General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours

[ac3r]

That looks pretty good. I like the use of coniferous trees. You don't see those very often in downtown urban spaces.

[CedarHillAlum]

Yes please! What a change that would be for an otherwise dead intersection. Really hope they keep the plans for trees.

Yes, hope so. It actually already has trees, but the area is so inactive, you'd barely even notice.

It's a shame they missed the opportunity to really improve that area when the LRT was built. But the region's gonna region.

What specific improvement would you have liked to have been done as part of the LRT?

[danbrotherston]

Yes, hope so. It actually already has trees, but the area is so inactive, you'd barely even notice.

It's a shame they missed the opportunity to really improve that area when the LRT was built. But the region's gonna region.

What specific improvement would you have liked to have been done as part of the LRT?

Leaving aside bike infrastructure, Frederick and Benton should not be 4 lanes wide. The 4 lanes dates to a 1960s era plan to punch a highway through downtown. That plan is gone now, but the unnecessarily wide and wasteful 4 lane road remains. It should have been narrowed to 2 lanes maybe with turning lanes. This would have simplified significantly the LRT and allowed for both ends of the LRT platform to have pedestrian access.

Honestly, the fact that engineers who were paid money to be experts build a downtown LRT station in an urban environment without pedestrian access from both directions really makes me question how we evaluate expertise.

[mastermind]

What specific improvement would you have liked to have been done as part of the LRT?

Leaving aside bike infrastructure, Frederick and Benton should not be 4 lanes wide. The 4 lanes dates to a 1960s era plan to punch a highway through downtown. That plan is gone now, but the unnecessarily wide and wasteful 4 lane road remains. It should have been narrowed to 2 lanes maybe with turning lanes. This would have simplified significantly the LRT and allowed for both ends of the LRT platform to have pedestrian access.

Honestly, the fact that engineers who were paid money to be experts build a downtown LRT station in an urban environment without pedestrian access from both directions really makes me question how we evaluate expertise.

I agree.  This is a bad stretch

[CedarHillAlum]

What specific improvement would you have liked to have been done as part of the LRT?

Leaving aside bike infrastructure, Frederick and Benton should not be 4 lanes wide. The 4 lanes dates to a 1960s era plan to punch a highway through downtown. That plan is gone now, but the unnecessarily wide and wasteful 4 lane road remains. It should have been narrowed to 2 lanes maybe with turning lanes. This would have simplified significantly the LRT and allowed for both ends of the LRT platform to have pedestrian access.

Honestly, the fact that engineers who were paid money to be experts build a downtown LRT station in an urban environment without pedestrian access from both directions really makes me question how we evaluate expertise.

Good point about the width of Benton; it's especially glaring on the stretch from Church St. to Courtland.

[cherrypark]

Noticed that one each of a Sunbelt Rentals and United Rentals container have appeared - the latter looking like a packaged plant unit - on the triangle of shrubs and grass behind the Pharmacy/Nursing school buildings next to the rail spur. Wonder if this means there is some effort starting to remediate that area?

[robdrimmie]

Noticed that one each of a Sunbelt Rentals and United Rentals container have appeared - the latter looking like a packaged plant unit - on the triangle of shrubs and grass behind the Pharmacy/Nursing school buildings next to the rail spur. Wonder if this means there is some effort starting to remediate that area?

University of Waterloo has announced what they're calling Innovation Arena. This article doesn't explicitly say where it is, but it talks about a University-owned warehouse at Joseph and Victoria, and the hero image is of a long rectangle. My guess is that it will be built at 280 Joseph St, the old warehouse that is beside that triangle space.

The gift supports a $35-million capital project to restore a University-owned warehouse in Downtown Kitchener’s Innovation District. Located at the corner of Victoria and Joseph Streets, the 90,000-square-foot building will be the new home of Velocity, Waterloo’s signature entrepreneurship program.

[cherrypark]

Noticed that one each of a Sunbelt Rentals and United Rentals container have appeared - the latter looking like a packaged plant unit - on the triangle of shrubs and grass behind the Pharmacy/Nursing school buildings next to the rail spur. Wonder if this means there is some effort starting to remediate that area?

University of Waterloo has announced what they're calling Innovation Arena. This article doesn't explicitly say where it is, but it talks about a University-owned warehouse at Joseph and Victoria, and the hero image is of a long rectangle. My guess is that it will be built at 280 Joseph St, the old warehouse that is beside that triangle space.

The gift supports a $35-million capital project to restore a University-owned warehouse in Downtown Kitchener’s Innovation District. Located at the corner of Victoria and Joseph Streets, the 90,000-square-foot building will be the new home of Velocity, Waterloo’s signature entrepreneurship program.

Yeah I didn't think that section was necessarily included in that plan/development and indeed that warehouse is the one that is being renovated. Though perhaps the University is planning to clear up that whole area, which would be welcome.

[camerashy]

A little while ago the St. Mary Eritrean Orthodox Church on Ahrens (155 W Ahrens St) sold to a developer. The developer has already started to approach residents within the consultation zone (despite no permits existing or filed) to gauge support for a low-rise condo building on the plot. Fingers crossed they actually go through with it and don't just sit on the lot while the building falls into disrepair. The developer tried to also attain the building located behind the church but I don't think that went through. 

Could be a hopefully tasteful addition to Mt. Hope/Breithaupt Neighbourhood, especially with Lenjo Bakes and Mama D's doing well across the road.

I'm sure residents will not miss the Sunday parking fiasco that was ongoing when it was functioning as a church.

[taylortbb]

East or West? 10 Duke W is an office condos project, just got redeveloped. Unless sales have totally failed it'd be difficult for a developer to buy out.

10 Duke E appears to be part of the Duke Food Block, which we already know Vive purchased a couple years ago.

10 Duke W. I confirmed that it has definitely been sold, just not sure which group bought it

Sure enough, I can confirm this got bought. Major developer that's already active in DTK.

[Chris]

A little while ago the St. Mary Eritrean Orthodox Church on Ahrens (155 W Ahrens St) sold to a developer. The developer has already started to approach residents within the consultation zone (despite no permits existing or filed) to gauge support for a low-rise condo building on the plot. Fingers crossed they actually go through with it and don't just sit on the lot while the building falls into disrepair. The developer tried to also attain the building located behind the church but I don't think that went through. 

Could be a hopefully tasteful addition to Mt. Hope/Breithaupt Neighbourhood, especially with Lenjo Bakes and Mama D's doing well across the road.

I'm sure residents will not miss the Sunday parking fiasco that was ongoing when it was functioning as a church.

Thanks for the update. I'll miss that quirky little building but if they can build something decent and affordable that would be a great addition.

Unless you live back in the area I don't think people know how many little apartment buildings are scattered in the area. If they can do a 2-4 story with multi bedroom units that would fit well.

[Lens]

10 Duke W. I confirmed that it has definitely been sold, just not sure which group bought it

Sure enough, I can confirm this got bought. Major developer that's already active in DTK.

Surely it'll be one of the usual suspects
Perimeter
Europro
Voisin

[taylortbb]

Sure enough, I can confirm this got bought. Major developer that's already active in DTK.

Surely it'll be one of the usual suspects
Perimeter
Europro
Voisin

None of the above. I'd guess it'll become just the base of a residential tower, based on the developer's previous projects, but they have announced (but not yet built) some office too.

[panamaniac]

Surely it'll be one of the usual suspects
Perimeter
Europro
Voisin

None of the above. I'd guess it'll become just the base of a residential tower, based on the developer's previous projects, but they have announced (but not yet built) some office too.

Wasn’t there a proposal a few years back to expand the offices by putting a few glass-clad storeys on top of the existing building?

[taylortbb]

None of the above. I'd guess it'll become just the base of a residential tower, based on the developer's previous projects, but they have announced (but not yet built) some office too.

Wasn’t there a proposal a few years back to expand the offices by putting a few glass-clad storeys on top of the existing building?

Yes, that was the developer that did the office condo conversion. But clearly that project failed given what's happened. Not too surprising IMO, organizations are generally moving away from office ownership.