General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours

[tomh009]

I really doubt this would have a significant traffic impact. I think their current campus has fewer than 100 students, and most of the international students are living on (or within a walking distance from) the campus.

Maybe, but we're both just speculating, was a traffic study done? Why do people get to insist on a traffic study for housing, but not for a school.

And even if it isn't a problem, the same process would have followed for a 2000 student public school.

A traffic study would not be done for residential construction if it's within the zoning parameters.

In this case it's only an interior renovation, and changing the use of (part of) the building to another one that is still allowed by the zoning. Basically, if you own a property, you can use it for anything that the zoning bylaws allow, unless that activity otherwise requires licensing.

Of course you can still lobby the city for a traffic study, but I don't think the city can stop the changed use of the building if it's explicitly permitted by the zoning bylaws.

[JJTL]

I believe churches and schools are both zoned 'institutional', so there's no need for a review of this.

Would the weekday student crowds have a bigger impact than Sunday churchgoers? I guess when you add in the other weekday traffic, possibly.

At a minimum 5x the traffic and over the vastly busier weekdays than quiet Sundays. 

I mean school congestion is one of the biggest traffic issues in our cities.

The last thing I want is my building to be a school drop off zone.

Based on their website they are mostly an international school that provides all housing, meals, etc. In their old location they had less than 50 students I believe. Given the numbers and the housing setup, I imagine it is one bus load of students. Given the above, I think you can rest easy that there shouldn't be any major traffic implications. The zoning for the church is already appropriate for a school, as others have mentioned, so no review was required. Working right on this block, I for one am excited to see more unique businesses and opportunities get attracted downtown.

[nms]

According to their website, the area has been christened "Kitchener-Warterloo" (sorry, I have never figured out how to post photos here, or else I would have posted the screen capture).

[mastermind]

Not sure if this has been discussed yet, looked new to me. On King and Pandora there are three buildings all fenced in together. Anyone know what's going here?

[panamaniac]

Which corner?

[mastermind]

North east I'd call it. An empty grey building plus two houses.

[taylortbb]

The past few days there's been work going on inside the old Braun's locksmith building, 270 King St E. Nothing major yet, but maybe they've finally found a tenant for the space after all the work that went into the building a few years ago.

[panamaniac]

The past few days there's been work going on inside the old Braun's locksmith building, 270 King St E. Nothing major yet, but maybe they've finally found a tenant for the space after all the work that went into the building a few years ago.

Fingers crossed.  It seems like a good space, although it would be nice if it could be extended to the empty lot next door, someday.

[BruceAshe]

Not sure if this has been discussed yet, looked new to me.  On King and Pandora there are three buildings all fenced in together.  Anyone know what's going here?

I think it's going to be a medical office building. I vaguely remember reading about it in one of the committee minutes. At least one house was supposed to be part of the new design, but I'm honestly not sure why.

[taylortbb]

The past few days there's been work going on inside the old Braun's locksmith building, 270 King St E. Nothing major yet, but maybe they've finally found a tenant for the space after all the work that went into the building a few years ago.

Fingers crossed.  It seems like a good space, although it would be nice if it could be extended to the empty lot next door, someday.

Walked past it again the evening, they've been installing office-style lighting. So I'm guessing a tech company took it.

[DK519]

In regards to 650-664 King E., they're going to demo the house in the middle and make it parking. I believe one building will be dental and the other one some other sort of medical.

Here is some info on the proposed development:

http://kitchener.ca.granicus.com/MetaVie...a_id=59738

I can't tell you how excited I am that something might finally be happening here. I've lived around the corner for 5 years now and have seen it go from crack dens+tattoo shop, to squatters and illegal dispensary, to flooded abandoned buildings now. The houses were always a hive of prostitution and drug related activity when they had tenants.

[midriser]

In regards to 650-664 King E., they're going to demo the house in the middle and make it parking. I believe one building will be dental and the other one some other sort of medical.

Here is some info on the proposed development:

http://kitchener.ca.granicus.com/MetaVie...a_id=59738

I can't tell you how excited I am that something might finally be happening here. I've lived around the corner for 5 years now and have seen it go from crack dens+tattoo shop, to squatters and illegal dispensary, to flooded abandoned buildings now. The houses were always a hive of prostitution and drug related activity when they had tenants.

Four new medical offices instead of abandoned buildings/illegal activity dens is certainly good for the community, but adding even more surface parking directly on King is really unfortunate. Plus, the middle house would IMO probably be the best looking of the three structures if it was to be fixed up. An improvement in terms of use, but definitely not in terms of form.

[KingandWeber]

In regards to 650-664 King E., they're going to demo the house in the middle and make it parking. I believe one building will be dental and the other one some other sort of medical.

Here is some info on the proposed development:

http://kitchener.ca.granicus.com/MetaVie...a_id=59738

I can't tell you how excited I am that something might finally be happening here. I've lived around the corner for 5 years now and have seen it go from crack dens+tattoo shop, to squatters and illegal dispensary, to flooded abandoned buildings now. The houses were always a hive of prostitution and drug related activity when they had tenants.

Four new medical offices instead of abandoned buildings/illegal activity dens is certainly good for the community, but adding even more surface parking directly on King is really unfortunate. Plus, the middle house would IMO probably be the best looking of the three structures if it was to be fixed up. An improvement in terms of use, but definitely not in terms of form.

My thoughts exactly. In fact, I thought zoning had changed to discourage parking lots directly on King, but maybe that doesn't go this far down. I guess we will just have to hope the whole site is redeveloped one day, maybe with the inclusion of some neighbouring properties.

[DK519]

Four new medical offices instead of abandoned buildings/illegal activity dens is certainly good for the community, but adding even more surface parking directly on King is really unfortunate. Plus, the middle house would IMO probably be the best looking of the three structures if it was to be fixed up. An improvement in terms of use, but definitely not in terms of form.

My thoughts exactly. In fact, I thought zoning had changed to discourage parking lots directly on King, but maybe that doesn't go this far down. I guess we will just have to hope the whole site is redeveloped one day, maybe with the inclusion of some neighbouring properties.

Can you really call it a "parking lot" if it's 6-8 spaces?

There isn't really any public parking nearby aside from on-street.

[plam]

My thoughts exactly. In fact, I thought zoning had changed to discourage parking lots directly on King, but maybe that doesn't go this far down. I guess we will just have to hope the whole site is redeveloped one day, maybe with the inclusion of some neighbouring properties.

Can you really call it a "parking lot" if it's 6-8 spaces?

There isn't really any public parking nearby aside from on-street.

One could put the parking in back as for instance at my dentist, King St Dental, opposite the Bauer Lofts. But I wonder what it means when it says "modified setback for future widening". Are they planning to widen King St there? That wouldn't seem like the right thing to me.