30-40 Margaret Ave | 3 fl townhouses | Planned

[Rainrider22]

I have always loved these rowhouses. I wonder if they will ever be renovated to be classy walk ups..

[tomh009]

I have always loved these rowhouses.  I wonder if they will ever be renovated to be classy walk ups..

It's not a condo corporation so all of the owners make their own decisions. Some of them are quite nice (you can see interior photos on AirBNB from time to time).

[ac3r]

I have always loved these rowhouses.  I wonder if they will ever be renovated to be classy walk ups..

I swear if any developer ever proposes that they tear these down for something new I will join team NIMBY. Those classic rowhouses are so unique to this region.

[tomh009]

I have always loved these rowhouses.  I wonder if they will ever be renovated to be classy walk ups..

I swear if any developer ever proposes that they tear these down for something new I will join team NIMBY. Those classic rowhouses are so unique to this region.

It's really a shame that the one closest to Benton was demolished for the road widening.

For now, demolition and redevelopment is highly unlikely as a developer would need to convince all the individual owners to sell.

[ijmorlan]

I swear if any developer ever proposes that they tear these down for something new I will join team NIMBY. Those classic rowhouses are so unique to this region.

It's really a shame that the one closest to Benton was demolished for the road widening.

For now, demolition and redevelopment is highly unlikely as a developer would need to convince all the individual owners to sell.

Especially such a plainly unnecessary road widening, given that the additional construction west/south of Courtland never happened. The eastbound/northbound traffic on Benton could easily fit in a single lane, and I’m not even sure that full turn lanes are justified in the other direction.

[tomh009]

It's really a shame that the one closest to Benton was demolished for the road widening.

Especially such a plainly unnecessary road widening, given that the additional construction west/south of Courtland never happened. The eastbound/northbound traffic on Benton could easily fit in a single lane, and I’m not even sure that full turn lanes are justified in the other direction.

In retrospect, absolutely unnecessary. But it was in alignment with their vision (of a car-centric city) at the time, a vision that was pretty pervasive throughout North America and Australia, at least, back then.

Alas, we cannot undo historical decisions.

[ijmorlan]

Especially such a plainly unnecessary road widening, given that the additional construction west/south of Courtland never happened. The eastbound/northbound traffic on Benton could easily fit in a single lane, and I’m not even sure that full turn lanes are justified in the other direction.

In retrospect, absolutely unnecessary. But it was in alignment with their vision (of a car-centric city) at the time, a vision that was pretty pervasive throughout North America and Australia, at least, back then.

Alas, we cannot undo historical decisions.

Indeed! I agree in the context of their plans, it made sense. My real problem is with the plans.

[Lens]

It's really a shame that the one closest to Benton was demolished for the road widening.

For now, demolition and redevelopment is highly unlikely as a developer would need to convince all the individual owners to sell.

Especially such a plainly unnecessary road widening, given that the additional construction west/south of Courtland never happened. The eastbound/northbound traffic on Benton could easily fit in a single lane, and I’m not even sure that full turn lanes are justified in the other direction.

The end home was actually much different than the other towns. It looked more like a normal house that was attached to the others. I have an old photo of it somewhere

[ijmorlan]

Especially such a plainly unnecessary road widening, given that the additional construction west/south of Courtland never happened. The eastbound/northbound traffic on Benton could easily fit in a single lane, and I’m not even sure that full turn lanes are justified in the other direction.

The end home was actually much different than the other towns. It looked more like a normal house that was attached to the others. I have an old photo of it somewhere

I had no idea. That sounds interesting. Was it built with the rest, or did it come first with the others later filling in its side/back yard?

[SF22]

I would be DELIGHTED if someone designed townhouses that looked like the Arrow/Courtland ones! I am so partial to a classic design, especially in the downtown area, but there's just something about that beautiful brickwork that's lost to us today. If you walk around any of the neighbourhoods built before 1920, there is gorgeous detailing done with the brick layouts that gives each house/building its own bit of character. I wish we still had that eye for detail in modern builds.

[ac3r]

I would be DELIGHTED if someone designed townhouses that looked like the Arrow/Courtland ones! I am so partial to a classic design, especially in the downtown area, but there's just something about that beautiful brickwork that's lost to us today. If you walk around any of the neighbourhoods built before 1920, there is gorgeous detailing done with the brick layouts that gives each house/building its own bit of character. I wish we still had that eye for detail in modern builds.

The ones at Courtland and Benton? Those are amongst my most cherished buildings in all of Waterloo Region. They were tenements for employees of the former shirt factory (or at least some industrial company nearby) and there were once an additional 1 or 2 of them, though they were demolished when Benton was widened.

You fund the project and I'll gladly design some modern rowhouses like those! I'd even work for free haha. As much as I primarily adore modernist and contemporary architecture, I can appreciate the modest old stuff like that. And usually when an architect tries to mimic older styles it just ends up looking a bit off/fake. A good example is the rowhouses of Victoria Commons. If it weren't for the roofs and the lack of ornamentation, they would have looked better. However it's still nice to see those at least try to have both a historical flair and contain the level of density commonly found in old rowhouse developments. Also I can't think of any historic rowhouse developments that remain within Waterloo Region apart from those, although there may be some in Cambridge.

[bravado]

I would be DELIGHTED if someone designed townhouses that looked like the Arrow/Courtland ones! I am so partial to a classic design, especially in the downtown area, but there's just something about that beautiful brickwork that's lost to us today. If you walk around any of the neighbourhoods built before 1920, there is gorgeous detailing done with the brick layouts that gives each house/building its own bit of character. I wish we still had that eye for detail in modern builds.

The ones at Courtland and Benton? Those are amongst my most cherished buildings in all of Waterloo Region. They were tenements for employees of the former shirt factory (or at least some industrial company nearby) and there were once an additional 1 or 2 of them, though they were demolished when Benton was widened.

You fund the project and I'll gladly design some modern rowhouses like those! I'd even work for free haha. As much as I primarily adore modernist and contemporary architecture, I can appreciate the modest old stuff like that. And usually when an architect tries to mimic older styles it just ends up looking a bit off/fake. A good example is the rowhouses of Victoria Commons. If it weren't for the roofs and the lack of ornamentation, they would have looked better. However it's still nice to see those at least try to have both a historical flair and contain the level of density commonly found in old rowhouse developments. Also I can't think of any historic rowhouse developments that remain within Waterloo Region apart from those, although there may be some in Cambridge.

Those Courtland ones are delightful, these are comparable ones in Cambridge across from a very old schoolhouse:


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[SF22]

The only other ones I can think of right now are on Cedar St, across from the market. I had a friend who lived in one of these units when I was a kid. Not quite the same style as Courtland/Benton, but similar enough. (I still haven't managed to figure out how to properly included photos consistently, so apologies if this is a mess).

[Rainrider22]

I often look at those and imagine they could be amazing if all fixed up again.. When I say cleaned up, clean the brick work. Maybe return to proper metal railings etc..

[Joedelay Highhoe]

There's a similar block of town/row houses on Wellington: