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The Shops | ?m | 3fl | Complete
#16
There are over half a dozen buildings over three stories under construction just across the road from the Shops and everyone here despises them.
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#17
I don't see an issue with the height, or lack thereof. A mix of heights is good. This looks like it will have great street interaction, and it will be mixed-use, so it sounds good. I think a residential component would be better, and probably a few extra stories would be better, too. But this looks good.
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#18
(10-14-2015, 08:53 PM)mpd618 Wrote:
(10-14-2015, 09:44 AM)insider Wrote: Incredibly disappointing and mediocre (as usual). 3 storeys, single use, immediately next to an ION station. Ugh.

It's both office and retail, right? That's not single-use. I'm OK with that, personally. There's plenty more parking lots to be redeveloped, and 3 storeys that interacts well with the street is fine in my book.

(10-15-2015, 01:30 AM)modernizt Wrote:
(10-14-2015, 09:44 AM)insider Wrote: Incredibly disappointing and mediocre (as usual). 3 storeys, single use, immediately next to an ION station. Ugh.

You're disappointed by a mixed-use commercial/retail building with urban massing and streetscaping being built here?

Office and retail = commercial uses. Yes, not entirely single use but many times office and retail are grouped into the commercial category, so in that sense yes, it is single use.

Yes, the street facing facade is passable - it will frame the street and I appreciate that. What I'm saying is that at this location, which is probably the most prime in the City of Waterloo, I would've really appreciated that 3 storey commercial podium, but with at least a 4 floor residential component with greatly reduced parking requirements. It would've worked and sold in a second.
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#19
(10-14-2015, 09:44 AM)insider Wrote: Incredibly disappointing and mediocre (as usual). 3 storeys, single use, immediately next to an ION station. Ugh.

I'm afraid I don't understand your reaction.  This seems like a positive development, even though it will result in a loss of parking.  What would you have preferred?

(10-14-2015, 10:30 AM)Markster Wrote: Occupancy in July! That is amazingly quick.  One of the advantages of being only 3 storeys.  Tenants will be moved in an just getting settled when the LRT starts running.

One year before the LRT starts running, I think you mean!  ion is scheduled to open in the fall/winter of 2017, while occupancy at The Shops will be in Summer/Fall of 2016.
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#20
(10-15-2015, 12:32 PM)Canard Wrote: I'm afraid I don't understand your reaction.  This seems like a positive development, even though it will result in a loss of parking.  What would you have preferred?

Sounds like a positive development in part because it will result in a loss of parking...

insider's probably right that a few floors of residential units would have sold, and added value. I don't think one can say that office and retail should be lumped in as single, commercial use- crucially, they attract people to Uptown at different times of the day and week.
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#21
(10-15-2015, 12:32 PM)Canard Wrote: One year before the LRT starts running, I think you mean!  ion is scheduled to open in the fall/winter of 2017, while occupancy at The Shops will be in Summer/Fall of 2016.
I meant what I said!
New retail units take a little while to find tenants and fit out, not to mention when I say "getting settled" I mean getting through the standard early-months aches and pains. Fall 2017 is when these units will finally feel like they haven't "just opened yesterday", and everything should be running smoothly.

Though, I wouldn't entirely be surprised to see a vacancy still to fill by then. Look at how long it was before the Carl's Jr set up shop.
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#22
(10-15-2015, 01:30 AM)modernizt Wrote:
(10-14-2015, 09:44 AM)insider Wrote: Incredibly disappointing and mediocre (as usual). 3 storeys, single use, immediately next to an ION station. Ugh.

You're disappointed by a mixed-use commercial/retail building with urban massing and streetscaping being built here?

I think his disappointment can be summed up by the pictures from the other Shops at Waterloo Town Square thread; It's the what could have been moreso than the specific development itself.

           
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#23
(10-15-2015, 09:45 AM)insider Wrote: Yes, the street facing facade is passable - it will frame the street and I appreciate that. What I'm saying is that at this location, which is probably the most prime in the City of Waterloo, I would've really appreciated that 3 storey commercial podium, but with at least a 4 floor residential component with greatly reduced parking requirements. It would've worked and sold in a second.

I do agree with this. The municipal parking requirements for residential units in particular are a barrier to the kind of urban development the market is willing to support and we want to see.
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#24
That photo above showing what it could have been is nice, but there just isn't the need for that much retail/office space Uptown. You won't see such height (not including the condo towers in the surrounding neighbourhoods) for a long long long time. Plus, Waterloo will always be a student city. Kitchener's Downtown will always prevail in terms of large developments.
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#25
(10-15-2015, 06:54 PM)notmyfriends Wrote:
(10-15-2015, 01:30 AM)modernizt Wrote: You're disappointed by a mixed-use commercial/retail building with urban massing and streetscaping being built here?

I think his disappointment can be summed up by the pictures from the other Shops at Waterloo Town Square thread; It's the what could have been moreso than the specific development itself.

(10-16-2015, 11:31 AM)ac3r Wrote: That photo above showing what it could have been is nice, but there just isn't the need for that much retail/office space Uptown. You won't see such height (not including the condo towers in the surrounding neighbourhoods) for a long long long time. Plus, Waterloo will always be a student city. Kitchener's Downtown will always prevail in terms of large developments.

Agree about commercial demand, but look at BarrelYards for example, it has been selling/renting really well. There's a ton of people that would love to move to Uptown if they could = very high residential demand, which in turn creates demand for commercial uses. People love Uptown, that's a fact, and people want to be close to things to do. Re: Waterloo as a student city... so not true. I see Kitchener-Waterloo as one city though, and it is a growing region with all kinds of people, yes a lot of students, but lots of others. Plus having such strong institutions and companies (UW/WLU, PI, CIGI, Google, etc) means that this city is a magnet for talent, and we need to provide the amenities, culture, and services that people with talent require to enjoy their lives.
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#26
(10-16-2015, 12:02 PM)insider Wrote:
(10-16-2015, 11:31 AM)ac3r Wrote: Plus, Waterloo will always be a student city. Kitchener's Downtown will always prevail in terms of large developments.
Re: Waterloo as a student city... so not true. I see Kitchener-Waterloo as one city though, and it is a growing region with all kinds of people, yes a lot of students, but lots of others. Plus having such strong institutions and companies (UW/WLU, PI, CIGI, Google, etc) means that this city is a magnet for talent, and we need to provide the amenities, culture, and services that people with talent require to enjoy their lives.

What's more, to the extent that such distinctions are valid in the first place, the LRT will help make them much less relevant both to students and employees.
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#27
(10-15-2015, 12:34 PM)MidTowner Wrote: Sounds like a positive development in part because it will result in a loss of parking...

Well, I'm afraid most of the residents of the Region would probably disagree with that viewpoint. Smile An underground parking lot is probably the optimal solution, here.

(10-15-2015, 06:54 PM)notmyfriends Wrote: I think his disappointment can be summed up by the pictures from the other Shops at Waterloo Town Square thread; It's the what could have been moreso than the specific development itself.

Wow, those renderings look fantastic. That would have been awesome.
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#28
(10-18-2015, 11:41 AM)Canard Wrote:
(10-15-2015, 12:34 PM)MidTowner Wrote: Sounds like a positive development in part because it will result in a loss of parking...

Well, I'm afraid most of the residents of the Region would probably disagree with that viewpoint. Smile An underground parking lot is probably the optimal solution, here.

I think a segment of the Uptown retailers and a few other special interest groups have been fairy successful at framing the conversation about Uptown, and making it seem like more parking is equal to commercial success. The opposite is true, and will be even more the case in two years time when Ion is running.
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#29
The good news is that despite this development's current form, the original proposal's overall density can very likely still be implemented, with a physical shift of some of the footprints. Whether there's the political will to do so, however...
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#30
Any progress on this thing lately?
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