09-10-2015, 11:15 AM
(09-10-2015, 09:36 AM)zanate Wrote:(09-05-2015, 10:07 PM)BuildingScout Wrote: The commercial space in The Red didn't quite take off... this shows that demand at the edge of a commercial area is weak. Increase density first, create the spaces later, otherwise we end up with boarded up commercial space, like so much of downtown kitchener.
I agree in this case. As much as I want ground floor retail along King St. livening up the streetscape, I think we still have a question of demand for that space.
Otherwise, this is a nicely scaled building (5-6 stories would make a good streetwall for King St. midtown) and hopefully not the last. While this one doesn't provide for ground floor retail, it'll start to build the demand for that in future construction.
I tend to disagree. King Street throughout Midtown is actually primarily commercial right now, and it IS the middle of the Region's central transit corridor. Definitely the important detail is the types of businesses that are there now, small convenience stores, tattoo and massage parlours, and money loan businesses... plus tons of medical and dental offices. At least one small commercial unit would've been perfect in this development, with the possibility to convert some ground floor units into more.