+- Waterloo Region Connected (https://www.waterlooregionconnected.com)
+-- Forum: Land Development and Real Estate (https://www.waterlooregionconnected.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=4)
+--- Forum: Urban Areas (https://www.waterlooregionconnected.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=5)
+--- Thread: American Block Redevelopment | 3 fl | U/C (/showthread.php?tid=488)
RE: American Block Redevelopment | 3 fl | U/C - mastermind - 11-10-2020
(11-09-2020, 01:43 PM)taylortbb Wrote:(11-09-2020, 01:25 PM)mastermind Wrote: On post #168 and 169 in this thread you can see they had a row of yellow posts holding up some little steel beams, I assumed for some sort of sign/canopy. Those are now gone. I thought they were new so I went to google maps and looked back in time and they never used to be there. Seems a lot of effort to knock out those bricks and put in steel beams just to change your mind...
I don't believe they were ever for a sign/canopy. The steel beams (and their yellow support posts) were to support the building while the brick walls of the ground floor were demolished and rebuilt with huge windows. Now that they've served their purpose they're gone.
Ahh thanks, that makes way more sense.
RE: American Block Redevelopment | 3 fl | U/C - white_brian - 11-25-2020
OMG there is working happening at the Timmies right now.
They are installing the frame work for the glass on the Queen St. Side
RE: American Block Redevelopment | 3 fl | U/C - taylortbb - 11-25-2020
RE: American Block Redevelopment | 3 fl | U/C - panamaniac - 11-25-2020
One can understand why they might not be in a hurry to get the work finished ...
In any event, that portion of the building, and the streetscape, will look much better.
RE: American Block Redevelopment | 3 fl | U/C - dtkvictim - 11-25-2020
Yeah, it's a shame the whole building along King isn't included. I think it looks great so far, but that most recent photo has me concerned that the ground floor facade will have that awful faux-brick Tim Hortons look. Does Tims ever attempt to blend in with the host building? Starbucks is usually pretty good about that, but I can't think of any Tims that do it.
RE: American Block Redevelopment | 3 fl | U/C - ac3r - 11-25-2020
I would love to see the original colour of the brick restored on the entire building, rather than the random paint colours. It's too bad one of the units has the cheap stucco façade instead of the brick as well, but overall it's good to see this thing get fixed up a bit.
RE: American Block Redevelopment | 3 fl | U/C - Lens - 11-25-2020
Originally this portion of the building was going to be sandblasted back to original but they cheaped out and just painted over the white with more white and black. These buildings are split up so weirdly, which you can kind of see at the back where the little house is. The rest of the block is owned by the same folks that own Party Town so don't expect anything there.
RE: American Block Redevelopment | 3 fl | U/C - tomh009 - 11-25-2020
(11-25-2020, 05:43 PM)Lens Wrote: Originally this portion of the building was going to be sandblasted back to original but they cheaped out and just painted over the white with more white and black.
You have confirmed that it was done purely for cost reasons ("cheaped out")? The brick is in good enough condition to be exposed? Some buildings the brick has deteriorated badly enough that removing the paint would result in an unsightly wall surface.
P.S. You wouldn't want to sandblast century-old brick as it would remove the "skin" of the brick leaving it open to rapid deterioration. The paint needs to be removed by gentler methods, either chemically or possibly by soda blasting (essentially using baking soda, which is far softer).
RE: American Block Redevelopment | 3 fl | U/C - Coke6pk - 11-26-2020
(11-25-2020, 03:06 PM)dtkvictim Wrote: Yeah, it's a shame the whole building along King isn't included. I think it looks great so far, but that most recent photo has me concerned that the ground floor facade will have that awful faux-brick Tim Hortons look. Does Tims ever attempt to blend in with the host building? Starbucks is usually pretty good about that, but I can't think of any Tims that do it.
Not many example, no.... but they have redesigned their "signature building" to fit in neighbourhoods where there is opposition.
St. Jacobs
(Now closed) Frederick/Lancaster
Brampton
Vancouver
Coke
RE: American Block Redevelopment | 3 fl | U/C - panamaniac - 11-26-2020
(11-25-2020, 05:43 PM)Lens Wrote: Originally this portion of the building was going to be sandblasted back to original but they cheaped out and just painted over the white with more white and black. These buildings are split up so weirdly, which you can kind of see at the back where the little house is. The rest of the block is owned by the same folks that own Party Town so don't expect anything there.
I have vague recollections of this building, or part of it, being sandblasted in the past (1970s?) Am I wrong? In my mind, it was once painted kind of a beige colour, but maybe I'm trippin'. If it was previously sandblasted, I wouldn't expect the new paint to adhere very well.
RE: American Block Redevelopment | 3 fl | U/C - kitborn - 02-25-2021
Goudies Lane side now being redone.
RE: American Block Redevelopment | 3 fl | U/C - tomh009 - 04-18-2021
Vive now has a building permit for creating a rooftop patio. Maybe this can take the place of the stillborn Mayfair patio restaurant?
RE: American Block Redevelopment | 3 fl | U/C - taylortbb - 04-18-2021
(04-18-2021, 07:09 PM)tomh009 Wrote: Vive now has a building permit for creating a rooftop patio. Maybe this can take the place of the stillborn Mayfair patio restaurant?
Sadly it's probably for the offices. Rooftop patios have been a popular amenity in DTK, Square, Faire, and Google all have them.
RE: American Block Redevelopment | 3 fl | U/C - jeffster - 04-18-2021
Is Hortons still going there? I noticed that the signage is gone.
RE: American Block Redevelopment | 3 fl | U/C - Joedelay Highhoe - 04-19-2021
(04-18-2021, 08:40 PM)taylortbb Wrote:(04-18-2021, 07:09 PM)tomh009 Wrote: Vive now has a building permit for creating a rooftop patio. Maybe this can take the place of the stillborn Mayfair patio restaurant?
Sadly it's probably for the offices. Rooftop patios have been a popular amenity in DTK, Square, Faire, and Google all have them.
Also Vidyard and D2L, but I don't think the new google building or breithaupt block has a rooftop patio.