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+--- Thread: Fairview Park Mall - Grand Market District (/showthread.php?tid=1187)
RE: Fairview Park Mall - Grand Market District - jeffster - 11-07-2018
(11-07-2018, 05:00 PM)KevinL Wrote: The heritage committee is not in agreement with the planning department. https://www.therecord.com/news-story/9021462-protect-sears-building-kitchener-heritage-committee-says/
Oh man, if only they didn't tare down the old city hall, none of these clowns would be doing this.
It's a private business. It's not surrounded by historical residences, and it's a relatively *new* building.
Fairview Park Mall needs to be improved, especially since Sears is gone, time to let go of the past.
RE: Fairview Park Mall - Grand Market District - Pheidippides - 11-07-2018
This committee seems to be out of control.
Is there higher body "OMB for heritage" that these decisions can be appealed to?
RE: Fairview Park Mall - Grand Market District - panamaniac - 11-07-2018
(11-07-2018, 10:37 PM)Pheidippides Wrote: This committee seems to be out of control.
Is there higher body "OMB for heritage" that these decisions can be appealed to?
The Heritage Committee only makes recommendations. It's City Council that takes decisions. Or am I mistaken?
RE: Fairview Park Mall - Grand Market District - tomh009 - 11-08-2018
(11-07-2018, 10:50 PM)panamaniac Wrote:(11-07-2018, 10:37 PM)Pheidippides Wrote: This committee seems to be out of control.
Is there higher body "OMB for heritage" that these decisions can be appealed to?
The Heritage Committee only makes recommendations. It's City Council that takes decisions. Or am I mistaken?
You are exactly correct.
RE: Fairview Park Mall - Grand Market District - Spokes - 11-20-2018
Did I see that the Sears facade is going to Council tonight?
RE: Fairview Park Mall - Grand Market District - Spokes - 11-20-2018
Quote:Council voted 7-3 Monday against protecting the distinctive concrete facade of the Sears building with a heritage designation.
Building owner Cadillac Fairview wants to demolish the facade and part of the building in a major redevelopment of Fairview Park mall. Finley McEwen, Cadillac Fairview's senior vice president of development, urged council not to designate the building. The 53-year-old Sears building, with its distinctive facade of ribbed, precast concrete, was built in the Kennedy-era International style and is locally unique.
The heritage designation "would essentially render the property undevelopable," McEwen said. "It would essentially tie our hand and prevent a one-in-50-year redevelopment opportunity from progressing."
Looks like things are good to move forward here.
RE: Fairview Park Mall - Grand Market District - tomh009 - 11-20-2018
Now, if it had been yet another 100-year-old house, I think the vote would have gone the other way.
RE: Fairview Park Mall - Grand Market District - Spokes - 11-20-2018
I'm curious how much of this came down to what's there currently vs what will be there in the future. Rather than simply letting the heritage value of the facade be the sole decision.
RE: Fairview Park Mall - Grand Market District - panamaniac - 11-20-2018
(11-20-2018, 11:13 AM)Spokes Wrote: I'm curious how much of this came down to what's there currently vs what will be there in the future. Rather than simply letting the heritage value of the facade be the sole decision.
I'm sure the redevelopment issue would have been top of mind, although it's interesting to wonder if it really needed to be an either/or matter.
RE: Fairview Park Mall - Grand Market District - jeffster - 11-20-2018
(11-20-2018, 11:13 AM)Spokes Wrote: I'm curious how much of this came down to what's there currently vs what will be there in the future. Rather than simply letting the heritage value of the facade be the sole decision.
I think it's a little bit of both -- the investment going into the mall, and questionable heritage value and almost no historical in a strictly retail area of town.
When it came to the old Sears building, it always had a 'big city' feel to it, like something you'd see in Toronto -- yet at the same time, it was something that also looked dated, as in something you'd see in Toronto getting a facelift.
I am hoping that CF can do something about that Wal*Mart building, it's in rough shape, reminds me of the ghetto's in parts of Michigan and Florida.
RE: Fairview Park Mall - Grand Market District - Spokes - 11-20-2018
I'm shocked Walmart has let it get that bad. I was at the mall a few weeks ago and it looks BAD
RE: Fairview Park Mall - Grand Market District - jeffster - 11-20-2018
(11-20-2018, 07:33 PM)Spokes Wrote: I'm shocked Walmart has let it get that bad. I was at the mall a few weeks ago and it looks BAD
What I don't know is this: Is that Wal*Mart a 'stand alone' store, even though it's attached to the mall? Or is it owned by CF? And who figures out who fixes what if it is owned by CF? And yeah, shocking that they'd let the state of repair get so bad, it looks like it's been through a civil war or something.
RE: Fairview Park Mall - Grand Market District - KevinL - 11-20-2018
Walmart owns their building, CF has no responsibility for it.
But I understand a renovation is in the pipeline.
RE: Fairview Park Mall - Grand Market District - Spokes - 11-20-2018
I assumed they leased it but had some responsibility when it came to upkeep. Im surprised they own it themselves.
RE: Fairview Park Mall - Grand Market District - jeffster - 11-27-2018
(11-20-2018, 08:40 PM)KevinL Wrote: Walmart owns their building, CF has no responsibility for it.
But I understand a renovation is in the pipeline.
You were correct, I saw them fixing the outside just the other day. Hopefully it looks good in a week or two.