01-07-2016, 08:26 AM
Unlike the Albert/Columbia site that Waterloo refused to bankroll the development charges of, this location does not have hostile zoning as an excuse for making retail/interaction inward facing. Within itself, sure, it seems neat, but as is, you've written off the ability of anyone to walk into Kitchener on that side of the tracks without much detouring around the site, especially the vehicular access. On one hand, I like the open space, and I could be convinced that a single, car-focused entrance that doesn't have any pedestrian conflicts is good. But without the ability to walk parallel to King Street without detouring, without real interaction and interest for people making that walk, it feels as closed off and exclusionary (without explicitly being so) as Kitchener's Tame the Lane party last summer.