of that by stopping a modest 4 floor building from being constructed at 234 Frederick Street because it's somehow too much for the area unlike the 16 floor building literally right beside it: https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-...rhood.html

Looking at satellite view on Google Maps, the space does look tiny. I am sure that the two neighbours behind with the swimming pools are not happy about potentially losing their privacy.

What privacy! There is ALREADY a 20 story apartment building across the street, you're saying a 4 story building will reduce privacy compared with a 20 story building?! And a 2 meter difference in setback won't change it much anyway. I don't CARE if they're happy about it or not, if they wanted to have an empty lot next to them, they should have BOUGHT that lot...because the idea they should have control over who lives next door to them is offensive.

But people need to stop looking at satellite views because they do not actually explain the experience of being somewhere. I've been in...I dunno...two dozen Dutch homes in the past month (and no, I still haven't managed to rent one :'( ). Not one has been under 3 stories, and most are taller.

The setbacks these homes have from adjoining properties is measured in millimetres, yet while *IN* those back yards, it's hard to even notice nearby buildings. This really isn't the pedophile apocalypse that NIMBYs seem to believe.

[Acitta]

Looking at satellite view on Google Maps, the space does look tiny. I am sure that the two neighbours behind with the swimming pools are not happy about potentially losing their privacy.

What privacy! There is ALREADY a 20 story apartment building across the street, you're saying a 4 story building will reduce privacy compared with a 20 story building?! And a 2 meter difference in setback won't change it much anyway. I don't CARE if they're happy about it or not, if they wanted to have an empty lot next to them, they should have BOUGHT that lot...because the idea they should have control over who lives next door to them is offensive.

But people need to stop looking at satellite views because they do not actually explain the experience of being somewhere. I've been in...I dunno...two dozen Dutch homes in the past month (and no, I still haven't managed to rent one :'( ). Not one has been under 3 stories, and most are taller.

The setbacks these homes have from adjoining properties is measured in millimetres, yet while *IN* those back yards, it's hard to even notice nearby buildings. This really isn't the pedophile apocalypse that NIMBYs seem to believe.

The 20-story building doesn't overlook the two properties with the pools. It overlooks a low rise apartment building. I am not saying I care about them. I was just pointing it out. It is a small site, and it seems to me that there would be not much space between the building and the other properties, which would probably concern the homeowners.

[danbrotherston]

What privacy! There is ALREADY a 20 story apartment building across the street, you're saying a 4 story building will reduce privacy compared with a 20 story building?! And a 2 meter difference in setback won't change it much anyway. I don't CARE if they're happy about it or not, if they wanted to have an empty lot next to them, they should have BOUGHT that lot...because the idea they should have control over who lives next door to them is offensive.

But people need to stop looking at satellite views because they do not actually explain the experience of being somewhere. I've been in...I dunno...two dozen Dutch homes in the past month (and no, I still haven't managed to rent one :'( ). Not one has been under 3 stories, and most are taller.

The setbacks these homes have from adjoining properties is measured in millimetres, yet while *IN* those back yards, it's hard to even notice nearby buildings. This really isn't the pedophile apocalypse that NIMBYs seem to believe.

The 20-story building doesn't overlook the two properties with the pools. It overlooks a low rise apartment building. I am not saying I care about them. I was just pointing it out. It is a small site, and it seems to me that there would be not much space between the building and the other properties, which would probably concern the homeowners.

If you define "overlook" as "is immediately adjacent to"...

I define "overlook" as "to look over, by being above and proximate"...at which point the building absolutely looks over or..."overlooks" the homes with the pools, as well as many other homes in the area.

By even by your definition, the apartment building also overlooks two single family homes. I'm also not sure why "overlooking" an apartment building (which has a dozen households living in it is better than overlooking a single family home with one).

It's not a small site, the site is in fact, almost as large as the site with the apartment building on it. The only reason there is any constraints is because they are retaining the existing buildings...which we all know if they planned demolishing is something that these very same people would oppose.

As for "there isn't much space", that isn't even true. Last time I saw the plans (which I admit, I cannot find again to confirm) there was a driveway between the building and the property line. There's actually quite a bit of buffer, again, even by Kitchener standards, that's still a reasonable buffer, and like I said, I haven't been to a property even half that far from it's neighbouring property.

Edit: For bonus points, since you mention the mid rise apartment building next door, that building is almost (one story shorter) the same size, scale, and proximity to the adjacent homes, again, I haven't seen the plans, but it might actually be closer to the adjacent homes. It's funny because we don't even notice that building, and yet this tantrum is being thrown over a very similar building.

You know, I though "fired is a bit much" for anyone who voted against the development, but I'm rethinking my position, you're absolutely right, that is the proper response.

[Lebronj23]

A recent staff report for the Kitchener business plan update indicated they plan to bring one City owned property to market in 2022

https://lf.kitchener.ca/WebLinkExt/DocVi...bid=0&cr=1

[Lebronj23]

Whoah 44 storeys proposed at 88 Queen st South. Do you think this is IN8s TEK tower 2?

https://app2.kitchener.ca/appdocs/openda...e_Plan.csv

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