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+-- 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: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours (/showthread.php?tid=8)
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RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - taylortbb - 03-25-2022
(03-25-2022, 10:37 AM)CP42 Wrote: As far as I know, VanMar (or affiliates) owns 10 Duke St West, but IN8 (Sage parent company) does have property at 10 Duke St East I believe. Perhaps they have a couple of 1 bedrooms above the restaurants there?
Yep, IN8 owns 10 Duke St E. I'd assumed they'd resell it now that their redevelopment of the church property didn't happen, but maybe they're still holding out hope. It definitely appears from the outside to have second floor apartments.
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - Joedelay Highhoe - 03-25-2022
Can confirm: there are apartments above the "food block" on Duke St. E
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - ac3r - 03-25-2022
Thanks for the info. I knew there were apartments as a lot of the buildings downtown have apartments above them, but I didn't know IN8 owned the entire building. I thought they were just renting out the one space for their sales centre. I hope they never plan to knock down 10 Duke down to build one of their ugly condos because that's a really unique old building.
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - taylortbb - 03-25-2022
(03-25-2022, 01:24 PM)ac3r Wrote: Thanks for the info. I knew there were apartments as a lot of the buildings downtown have apartments above them, but I didn't know IN8 owned the entire building. I thought they were just renting out the one space for their sales centre. I hope they never plan to knock down 10 Duke down to build one of their ugly condos because that's a really unique old building.
IN8 was hoping to buy the church behind 10 Duke E, and build DTK2 there. Apparently the DTK parking garage is even designed with knock-out walls where it would connect to the DTK2 parking garage. As a part of that they bought the 10 Duke E property from Vive, but I'm not sure what their plan was for 10 Duke E, whether a knockdown, just keeping the facade, or to leave as-is but join the properties to count it towards their FSR.
In any case, the church refused to sell to IN8 and they're now pursuing their own affordable housing project. I assumed IN8 would just resell 10 Duke E then, as it's not big enough to build anything without the church property, but maybe they're holding out hope.
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - Rainrider22 - 03-25-2022
Maybe they could all get together and do a multi use building. St Peters church has a lot of admin offices and school classroom space. They could tear down that portion and leave the Church itself. Then build an affordable housing portion and tower.... not an expert but there appears to be enough space. Incorporate the façade of the 10 Duke E.
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - panamaniac - 03-25-2022
It seems the church prefers to develop its own project and retain ownership of the land.
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - cherrypark - 03-25-2022
(03-25-2022, 09:05 PM)panamaniac Wrote: It seems the church prefers to develop its own project and retain ownership of the land.
Until IN8 builds anything of better quality than their track record so far in KW, I think I would prefer the church give it a go with someone else.
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - CP42 - 03-28-2022
Correct me if I’m wrong… but Heritage Status doesn’t mean it protects a neighbourhood’s unimpeded view of the horizon does it?
In Kitchener, zoning bylaws and heritage status mean nothing
https://www.therecord.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editors/2022/03/28/in-kitchener-zoning-bylaws-and-heritage-status-mean-nothing.html
“I live in the Victoria Park Heritage Conservation District and we will be getting a 44-storey complex at 40 Francis St. West, and a huge complex at Park and Victoria streets (both looming on the border of our heritage district). I used to live in the Civic Centre Neighbourhood Conservation District and they are getting a 19-storey complex at 22 Weber St.. So it seems to me that the designation is meaningless.”
The opinion writer also suggests (without any proof) “that NIMBYism is being practised by the majority of councillors, who are glad this type of development is not happening next door or around the corner from them.”
I really want to understand how people feel so strongly that they fight to keep an empty parking lot and some old run-down buildings with zero heritage value, versus allowing developments to enable other humans to have a place to call home and build a more vibrant community.
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - danbrotherston - 03-28-2022
(03-28-2022, 05:11 PM)CP42 Wrote: Correct me if I’m wrong… but Heritage Status doesn’t mean it protects a neighbourhood’s unimpeded view of the horizon does it?
In Kitchener, zoning bylaws and heritage status mean nothing
https://www.therecord.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editors/2022/03/28/in-kitchener-zoning-bylaws-and-heritage-status-mean-nothing.html
“I live in the Victoria Park Heritage Conservation District and we will be getting a 44-storey complex at 40 Francis St. West, and a huge complex at Park and Victoria streets (both looming on the border of our heritage district). I used to live in the Civic Centre Neighbourhood Conservation District and they are getting a 19-storey complex at 22 Weber St.. So it seems to me that the designation is meaningless.”
The opinion writer also suggests (without any proof) “that NIMBYism is being practised by the majority of councillors, who are glad this type of development is not happening next door or around the corner from them.”
I really want to understand how people feel so strongly that they fight to keep an empty parking lot and some old run-down buildings with zero heritage value, versus allowing developments to enable other humans to have a place to call home and build a more vibrant community.
People have an unlimited ability to convince themselves of anything if properly motivated.
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - panamaniac - 03-28-2022
As noted previously, they are not arguing for no development. That said, heritage status and view planes are two very different things, istm. The heritage neighbourhood's view plane is in no way protected, afaik.
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - ijmorlan - 03-28-2022
(03-28-2022, 05:14 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: People have an unlimited ability to convince themselves of anything if properly motivated.
My confusion is why they would be so motivated to keep the parking lot.
Maybe the motivation is avoid having a tall building near them. I might just not understand this because I’ve lived for a long time with an 8 story building overlooking my backyard, and 20 story buildings across and just down the street a little ways.
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - Bytor - 04-03-2022
The status quo bias.
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - nms - 04-12-2022
Maybe they haven't attached the shiny pieces yet?
As for the article, it sounds like architecture is like many other industries that exploit the young and/or hungry with the promise of 'experience' and 'exposure' in return for little or no actual pay. I have seen this in both the start-up tech world with the promise of stock options in lieu of an actual salary, 'because we're going to be the next unicorn' and in the creative world, 'because we will make all our money back once we create a bestseller, then we can pay you' Maybe that's a reason why people dream about a side hustle or starting their own firm. If they are going to work for little or no pay, they might as well do it on their own terms.
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - Jefferson - 04-14-2022
Last fall it appeared that soil samples were being taken at 351 Margaret Ave in Kitchener (Giant Tiger). Has anyone heard of any future plans for this property?
RE: General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours - ac3r - 04-14-2022
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.